Despite being an avowed champion of the Right to Information, the Transparency International and its Chairperson have, up to now, failed to respond to several questions put to them by Colombo Telegraph in the public interest relating to the last year’s ‘Integrity Awards’ of Transparency International Sri Lanka.
Ivan
Good governance watchdog Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has given an ‘Integrity Award’ to the chairman of the ‘Ravaya’ newspaper, Victor Ivan, by way of marking the International Anti-Corruption Day.
These questions sent by Colombo Telegraph to Transparency International as on 21st of December are as follows;
To
Lakshan Dias <lakshandias@yahoo.co.uk> , Board of Directors TISL <directors@tisrilanka.org> Find email with recipient
Cc Anushika Amarasinghe <anushikaamarasinghe@gmail.com> , Björn Rohde-Liebenau <TIombuds@risk-communication.de> , Gehan TISL <gehan.dg@gmail.com> , Jayantha TISL <jayantha.fdo@gmail.com> , JC Weliamuna <weliamuna@gmail.com> , KW Janaranjana <kwjanaranjana@gmail.com> , Rukshana <rnanayakkara@transparency.org> , Sheila Richards TISL <sheilarichards777@gmail.com> , TISL Management <management@tisrilanka.org> , TISL Members <members@tisrilanka.org> , TISL STAFF <staff@tisrilanka.org> , Tony TILS <tonysent2@gmail.com> , Tonys TISL <tonys@hfhsl.org>
Chairperson,
Transparency International Sri Lanka.
Dear Sir,
Colombo Telegraph has reason to investigate the integrity of the decision-making
process relating to this year’s ‘Integrity Awards’ of Transparency International
Sri Lanka (TISL). We therefore kindly request TISL to respond forthwith to the issues
raised below, in the public interest.
Given TISL’s celebration of Victor Ivan’s work in the cause of democracy prior
to 2005, cited as a reason by TISL for the recognition bestowed on him, why has TISL
omitted any reference to Mr Ivan’s conduct and writing during the two presidential
terms of Mahinda Rajapaksa (2005-2010 and 2010-2015)?
Is or is not TISL aware that Mr Ivan defended and wrote in favour of President Rajapaksa
and his brothers, even at a time when journalists and rights activists were
being attacked and were killed during Rajapaksa’s stewardship, all of which constitute
matters that are of public record?
Is or is not the TISL aware that the lives of several rights activists who condemned
the undemocratic actions of the previous regime had come under threat during this
time and moreover that these individuals and their efforts were ridiculed and disparaged
by Mr Ivan?
Is or is not the TISL aware of an ongoing inquiry by the Fraud Bureau and one by
the Registrar of Companies against Mr Ivan regarding taking monies given to a solidarity
fund for the Ravaya newspaper, where it was not disclosed to the contributors that
funds would be used to pay Mr Ivan?
Is or is not the TISL aware that there is no provision in any law or statute to pay
any such amount to Mr Ivan, regardless of the source of the funds?
In the opinion of the TISL, would the above facts be of such serious concern and
of a nature serious enough to hold back such an award until relevant inquiries are
concluded?
Or, in the opinion of TISL, are the above matters ‘unimportant’ considering that
TISL applauds Mr Ivan’s ‘sharp understanding of the country’s problems and
their origins’?
Would or would not the TISL agree that defending a regime with a track record of
repression as diabolical as that under Mahinda Rajapaksa is in fact, part of the
very ‘problems’ that the country faces?
Is the TISL’s decision, considering all this, acceptable as an affirmation of best
practice standards advocated and followed by the parent organization Transparency
International?
What is the set of criteria used by TISL when selecting recipients for this award?
Who were the members of the panel that was involved in selecting recipient for this
award?
Colombo Telegraph would appreciate a quick and comprehensive response to the above
concerns which we believe are legitimate and moreover of utmost public interest given
the mandate of the organization and the ethical guidelines it apparently subscribes
to and indeed publicly advocates.
Related stories;
Chief Opposition Whip Condemns TISL’s ‘Integrity’ Award, Calls For Explanation
Victor Ivan Pocketed Half Of Rāvaya’s Rs 10 Million Fund
Rāvaya ‘Staff-Shareholders’ Clueless About Ivan’s Rs 5 Million Heist
I Got Just Rs 1000 For My Share, Says Rāvaya Founder Director And Deputy Editor Colambage
Sajin Vass’ Restaurant Tip Same As ‘Hashish’ Ivan’s Salary
Ivan Must Return The Bucks He Took: Supporters Including 73 Year Old Pensioner Demand
Ivan’s Rs 5 Million Heist Goes To Fraud Bureau
Ranil Hits Sixers Off Full-Tosses Bowled By Fraudster
Rāvaya Backtracks, Starts Paying Back Swindled Contributors
Transparency International Gives Integrity Award To Accused Media Swindler
Rāvaya’s Would-Be Shareholders Left Empty-Handed
Disillusioned / January 1, 2016
Well done, CT.
The deafening silence emanating out of TISL speaks volumes!
Sure looks like ‘Transparency’ isn’t a top priority in their members’ current agenda and their non-response is devastating to those of us who had some faith in their actions/brief.
Ivan must be chuckling all the way …
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Amarasiri / January 1, 2016
RE: Transparency International Silent On Public Interest Questions Related To Award Given To Victor Ivan
“The deafening silence emanating out of TISL speaks volumes!”
From: Transparency International to
Translucent International to
Opaque International Related To Award Given To Victor Ivan?
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Dinuk / January 3, 2016
Transparency International is an INGO which tows the party line of the IMF and World Bank while pretending to fight corruption..
The world financial system is a corrupt cesspool the king of which is the IMF and World Bank. UK is offering to help Sri Lanka find all the looted funds of the corrupt politicians and the Jarapassa family, but in fact London and the British economy thrives on the stolen billions deposited in secret British bank accounts!
UK and all the western banks and economies benefit from corrupt politicians in third world having their secret bank accounts with funds stolen from the people in western banks!
Look what happened even in Greece which is part of the EU where the corrupt politicians caused the economy to default and come under the yoke of the IMF with the people suffering. The IMF and Transparency international never said anything about the CORRUPTION and LOOTING by corrupt Greek Politicians even though they knew what was going on..
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Wanni / January 2, 2016
SHAME… SHAME…. SHAME….!!!!
TISL is a private club. Since its inception in 2003 it does not have more than a few dozen of members. The affairs of TISL is stage managed by a one human rights and democracy “god father”. Only those who are in good terms with him are admitted to the membership. Rules are such that anyone who so desires cannot become members. The Board is also appointed in a clandestine manner out of these chosen members. In order to retain some integrity one or two unsuspecting socially recognized individuals are roped into the membership and the board as long as they do not venture into challenging the transparency “god father”. After some time they are conveniently purged from time to time. None of these individuals continue to remain in the organisation membership or the board.
The functioning structure itself is no different to the UNP or SLFP working committee/central committee dictatorship driven democracy style. constituents have to please the respective god fathers.
If one examines the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the integrity of those individuals are visible. Most of them are tainted with corruption, abuse of power and often hounded by Colombo Telegraph. Several of Mr.Amrit Muttukumaru’s articles on the credibility of these individuals still remain un touched and unchallenged!
Interestingly one strange individual who is a close associate of the “god father” remains in the Board and throughout since inception and at times also as a staffer at some times. Only god knows the relationship of this person of with the “god father”. This individual is there to do the hushing up and cleaning up the dirty work and stand as a pillar of strength to the god farther whenever need arises. This is just one indication of the stage managed manipulation of the TISL operations.
So much so for the Transparency. One needs to carefully study the privileged list of members of TISL and the pattern of the Board of Directors and how Chairmen are elected over last decade!
Every action must be to the liking of the political agenda of the “god father”. The only one who dared to challenge this was an ex executive director who is of a very high academic repute and once held a leading position in a prominent European governmental development agency. He really wanted to make TISL transparent. But could not last long. He sent his resignation immediately after a heated exchange of words at the board meeting, since the genuine approach did not go down well with the “god father”. This was the decisive turning point of the professional collapse of TISL.
Today all key governing positions are held by henchmen of the god father. A paid collaborating assistant of the clandestine Sri Lankan Airlines investigation report (that could not even be used to hang a dead rat) is appointed to a top position of the TISL.
TISL is nothing but a profitable business and a tool to attain political aims of the “god father”.
There is no point finding fault with integrity award winners. Such a corrupt organizational system cannot and will not produce genuine integrity award winners or fight corruption.
CT wake up and address the root, not the symptom.
“God father”‘s slip now clearly visible.
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Disillusioned / January 2, 2016
Wanni – Thanks for this wealth of information. Too bad the names of those referred to were not exposed so that we will be more informed.
Perhaps CT will do us the service of providing more details on TISL so that the organization will finally be ‘transparent’?!!
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EW Golding / January 2, 2016
Wanni this kind of comment is useless unless you name the “godfather”.
Do you comment for the benefit of some inner circle of your’s or for the benefit of CT readers in general 99% of whom, like me, are clueless who you are talking about? SHAME . . SHAME . . . you too Wanni. Anonymity, your’s and godfather’s allows you to, maybe, tell lies . . who knows!
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Leelagemalli / January 3, 2016
This particular writer as if he had all prima facie evidence, wrote that book – cHOORA Rajina… and that then caused Rajaaksshe to manipulate and inotoxicate the masses in favours of Raja family. Even for election campaigns they the pro Raja all kind of men abused the statements contained in that book.
Now all these reverberate on the Rawaya Editor – as ditta damma wedaneeya noticed all these. I never believed all the bits contained in that book. Very same writer stayed, as if CLAY EATEN crocodile inthe last few years, knowing and supporting all Rajapakshe – much higher abusive acts. Latter people was nt clear yet. Even today, Raaya man supports Rajapakshes. Stupid folks that are the easy tagerts of Rajapakshe and the editors like Rawaya would take another few years to turn their mind towards the facts.
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vishvamithra / January 1, 2016
Dear CT Editor
There is abundance of evidence in Sri Lanka that this is a country where compromising of one’s integrity and violation basic ethics and moral values is recognised as very normal.
This is the undeniable truth that applies to everybody holding pubic office from the Executive President down words.
Mr Victor Ivan cannot be a exception, and only few who practice four nobel truth would not do this.
People of Sri Lanka are quite happy to move forward tolerating all this abuses and the corrupt people know very well that these incidents would not be taken seriously by the people and forgotten very soon.
This is the very reason as to why (after having witness the caliber of those elected as MPs) the former Auditor General Mr Mayadunne resigned after elected as MP through the JVP National List.
Just see what the JVP did there after. With no respect to the people who trust the party for its commitment to abide by the rule of law, the party elected another rejected candidate as a ‘elected MP’. I won’t say it is impossible but it is almost impossible to reverse this culture.
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Tip Top / January 1, 2016
Why is it so difficult for Transparency International to remain transparent? Perhaps they are guilty as hell in ‘match fixing’ the result for Ivan to win the award. Shame on them for even inviting the President to give away the award.
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Shrikharan / January 1, 2016
It is so very easy to be an armchair critic to criticize others wrongdoings of unfairness and corrupt practices. But it takes a strong mind of conviction to resist a temptation when you are lured into doing the same you had criticized.
I do not usually do not trust the JVP as they a big talkers but poor in action when it is their turn to prove themselves. Wimal Weerawansa when he was a former JVP member he shouted so much against the Presidential system and corruption but what did he do when he was lured to join Rajapakse, he threw all his ‘policies’ to the wind and enjoyed the life of a capitalist and privileged, the very people he preferred to find fault with.
So it is my opinion most vociferous people only shout because they are jealous of others who can earn when they do not have the ability and talent, or they are crooks themselves and shout against fraud only to hide their own sins. Mahinda Rajapakse was an active human rights activist and he brought the roof down during UNP period screaming against various abuses and even complained to the UN, but we know what he did when he became a President. He declared those who complained to the UN against his abuses as traitors to the nation!
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Thomas / January 1, 2016
It appears that Ivan is still in the dark and unaware of the looming danger ahead.
I am aware that very soon Ivan would be charged for commission of a criminal case of misappropriation funds donated by people who believed the appeal made for funds to up keep Ravaya newspaper, which Ivan robbed later on.
He will not be spared for after returning funds only for those who threatened him with legal action.
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Gayan / January 1, 2016
Poor Ivan is raising a loan through a private bank to settle this case with refunding those funds have not been returned yet by him.
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Cohen / January 1, 2016
Victor Ivan should be exposed if corrupt. Looks like he is
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Devasiri / January 3, 2016
TI silent even University Corruption in appointing fake professors.[Edited out]
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Anti Humbug / January 3, 2016
What we are seeing is a concerted campaign against Ivan – Ivan has denuded Malinda Seneviratne couple of weeks ago – And Ivan makes it clear it was him who made Ravaya a public company while he himself had a salary of Rs. 62000 – much lower than anyone in the business of being editor
I see this is a non issue blown up by interested parties – Ivan fearlessly fought against high and mighty for a long time – he has his faults I agree – but this attack is not warrented –
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Disillusioned / January 3, 2016
Anti Humbug – the “attack” is not against Ivan in this instance, but against TISL!
However, whatever Ivan did in the past that deserves merit, it is the more immediate present that is of concern.
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kalansooriya / January 3, 2016
Anti Humbug
I respect your view expressed on this article that the attack is unwarranted’
CT not just reported the fraud but published the image of the cheque issued for Rs 100,000/- to one of the donators who threatened Ivan with legal action for abusing the contributions made in good faith to up keep the newspaper, the objective for which the funds were collected.
We know in the past Ivan had fought some cases of corruption and wrongdoing. Yet, that does not mean that he can abuse his image to deceive the pubic.
The best course of action available for Ivan now is to make an unqualified apology to every person who donate funds in good faith and return their money.
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Inspector Dirty Hari / January 3, 2016
CT,
Thanks.
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Jim softy / January 4, 2016
Transparency international is another INGO which gets money to watch Sri lanka.
Recently, Transparency International got good money from the govt and did nothing.
NGO are another group of thieves.
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