Ranil’s gangnam-style dance with Maitree

By Prof. Backbencher

It seems that Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is still in his dancing mood after thoroughly enjoying the papare style music with his schoolmates at the Mustangs Tent during the recent Royal-Thomian big match.

As he does in every year forgoing his commitments as the leader of the Opposition as well as the UNP, Ranil got maximum fun out of the highly entertaining atmosphere that prevailed at the Mustangs Tent, which had its customary papare band to keep the members in high spirits.

Barely a week after the big match, Ranil continued his dancing mode at a Wickremesinghe family wedding at Cinnamon Grand Hotel.

Almost all close members of the Wickremesinghe and Wijewardene families were present at the grand wedding reception.

But the cynosure of all eyes was Ranil and his beloved wife Maitree. Once the party reached the peak with the best alcoholic beverage in the world, the dance floor was opened for the guests.

However, it was Ranil-Maitree couple who caught most of the attention as they performed an excellent dancing act in perfect fashion! Moreover, Ranil’s Gangnam style dance was the star attraction of the day.

For a moment, it looked like a relived Ranil was in a world of his own, forgetting the problems he faces within the party and the challenges faced as the Opposition leader.

Ranil displayed his hidden talents in social dancing and it was good to see him having an enjoyable time with his close family members.

Nevertheless, it was an occasion at which Ranil proved his ability in dancing, perhaps to match his UNP parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera, who is better known as a dancing star after his appearance at a popular television variety show.

Muslim countries extend support to Sri Lanka

The US-led Resolution against Sri Lanka was adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council after a vote. What was evident prominently during the vote was the support extended to Sri Lanka by Muslim countries led by Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Among the other countries which voted against the US sponsored Resolution on Sri Lanka was Kuwait, Thailand, Indonesia, Uganda, Philippines, Ecuador, Venezuela and Congo. But the US managed to get its Resolution against Sri Lanka passed mainly through the support of the member countries of the European Union, led by the UK.

While neighbouring Pakistan and Maldives too voted against the Resolution and extended their wholehearted support to their fellow South Asian country, India continued to repose faith on the American camp for reasons better known to them.

With 13 countries opposing the resolution, eight countries abstaining, and 1 country absenting itself, 22 out of a total of 47 members of the Human Rights Council, refrained from supporting the US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka which was taken up for debate and vote at the 22nd Session of the UNHRC in Geneva on Thursday.

This cross-regional group included Congo, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Thailand, UAE, Uganda, Venezuela (which opposed); and Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Malaysia (which abstained); and Gabon (which absented itself).

India, which voted with the US at the previous Resolution against Sri Lanka last year, did exactly the same this time around, much to the disappointment of all Sri Lankans.

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was quoted as saying that the strong statement made by India at the UNHRC raising accountability issues during the humanitarian operation came both as “a surprise and a big disappointment”.

He said Sri Lanka had made available all the documents prepared in conjunction with international humanitarian agencies on accountability on various subjects pertaining to the war and that these agencies had cleared Sri Lanka.

“While Sri Lanka understands the domestic compulsions of New Delhi, we were expecting the Indian government to be fair by Sri Lanka as we had substantiated our claims with facts and figures,” he was quoted as saying.

A victory for Sri Lanka, says Dr. Swamy

The US Resolution at the UNHRC is a victory for Sri Lanka, since no one has called the human rights violation as State sponsored, India’s Janata Party President Dr. Subramanian Swamy claimed.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy while condemning Government of India for failing to take a clear cut stand at the UNHRC, urged the TNA to join the Parliamentary Select Committee and make unanimous recommendations for devolution of power.

Dr. Subramanian Swamy in a press release revealed that the modified United States draft presented on March 19 toned down in its earlier draft some of the sharp language and impossible demands presented in February. He added that this last draft was eminently reasonable and worthy of unconditional support.

Since core of the Resolution called for placing faith for one more year on the Government of Sri Lanka to carry through the implementation of its own human rights investigation reports such as the LLRC, and devolution, said Dr. Subramanian Swamy.

“I condemn the stand of the Government of India for failing to take a clear cut stand at the United Nations Human Rights Council when the United States draft was put to vote for adoption,” he said. “In an oblique way the United States draft is a victory for Sri Lanka since no one has called the human rights violation as State sponsored,” he explained.

Tiger-proxy TNA in disgraceful act

When the LTTE terrorist outfit at its peak, its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran ordered leaders of all Tamil political parties to abandon their party politics and come under one umbrella so that they could use it as its democratic and political arm.

It was with intention in mind that the TNA was formed under the auspices of Prabhakaran. The LTTE remote-controlled the TNA, which was better known as Tiger proxy.

After the LTTE leadership was vanquished by May, 2009, the TNA made every effort to take control and claim to be the sole representatives of the Tamils.

When the TNA could not win the confidence of the majority of Tamils democratically in the North and the East, they went behind the Tamil diaspora and sought the sympathy of international community.

Once again, some of the TNA parliamentarians played the role of traitors by participating at the UNHRC forums to mislead the international community by discrediting Sri Lanka.

After his men had done all the damage, the Tamil National Alliance Leader, R. Sampanthan is now attempting to wash his hands off the matter. Sampanthan now says that the Resolution adopted at the UNHRC cannot be termed as one that is against Sri Lanka, but it only relates to Sri Lanka based upon the earlier resolution emphasising the need to implement that resolution and of various matters contained therein.

MP Sampanthan emphasised that the Resolution is a “very significant thing” and it has been in the UNHRC adopt it for the second year in succession relating to Sri Lanka. He said, “I won’t say that it is against Sri Lanka. The resolution relates to Sri Lanka based upon the earlier resolution emphasising the need to implement the earlier resolution and that of various matters contained therein. It is a significant matter, a matter which makes everyone thinks in the interest of Sri Lanka as a whole,” Sampanthan said.

When asked about the upcoming Northern Provincial Council elections, Sampanthan welcomed the decision of the Government to hold elections this year.

"If there is an election in the present situation, then definitely we will contest. Anyway we will wait and see,” Sampanthan said.

Lanka to go ahead with CHOGM invitations

On the backdrop of the US-led Resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC, Tiger cohorts and a section of Tamil diaspora have intensified their campaign to discredit Sri Lanka and keep member countries away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka later this year.

The level of representation of countries at the 2013 CHOGM is beyond Sri Lanka’s control, and all the government can do is inviting member states to participate, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L Peiris said last week.

Making closing remarks at a guest-lecture by visiting Canadian Senator Hugh Segal at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, the Minister said Sri Lanka is a “hospitable country” and would continue this tradition.

“All we can do is invite and make all preparations on our part. There is no more we can do. The rest is up to those who are invited. We are however, determined to have a positive and fruitful outcome,” he was quoted as saying in response to a question by media on the participation of certain world leaders at the CHOGM.

Speaking on the topic ‘The Commonwealth as a force for good’, Senator Segal said he would report back to Canada on the situation in Sri Lanka to enable his country to decide on its level of participation at the CHOGM. “I came to learn, observe and report back to my government, to decide on the level of participation at the summit,” he said.

Hirunika arrested, released on bail

Hirunika Premachandra and three others were taken into custody last week and released on police bail the same evening by the Borella police for allegedly assaulting and threatening a businessman after entering his shop in Kinsey Road.Police said they arrested her last evening after considering all the evidence.

Police say she and five others had gone to the businessman’s graphic designing shop and got into an argument with the businessman, accusing him of having plucked some flowers from a nearby land that belonged to the Colombo Municipal Council.

The businessman had then lodged a complaint that Hirunika had threatened him and the persons who accompanied her had assaulted him.

Meanwhile, three more suspects in the murder of Hirunika’s father, Baratha Lakshman Premachandra, who are said to have been personal body guards of parliamentarian Duminda Silva were released on bail by the Colombo Magistrate court last week. The three suspects were granted two bails of Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 500,000 each and were ordered against leaving the country without prior permission from court.

They were also ordered to present themselves on the last Saturday of each month before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). The magistrate said bail would be cancelled if the three suspects were found intimidating witnesses. The suspects were in remand custody for over a year.Earlier on Tuesday, Duminda’s official bodyguard and two other personal bodyguards in remand on charges of being involved in the killing of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra were released on bail by the Colombo High Court.

President, new Chinese leader to further strengthen ties

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the newly elected Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to further build upon the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries and work in close cooperation in all possible areas, during a telephone conversation last weekend. “President Rajapaksa congratulated President Xi Jinping on Saturday, after he was formally appointed to the highest office of his country.

The two leaders discussed matters of bilateral interest, agreed to assist each other and work in close cooperation in all possible areas, during a 15 minute telephone conversation,” Presidential spokesman Mohan Samaranayake said.

President Rajapaksa had been told by the Chinese leader that China continues to support the island nation’s efforts to protect its national sovereignty and would continue to offer assistance.

President Rajapaksa in reply said Sri Lanka would continue to firmly support China on issues concerning its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Both leaders agreed that for many years, bilateral ties have maintained a healthy and stable development momentum, with fruitful cooperation in all sectors.

Xi thanked President Rajapaksa for his country’s long-term support on issues regarding China’s core interests while noting that China highly values the development of its relations with Sri Lanka.

Xi said that China firmly supports Sri Lanka’s efforts to protect its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and would like to continue to provide assistance to Sri Lanka within China’s capacity.

New chapter in SL aviation history

A new chapter in Sri Lanka’s aviation history was opened with the opening of Sri Lanka’s second international airport last Monday – the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota.

“When aircraft touch down at Mattala we will be able to usher in development for our country. The value of the corn pods of Wellassa to the sands on the beaches of Magampura will rise because of this airport. The Yala sanctuary will acquire more value in the world. This international airport through enhancing the international image of the country will give us added strength to conduct modern sporting events and hold international conferences,” President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Inaugurating Sri Lanka’s second international airport in Mattala on Monday morning, the President said those who never expected an airport to be constructed in an area such as this now see their dreams come true. “We will have critics. The future generation will answer them.

Just as the Sri Lankan heroes who carried out dedicated work undergoing great difficulty to build this airport working from a tree house, the expectation of the mothers carrying children and my own is to see our children flying above us... What we all seek is to see our children rise above us in their lives,” the President said.

“Today we mark a new international airport on the world map. What we have built here in Mattala is an airport where even the largest aircraft flying today could land.

After aviation was introduced to the country in 1912, aircraft landed at places such as the Colombo Race Course and Ratmalana airport. Subsequently, due to Second World War, the Katunayake airport was launched in 1940s.

Although 50 years have been completed since elevating Katunayake airport as an international airport, we were so far unable to build our own international airport in the country,” the President said.

SLFP sets example

The Sri Lanka Freedom party (SLFP), the largest constituent party of the ruling UPFA Government has set an example by declaring that the corrupt politicians will not be accommodated in the party.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Thursday that the government is prepared to remove any individual who is corrupt, irrespective of their status, if corruption can be proved with evidence. President Rajapaksa insisted that the SLFP will not protect the corrupt.

He said anyone can make complaints to the Commission on Bribery or Corruption over corruption and corrupt individuals and the Government will never meddle in its affairs.

The President was addressing SLFP grass roots level supporters to strengthen the party at a meeting at Temple Trees. SLFP members representing all Grama Niladhari Divisions participated at this meeting.

He said that the SLFP cannot remove each and everyone from the party. “The party is not committed to protect those involved in malpractice. No one can expect this sort of help from the party,” he said.

All these members received appointment letters as members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party on this occasion. President Mahinda Rajapaksa also presented appointment letters to a group of selected SLFP members.

The President said that the SLFP members have the responsibility of protecting the party. Commenting on various rumours propagated by the certain elements against the party leaders and Ministers, President said that the Party should have the ability to face this malicious campaign.