Category Archives: accountability

July 26, 2020 · 6:25 pm

Eduard Hempel Flourishes in Galle and Lanka

SinhaRaja Tammita-Delgoda, in Sunday Island, 26 July where the title is “ A Seeker after Many Truths, The Lives of Eduard Hempel”

The canoe nudged its way through the deep brown water. It was thick and heavy, like treacle and the boat inched towards a tree trunk on the river bank. The boat sat low in the water, barely a few inches above the river. “Closer, closer,” said the voice at the stern. “I can’t really see it.”

“Well I can,” protested the voice from the bow. “Its close enough, isn’t it?”

” No, its okay. It doesn’t seem to be moving.” All of sudden the tree trunk moved. Coming suddenly to life, it slid down the river bank, crashing into the water.

“Don’t worry, they are much bigger on the Zambezi. It’s probably scared of us. That was why it was rushing into the water. Look they are all doing that.”

There was a series of splashes, each one louder than the other.

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July 26, 2020 · 5:49 pm

A Promising Young Life crushed by an Elephant at Kilinochchi

 

THE INITIAL REPORT in AFP and Dawn, dated 21 & 22 July 2020 had this title “Elephant crushes scholar to death in Sri Lanka”

A young university scholar has become the latest victim of a deadly wild elephant attack in Sri Lanka, officials said on Monday, after a growing spate of similar incidents across the island nation.

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July 26, 2020 · 3:34 pm

A Prospering Chinese Economy Today

Paul Schatz on “The Chinese Economy  is strong and getting stronger,” 24 July 2020

28,064 views ….333K subscribers
Heritage Capital President and CIO Paul Schatz joins Yahoo Finance’s Akiko Fujita to break down the latest market actions and tensions between the U.S. and China. #USCHINA #TrumpChina #

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July 25, 2020 · 11:00 am

Constitutional Knots and Tamil Politics within the Indian Shadow

DBS Jeyaraj in Daily Mirror, 25 July 2020, where the title is  “TNA Must Seek India’s Help To Protect 13th Amendment”

  • The TNA may glibly say that everything is hunky-dory with India but this is not so. The reality is that of the Indian establishment being extremely disappointed with the TNA over the northern provincial council issue
  • Nowadays, India is more interested in getting closer to the governments in power in Colombo. Therefore New Delhi would not let the “Tamil issue” spoil a potentially beneficial “new” relationship with Colombo.
  • Sri Lanka was embroiled in a three decade long civil war that left the Tamils a battered and shattered people. Instead of opting pragmatically for the “next best”, the Tamils chose to pursue what could be termed with the wisdom of hindsight, as a “far worse” one
  • Instead of day-dreaming about getting quasi-federalism through discussions with the Rajapaksa regime, the TNA needs to safeguard and consolidate what has been gained so far

 

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July 23, 2020 · 7:51 am

A Landmark Trade Pact: Rubber-Rice Deal between Sri Lanka and China 1952

Dr. J. B. Kelegama, the Keynote Address at the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebrations of the historic “Rubber-Rice Pact” between Sri Lanka and China at the BMICH on 20 December 2002 ... from Island, 22 December 2002, where the title runs  “The Significance of the Ceylon-China Trade Agreement of 1952”

The Ceylon-China Trade Agreement of 1952 was undoubtedly the most useful trade agreement negotiated by Sri Lanka and one of the most successful and durable Trade Agreements in the world, having been in operation for thirty years. It is therefore useful to assess the significance of the agreement and to refresh our memory regarding the circumstances that led to it and the person who played the key role in bringing it about – R. G. Senanayake.

Dudley Senanayake’s Cabinet 1952

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July 20, 2020 · 4:38 pm

Donald Friend assessed by Venerable Bhikkhu Dhammika in 2003

In this era of political correctness and moral extremism exemplified in the Me Too movement, the assault on ‘offensive’ statues of famous men with questionable attributes, etc, etc, let me tweak the nether regions of these evangelical reformists by featuring Donald Friend, an Australian homosexual and paedophile of a brazen disposition, who displayed a wide range of artistic talents and happened to sojourn in Ceylon for quite a while — linking up with the talented and wealthy Bawa brothers (themselves members of the gay middle class community in the island’s tolerant ‘climate’– an environment that also attracted Arthur C. Clarke) …. Michael Roberts

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July 19, 2020 · 5:23 pm

Australians in Limbo: Morrison’s Government under Siege

Andrew Taylor & Tammy Mills, in Sydney Morning Herald, 11 July 2020, with this title

Australians living overseas have criticised the Morrison government’s decision to make it harder to return home, while forcing people to pay for two weeks in quarantine has been labelled as “almost cruel”.

Matthew Spence worked in the aviation industry in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, until he was made redundant on June 30. Mr Spence said flights from Malaysia to Sydney were sparse, and he was booked on the first available flight on July 18. “I am concerned that the intake cut will result in flight cancellations, further adding to the stress of Aussies trying to return,” Mr Spence said. “If you are an Australian citizen you have the expectation that you can always return home when you need to.”

Kerryn Finnis (right) has been separated from her fiance Nick (left) by the travel restrictions Australia has imposed. 
Kerryn Finnis (right) has been separated from her fiance Nick (left) by the travel restrictions Australia has imposed. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison ordered airlines to slash the number of flights and available seats to Australia from Monday to reduce the number of international arrivals in a bid to relieve pressure on hotel quarantine.

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July 18, 2020 · 6:42 pm

Tales of War and Heroic Action around Kokavil Tower

Shanika Sriyananda in Sunday Observer, 12 June 2020, where the title runs “Saved through blood, sweat and tears”

Her voice quivers when she reads out the certificate given by the Government in honour of her son’s bravery; she could not find words to express her feelings. Even after nearly 21 years, she still cries recalling how her ‘Saliya putha’ embraced her before leaving home for duty, proudly carrying his uniform.

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July 18, 2020 · 4:49 am

Unseen Menial Hands that sustain Our Tourist Beaches

While middle class community organisations that organise beach clean-ups along the Colombo foreshore and at other resorts do receive a modicum of publicity, there are other hands in menial roles devoted to the cleanliness of Sri Lanka’s beaches and/or the security of the hotel surrounds. Let us salute them.

These men sweeping and cleaning up the beach at Nilaweli beach were, as far as I could gather, employees of the village council rather than the hotel nearby

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July 13, 2020 · 1:09 pm

Zoom-Boom: US Cyber Warfare vs China via Allegations re Zoom

VISIT this You Tube video on ZOOM entitled “Is China Spying? on Us?. Shocking Details in This Video.” …. c602c1a3-8f92-4b61-b4ea-f63b8c01315a

Because the speaker’s voice is that of an (Asian) Indian albeit one with traces of an American background, my suspicions were immediately aroused: was this not cunning US media warfare? So I sent it on toe an Aussie who speaks Chinese and Malaysian for critical readings (below). This does not mean that China does not indulge in subterranean political games, but that US agencies are masters at war games and covert games; while the US Pacific Fleet has ringed east Asia with an array of armed bases ever since 1945; and that in the present world order India is on its side because of recent spats with China.

Note map and details in …… Jenny Awford: “US readies for war with China with 400 bases of ships and nukes to create ‘perfect noose’ around superpower rival,” 5 Dec 2016, https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2331190/us-readies-for-war-with-china-with-400-bases-of-ships-and-nukes-to-create-perfect-noose-around-superpower-rival/

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