His Eminence Malcolm Rajasloana
(This was inspired by the article, Thou shalt not oppose the ruling family: New First commandment for Sri Lanka, by Tisaranee Gunasekara which appeared in Transcurrents, 5 November, 2011)
"I am the LORD your President who brought you out of the war with the LTTE. You shall have no other gods in My presence..."
"Do not make an image or any likeness of what is in the heavens above unless it makes ME look good."
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD unless you happen to be Mervyn Silva"
"Remember the Sabbath day and keep it quiet without disturbance so that I can rest."
"Honor your father and your mother, but not above MYSELF, my brothers, sons uncles, nephews and wife."
"Do not murder. That is MY job!"
"Do not commit adultery unless you are Duminda Silva."
"Do not steal, unless you give ME ten percent."
"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor unless he is an opponent of MY regime."
"Do not covet your neighbor's wife, unless you are Malaka Silva."
Monday, November 7, 2011
Let's see, who's on the Winner's Podium today?
by Stewart Kudupakse
(November 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)
Well folks, up until this morning it was a very close race.
Yessir, very close indeed. As the most annoyingly amusing person in Sri Lanka Mervyn the Vermin was winning by a length, having rounded the last bend he was heading for home at a comfortable pace. Having fraudulently obtained money with a bad cheque, threatened staff of the Canadian Embassy at gunpoint and tying a government official to a tree, you would think that nothing could surpass him.
Wrong! Think again.
From out of the pack gallops Duminda and he closes in on Mervyn in leaps and bounds passing him comfortably yards before the finishing post. How did he accomplish this amazing feat you might ask?
This humble individual has been accused of rape and molesting his girlfriend, the delectable Anarkali Arakasha. This hit the headlines but as is customary in Sri Lanka the matter just died a death and nothing happened. Then of course there is the small matter of his insurance fraud of nothing less than Rs. 17 million. How did this come about? Back in August He crashed his car and then six days later took out an insurance policy on it. Two days after the policy was in hand he made a claim with the insurance company for the total loss of his vehicle as it had hit a telephone pole. (Judging by the condition of the vehicle he must have hit the entire telephone company). Investigations by the insurance company revealed the truth and a report was made to the police who admittedly openly that while they thought there was sufficient evident to act against Duminda they did not due to enormous political pressure. "We would have been in deep trouble if we raised any issue then," said one high ranking officer, who, with a penchant for self preservation declined to be named.
And so folks it's Duminda by a head, taking the lead as Sri Lanka's most deplorable example of what any person can do if you have the patronage of the Troika.
Stewart Kudupakse is an author and satirist who also has a penchant for self preservation.
(November 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian)
Well folks, up until this morning it was a very close race.
Yessir, very close indeed. As the most annoyingly amusing person in Sri Lanka Mervyn the Vermin was winning by a length, having rounded the last bend he was heading for home at a comfortable pace. Having fraudulently obtained money with a bad cheque, threatened staff of the Canadian Embassy at gunpoint and tying a government official to a tree, you would think that nothing could surpass him.
Wrong! Think again.
From out of the pack gallops Duminda and he closes in on Mervyn in leaps and bounds passing him comfortably yards before the finishing post. How did he accomplish this amazing feat you might ask?
This humble individual has been accused of rape and molesting his girlfriend, the delectable Anarkali Arakasha. This hit the headlines but as is customary in Sri Lanka the matter just died a death and nothing happened. Then of course there is the small matter of his insurance fraud of nothing less than Rs. 17 million. How did this come about? Back in August He crashed his car and then six days later took out an insurance policy on it. Two days after the policy was in hand he made a claim with the insurance company for the total loss of his vehicle as it had hit a telephone pole. (Judging by the condition of the vehicle he must have hit the entire telephone company). Investigations by the insurance company revealed the truth and a report was made to the police who admittedly openly that while they thought there was sufficient evident to act against Duminda they did not due to enormous political pressure. "We would have been in deep trouble if we raised any issue then," said one high ranking officer, who, with a penchant for self preservation declined to be named.
And so folks it's Duminda by a head, taking the lead as Sri Lanka's most deplorable example of what any person can do if you have the patronage of the Troika.
Stewart Kudupakse is an author and satirist who also has a penchant for self preservation.
Monday, September 19, 2011
PAKISTAN: Devastating floods and the criminal negligence of the authorities What plans are underway to deal with the aftermath of this year's flood?
An Article by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Baseer Naveed with Stewart Sloan
This article may be seen at: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-ART-053-2011
Ongoing flooding due to monsoon rains has inundated the entirety of the Sindh province causing billions of Rupees in damage and the loss of crops alone is estimated to be Rs. 5.6 billion. The people in many areas, particularly those of Khaipur district in the northern part of the province, Sanghar, Tharparker, Umerkot and Mipur Khas districts in the central part and the entire Badin district and its surrounding areas in the south have been badly affected. The floods have also been felt in and around Karachi, the capital of the province. Those most affected are members of the farming community and many families have had to leave their homes and farms with as much as they can carry. Having lost their crops they have only their livestock left and the cows and bullocks are being dragged along after them. It is estimated that five million people are displaced and a further two million are directly affected, over four million acres of land are flooded and unusable.
Altogether a total of 22 out of the 23 districts of the province have been directly or indirectly affected and living in a large city offers no protection from the flood waters. Indeed, even the cities have been inundated due to the poor drainage facilities. Facilities which the citizens have been complaining about for several years and which the provincial government has been promising to improve for even longer. Enormous amounts of funds donated by international donors have been lost due to wastage and corruption as may be seen by the World Bank Funded Left Bank Outfall Drain which is one of the main causes of the flooding.
In fact, after the catastrophe of last year it was predicted that this year's monsoon would be extraordinary. The government was made fully aware of this and offers of international aid were arrogantly turned down with the explanation that the government was fully in control of the situation. This mindset is the result of the centuries-old bureaucracy which dictates that catastrophes such as this are merely an opportunity of misusing the aid meant for the people. This is particularly visible in the Badin area which was one of the worst hit, there is hardly a square foot of dry land and yet, despite receiving international aid almost immediately no assistance has been seen. This situation is now seen in many areas and it is difficult even to find a dry spot to erect a tent.
The Irrigation Secretary informed the government that the flooding on this occasion was reportedly caused by "..... an unusual and unexpected wave of flood and monsoon rains had increased the amount and pressure of water." However, the truth of the matter is that despite the flooding of last year which caused the single most devastating natural catastrophe in the history of the country, little, if anything has been done to prepare the country for a repetition; a repetition which is now in full swing. The government paid lip service to the potential for further catastrophes by setting up Disaster Management Authorities in each province which have proved to be largely if not totally ineffective.
It is only now that the government is examining the conditions of the bunds and embankments which are only just, if at all, holding the flood waters at bay. In the meantime hundreds of thousands of people are trapped due to the flooding of the roads and it is the women and children who are suffering the most due to the lack of safe drinking water, milk and food. As was seen in the last catastrophe the response from the government was very slow due to the lack of a proper relief system and resources. While the refugees are slowly making their way towards the ever decreasing drier regions of the province there is little in the way of facilities to accommodate them. Those fortunate enough to have reached the comparative safety of a camp are lucky if they have one meal a day. Safe drinking water is totally unavailable in most areas.
It has been reported that the Government has established 1400 camps across the flood-affected areas. However, these camps alone cannot assist more than 20 percent of the affected people.
The army and navy have been mobilised and have started airlifting dry food packs, medicines for the treatment of diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis and other diseases. This also includes anti snake bite serum. Tents and other temporary accommodation are being provided but very slowly and the condition of some of the refugees remains perilous. However, this is seen as a public relations effort on the part of the armed forces to show that they are indeed doing something.
What is sad about this is the fact that if they put as much effort into actually doing something instead of just being seen to do something the situation of the affected people would be much improved. It may be said that the armed forces are simply following the lead of the government and provincial authorities as the president and prime minister are out of the country and have not seen fit to return despite the enormity of the catastrophe. There has been little or no sign of the local administration. Similar to last year's floods the Chief Minister of the province, Qaim Ali Shah, has visited affected areas and made the usual promises none of which have come to fruition.
The local NGOs, political parties, the government and international aid agencies are appealing for donations but it is feared that much of what is donated will once again be lost to misuse and corruption. Indeed, it has already reported that donated relief items are available for sale in the open street markets.
The scope of the humanitarian disaster has yet to be realised. The worst situation will be seen when the flood waters finally recede. It is then that the carcasses of the farm animals and domestic pets that died in the flooding will be seen rotting in the open air and in what used to be drinking wells. Disease will spread faster than the medical aid can be distributed and it is then that the world will see the totality of the disaster. It is then the government will hold their hands to the international aid agencies. Around 500 people including children are already dead and this figure is likely to rise due to the spread of disease.
What is very frightening about this is the fact that it is unlikely that any lessons will be learned from this year's flooding. Taken into consideration with last year's disaster it can be safely predicted that this is going to happen again. The poor and vulnerable will bear the brunt of the criminal negligence of the people who are supposed to be protecting them. The question is: will the government be ready this time. The unfortunate answer must be, "No".
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Baseer Naveed with Stewart Sloan
This article may be seen at: http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-ART-053-2011
Ongoing flooding due to monsoon rains has inundated the entirety of the Sindh province causing billions of Rupees in damage and the loss of crops alone is estimated to be Rs. 5.6 billion. The people in many areas, particularly those of Khaipur district in the northern part of the province, Sanghar, Tharparker, Umerkot and Mipur Khas districts in the central part and the entire Badin district and its surrounding areas in the south have been badly affected. The floods have also been felt in and around Karachi, the capital of the province. Those most affected are members of the farming community and many families have had to leave their homes and farms with as much as they can carry. Having lost their crops they have only their livestock left and the cows and bullocks are being dragged along after them. It is estimated that five million people are displaced and a further two million are directly affected, over four million acres of land are flooded and unusable.
Altogether a total of 22 out of the 23 districts of the province have been directly or indirectly affected and living in a large city offers no protection from the flood waters. Indeed, even the cities have been inundated due to the poor drainage facilities. Facilities which the citizens have been complaining about for several years and which the provincial government has been promising to improve for even longer. Enormous amounts of funds donated by international donors have been lost due to wastage and corruption as may be seen by the World Bank Funded Left Bank Outfall Drain which is one of the main causes of the flooding.
In fact, after the catastrophe of last year it was predicted that this year's monsoon would be extraordinary. The government was made fully aware of this and offers of international aid were arrogantly turned down with the explanation that the government was fully in control of the situation. This mindset is the result of the centuries-old bureaucracy which dictates that catastrophes such as this are merely an opportunity of misusing the aid meant for the people. This is particularly visible in the Badin area which was one of the worst hit, there is hardly a square foot of dry land and yet, despite receiving international aid almost immediately no assistance has been seen. This situation is now seen in many areas and it is difficult even to find a dry spot to erect a tent.
The Irrigation Secretary informed the government that the flooding on this occasion was reportedly caused by "..... an unusual and unexpected wave of flood and monsoon rains had increased the amount and pressure of water." However, the truth of the matter is that despite the flooding of last year which caused the single most devastating natural catastrophe in the history of the country, little, if anything has been done to prepare the country for a repetition; a repetition which is now in full swing. The government paid lip service to the potential for further catastrophes by setting up Disaster Management Authorities in each province which have proved to be largely if not totally ineffective.
It is only now that the government is examining the conditions of the bunds and embankments which are only just, if at all, holding the flood waters at bay. In the meantime hundreds of thousands of people are trapped due to the flooding of the roads and it is the women and children who are suffering the most due to the lack of safe drinking water, milk and food. As was seen in the last catastrophe the response from the government was very slow due to the lack of a proper relief system and resources. While the refugees are slowly making their way towards the ever decreasing drier regions of the province there is little in the way of facilities to accommodate them. Those fortunate enough to have reached the comparative safety of a camp are lucky if they have one meal a day. Safe drinking water is totally unavailable in most areas.
It has been reported that the Government has established 1400 camps across the flood-affected areas. However, these camps alone cannot assist more than 20 percent of the affected people.
The army and navy have been mobilised and have started airlifting dry food packs, medicines for the treatment of diarrhoea, gastro-enteritis and other diseases. This also includes anti snake bite serum. Tents and other temporary accommodation are being provided but very slowly and the condition of some of the refugees remains perilous. However, this is seen as a public relations effort on the part of the armed forces to show that they are indeed doing something.
What is sad about this is the fact that if they put as much effort into actually doing something instead of just being seen to do something the situation of the affected people would be much improved. It may be said that the armed forces are simply following the lead of the government and provincial authorities as the president and prime minister are out of the country and have not seen fit to return despite the enormity of the catastrophe. There has been little or no sign of the local administration. Similar to last year's floods the Chief Minister of the province, Qaim Ali Shah, has visited affected areas and made the usual promises none of which have come to fruition.
The local NGOs, political parties, the government and international aid agencies are appealing for donations but it is feared that much of what is donated will once again be lost to misuse and corruption. Indeed, it has already reported that donated relief items are available for sale in the open street markets.
The scope of the humanitarian disaster has yet to be realised. The worst situation will be seen when the flood waters finally recede. It is then that the carcasses of the farm animals and domestic pets that died in the flooding will be seen rotting in the open air and in what used to be drinking wells. Disease will spread faster than the medical aid can be distributed and it is then that the world will see the totality of the disaster. It is then the government will hold their hands to the international aid agencies. Around 500 people including children are already dead and this figure is likely to rise due to the spread of disease.
What is very frightening about this is the fact that it is unlikely that any lessons will be learned from this year's flooding. Taken into consideration with last year's disaster it can be safely predicted that this is going to happen again. The poor and vulnerable will bear the brunt of the criminal negligence of the people who are supposed to be protecting them. The question is: will the government be ready this time. The unfortunate answer must be, "No".
# # #
About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.
Monday, September 5, 2011
King George the Fifth -- before and beyond
Stewart Sloan
(This was published in Family and Friends from Shanghai and Hong Kong an open group on Facebook)
I started my secondary school education at St. Joseph’s College in Kennedy Road. St. Joseph’s is a Catholic school and most of the teachers were Brothers. In those days corporal punishment was still permitted and unlike KGV, where only the headmaster was allowed to wack the students, in St. Joseph’s any of the brothers could punish the students they deemed to have been naughty. The punishment itself was not severe and the sting of the teacher’s ruler on the palm of the hand soon faded; what hurt me more was the fact that we were never told the reason for our punishment. Every Friday morning the form teacher would call out a list of names and we would step out to the front and await our turn with the ruler. One of the brothers was particularly sadistic and it came as no surprise when, one day one of his student victims placed a hypodermic syringe under the cushion of his chair. I will leave his reaction to the reader’s imagination. Needless to say he didn’t get much sympathy and the only reason no one laughed was because of the threat of future punishment.
St. Joseph’s was then, and is today, a school with an enviable scholastic record and they didn’t have the time to commit to slower students. After a trying year my parents transferred me to King George the Fifth and then the fun started.
I was initially placed in Form 2E until the school realised that they didn’t have enough students to justify an additional class and we amalgamated with 2D, my first promotion!
I was not a very good student. It seemed that as soon as I started making progress in any one class or subject they would transfer the teacher. The next two years were a series of failures to which my parents became accustomed to.
Then I started writing and everything changed. I found that there was something I could do in life better than anyone else.
At the end of every school year the teacher would stand up at the head of the class and read out the class positions. In a class of an average of 22 students I usually came 22nd and then suddenly it was the end of Form 4. The teacher, a kind lady whose name I don’t recall now stood up at the head of the class and started announcing the positions. It was customary to start at the last place and work towards the first. Accustomed as I was to being number 22 I was surprised when my name wasn’t called. We progressed to 10th and then 5th and then 2nd and lo and behold to everyone’s amazement (including my own), my name was called. I remember that the teacher asked me how I felt. I recall that I just sat there opening and closing my mouth for a few moments before muttering something like, “OK”.
The Headmaster in those days was E.W.D Gore, known affectionately to his students as ‘Egore’. Egore was so impressed that he wrote a personal letter to my mother congratulating me on my progress and saying that I shouldn’t put off my small setbacks. In this case the small setback was getting 2 out of 200 for my maths test. They gave me one mark for turning up and another for getting my name correct.
For what it’s worth I finally got an O Level equivalency in maths when I was 44 years of age.
(This was published in Family and Friends from Shanghai and Hong Kong an open group on Facebook)
I started my secondary school education at St. Joseph’s College in Kennedy Road. St. Joseph’s is a Catholic school and most of the teachers were Brothers. In those days corporal punishment was still permitted and unlike KGV, where only the headmaster was allowed to wack the students, in St. Joseph’s any of the brothers could punish the students they deemed to have been naughty. The punishment itself was not severe and the sting of the teacher’s ruler on the palm of the hand soon faded; what hurt me more was the fact that we were never told the reason for our punishment. Every Friday morning the form teacher would call out a list of names and we would step out to the front and await our turn with the ruler. One of the brothers was particularly sadistic and it came as no surprise when, one day one of his student victims placed a hypodermic syringe under the cushion of his chair. I will leave his reaction to the reader’s imagination. Needless to say he didn’t get much sympathy and the only reason no one laughed was because of the threat of future punishment.
St. Joseph’s was then, and is today, a school with an enviable scholastic record and they didn’t have the time to commit to slower students. After a trying year my parents transferred me to King George the Fifth and then the fun started.
I was initially placed in Form 2E until the school realised that they didn’t have enough students to justify an additional class and we amalgamated with 2D, my first promotion!
I was not a very good student. It seemed that as soon as I started making progress in any one class or subject they would transfer the teacher. The next two years were a series of failures to which my parents became accustomed to.
Then I started writing and everything changed. I found that there was something I could do in life better than anyone else.
At the end of every school year the teacher would stand up at the head of the class and read out the class positions. In a class of an average of 22 students I usually came 22nd and then suddenly it was the end of Form 4. The teacher, a kind lady whose name I don’t recall now stood up at the head of the class and started announcing the positions. It was customary to start at the last place and work towards the first. Accustomed as I was to being number 22 I was surprised when my name wasn’t called. We progressed to 10th and then 5th and then 2nd and lo and behold to everyone’s amazement (including my own), my name was called. I remember that the teacher asked me how I felt. I recall that I just sat there opening and closing my mouth for a few moments before muttering something like, “OK”.
The Headmaster in those days was E.W.D Gore, known affectionately to his students as ‘Egore’. Egore was so impressed that he wrote a personal letter to my mother congratulating me on my progress and saying that I shouldn’t put off my small setbacks. In this case the small setback was getting 2 out of 200 for my maths test. They gave me one mark for turning up and another for getting my name correct.
For what it’s worth I finally got an O Level equivalency in maths when I was 44 years of age.
Corporal punishment to be banned in Sri Lanka
(Children are the future of every family, culture and country. They must be protected from persons who believe themselves to be in position of impunity. They must be nurtured, encouraged and given every opportunity of fulfilling the potential that every human being has).
by Stewart Sloan
(September 02, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) A recent article in the Sri Lankan press announced that corporal punishment in schools, children's homes and prisons is to be made a punishable offense. (No corporal punishment, Daily Mirror, 2nd September 2011 by Sandun A. Jayasekara). This is incredibly good news for the thousands of innocents who are affected by corporal punishment every year in the country.
Frequent reports are received about school children, sometimes not yet in their teens, being severely beaten by their teachers and principals. The physical damage, which sometimes amounts to severe injuries such as partial loss of hearing, contusions and sprains, is only one part of the problem. The worst part is the anguish the child undergoes knowing that the physical punishment he has received is in no way justified by his alleged 'crime'.
Often the usual scenario is that the parents of the child find out about the incident and either go to the school themselves or the nearest police station to file a complaint. The educational authorities arrange for a reconciliation meeting between the teacher involved and the parents knowing full well in advance that they will support the version of the teacher. The child is considered biased; a trouble maker and someone who is simply trying to bring the school into disrepute. At the school the parents are given the teacher's version of the event. There is no fairness involved; the child was rude, obstructive and/or stole something from either the school or another student. The parents are forced to either accept the school's version of the incident or, if they feel that this version doesn't jell with that of their child they have the option of making a complaint to the educational authorities or the police.
What happens next is almost laughable in its commonality with all similar cases. What happens is absolutely nothing!
The situation is similar when the parents go to the police. The officers will take a statement from the child and the parents and then perhaps, if they are feeling diligent, take the child for a medical examination. Then, similar to the educational authorities they call the teacher in for a 'talk'. They listen to the teacher, weigh up the version of the child and without fail, support the version of the school. The end result of this is that the child, having suffered physical trauma, is then subjected to the embarrassment of being called a liar. Invariably, the child is either expelled from the school or simply refuses to go back for fear of ridicule by the teachers and other students. Many children are so traumatised that the incident brings their education to an abrupt end.
The Women Empowerment and Child Welfare Ministry is behind the move to introduce this law and are to be congratulated for its forward thinking. However, once such a law is introduced it is vital, absolutely vital that the government of Sri Lanka ensures that complaints made under this legislation are investigated thoroughly and with impartiality. Sadly, the speed with which Sri Lankan police officers are corrupted means that, as in the past, they will likely side with the school and teachers for a 'consideration'. This will simply make a mockery out of a law designed to protect children from persons in a much higher and more powerful position. If this happens it will be yet another example of legislation designed to protect the innocent being wasted.
Children are the future of every family, culture and country. They must be protected from persons who believe themselves to be in position of impunity. They must be nurtured, encouraged and given every opportunity of fulfilling the potential that every human being has.
(The author is a father of two, one son born to his first wife and the second one was adopted. He has worked as an English teacher with children as young as two and a half years).
Monday, August 22, 2011
The Grease Yakas -- an international conspiracy to embarrass Sri Lanka!
by Stewart Greasywalla
(August 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Sri Lankan people will be pleased to know that investigations carried out by a freelance foreign journalist has discovered that the 'Grease Yaka' incidents are just another plot to discredit the government. Working under cover, and at considerable risk to himself, the journalist was able to interview three of the Grease Yakas that the government claim does not exist!
The report by the journalist:
Acting on a tip off I went to Siyabalanduwa, an area which, for those readers who are not family with Sri Lanka, is situated in the South East a short distance from the city of Badulla. The information provided indicated that three such Yakas would be on the prowl for victims on a certain evening of the week. I therefore arrived at Siyabalanduwa in the late afternoon and had an early dinner so that I could position himself on the street, a likely victim for an attack.
The town quieted down quite early and apparently I was not the only one who had received information of a possible attack, the townsfolk wanted to get off the streets while it was still light. It was necessary to walk as quietly as possible while at the same time making myself obvious so that I was not suspected of being a Grease Yaka and lynched by a frightened mob. It was while I was standing in the cover of a faulty lamppost that I was set upon by 'something'.
The first thing I noticed was the pungent smell of grease as the Yaka enveloped me is his arms. I would have struggled but, quite frankly, was overcome by fear -- and the smell. I must have passed out because sometime later (it was half an hour, as it turned out) I awoke to find myself lying on the floor of an abandoned house. There was light from a paraffin lantern which sat on a rickety table in the centre of the room and I raised myself into a sitting position as quietly as possible. Then one of the Grease Yakas stood in front of me.
I confess that my heart was pounding in my heart. I had no idea what this creature intended to do with me or whether I would ever see the light of day. Then I heard a voice from behind me and turning my head, to my horror saw two more Yakas standing there. One of them was drinking from a bottle of Lion Larger.
"Bloody Hell", the one holding the bottle said. "It's a bloody foreigner".
"Oh bugger," said the one in front. "That's going to muck things up a bit".
Slowly, my heart slowed down to the point where it was only thumping in my breast. At least it was still pumping I thought to myself. Whoever these people were, they were not demons from Sri Lankan mythology that was for sure.
"Wha, wha, what are you people?" I stammered.
"At least he speaks English," said one of them.
I was totally confused. The three, men, as I now realised they were, came to stand in front of me. By the light of the paraffin lamp I was able to tell that they were tall, slim and wearing clothes that they, or someone, had liberally covered in foul smelling grease. My journalistic blood was up and I knew that I had a story; all I had to do was get it, and get out alive. I decided to try the tough guy approach.
Gathering my wits I put on my most authoritative voice. "I'll have you know that I am here at the personal invitation of a very, very high ranking member of the government. He is indeed even a close relative of the President himself!"
"Hmm", said one of them. "You see that's rather strange Old Chap. Because you see, we're here on the same instructions. In fact, our instructions came from the very person you claim to be representing."
"Go...Go....Gota.... ." I stammered.
"Now, now". He said. "It wouldn't do to give away secrets now would it?"
There was a loud commotion outside the house and without warning the door burst open and half a dozen heavily armed police officers entered.
The three "Yakas" were arrested and handcuffed. One of them quickly pointed out that I was not one of them and should be released at once. The Officer-in-Charge looked me up and down and said in perfect English, "I'm sure we can think of something to charge him with".
"Suggest you let him go, Old Boy, wouldn't want him giving the game away would we," said the same one.
I couldn't resist and despite any danger I might have been in asked the question. "What exactly is the game?"
"We've been running around dressed like this for days now, waiting to get arrested by the Sri Lankan police who will announce to the local public and the world at large that the whole Yaka story was just another plot by the west to embarrass the country. When they announce in the press that the Yakas are, in fact, foreigners dressed up to look and act like devils one of the ministries will announce that we were employed by a TV channel, I'm sure you can guess which one, I'm not going to tell you but it comes after 3 and before 5."
The three 'Yakas' were taken outside and loaded into a police van. I couldn't help but notice it was white and the registration plate seemed to have fallen off. The Officer-in-Charge took one last look at me and shrugged his shoulders before walking out.
I was left alone in the abandoned house with my thoughts my still hammering heart and what remained of my wits. I didn't want to leave the comparative safety of the house so waited for the morning. It took forever to come.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The US enters Sri Lankan airspace
Did they or didn't they and what if they did?
It is this same arrogance that allows the Americans to violate Sri Lanka's or any other country's airspace with impunity.
by Stewart Sloan
(August 10, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) Recent reports in the Sri Lankan press have revealed that American airplanes entered the territorial airspace of Sri Lanka. Interestingly this has been both denied and confirmed by the government who are very good at first denying things and latter admitting to them. This comes in light of the fact that this same government is now admitting that civilians were killed in the final stages of the war against the LTTE. However, the intrusion into Sri Lankan airspace has been empathically denied by the US navy.
I don't know who I feel sorry for the most in this instance; the sovereignty of Sri Lanka has possibly been violated by the arrogance of a mightier nation. Let's face it: there is more destructive fire power in the USS Ronald Reagan, the aircraft carrier thought to be involved, than the entire Sri Lankan military apparatus. So, the fact remains, if the US did violate Sri Lankan airspace, what exactly is Sri Lanka going to do about it?
If the Americans are known for anything it is their pure, unadulterated arrogance. They come and go as they please which is blatantly evident by their actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Three years ago in Hong Kong a plain clothed American tried to leave the territory with a loaded ammunition clip in his possession. The carrying of any weaponry, including self defense items such as pepper spray is strictly controlled, and therefore this man was arrested and held. He was, he announced, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is known to be a domestic institution with no jurisdiction outside the continental USA, so by what right or authority was this fellow carrying a loaded clip. The immigration officers handed him over the police who held him while communications flew back and forth to the American Consulate General. They, with incredible arrogance announced that he was, in fact, an FBI agent and that they should release him IMMEDIATELY! No apology or explanation was received regarding the incident.
It is this same arrogance that allows the Americans to violate Sri Lanka's or any other country's airspace with impunity.
Whether they did or not one more thing is interesting. The Americans are displaying the very same arrogance shown by Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother, who, two years ago denied that any civilians were killed during the final stages of the war and then recently, very calmly announced that, perhaps, some might have been killed but that this amounted to nothing more collateral damage. No apology or explanation for this sudden turnabout was offered; they just offered it up and demanded that the people of Sri Lanka and the international community accept it. Interestingly, collateral damage is of course something else that the Americans know all about as in the first Gulf war more British servicemen were killed by American friendly fire than by the Iraqis themselves.
So on the arrogance front, it's one point to the Rajapakses' and one hundred and one to the Americans!
After all, who is going to argue with the USS Ronald Reagan?
It is this same arrogance that allows the Americans to violate Sri Lanka's or any other country's airspace with impunity.
by Stewart Sloan
(August 10, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) Recent reports in the Sri Lankan press have revealed that American airplanes entered the territorial airspace of Sri Lanka. Interestingly this has been both denied and confirmed by the government who are very good at first denying things and latter admitting to them. This comes in light of the fact that this same government is now admitting that civilians were killed in the final stages of the war against the LTTE. However, the intrusion into Sri Lankan airspace has been empathically denied by the US navy.
I don't know who I feel sorry for the most in this instance; the sovereignty of Sri Lanka has possibly been violated by the arrogance of a mightier nation. Let's face it: there is more destructive fire power in the USS Ronald Reagan, the aircraft carrier thought to be involved, than the entire Sri Lankan military apparatus. So, the fact remains, if the US did violate Sri Lankan airspace, what exactly is Sri Lanka going to do about it?
If the Americans are known for anything it is their pure, unadulterated arrogance. They come and go as they please which is blatantly evident by their actions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Three years ago in Hong Kong a plain clothed American tried to leave the territory with a loaded ammunition clip in his possession. The carrying of any weaponry, including self defense items such as pepper spray is strictly controlled, and therefore this man was arrested and held. He was, he announced, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is known to be a domestic institution with no jurisdiction outside the continental USA, so by what right or authority was this fellow carrying a loaded clip. The immigration officers handed him over the police who held him while communications flew back and forth to the American Consulate General. They, with incredible arrogance announced that he was, in fact, an FBI agent and that they should release him IMMEDIATELY! No apology or explanation was received regarding the incident.
It is this same arrogance that allows the Americans to violate Sri Lanka's or any other country's airspace with impunity.
Whether they did or not one more thing is interesting. The Americans are displaying the very same arrogance shown by Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother, who, two years ago denied that any civilians were killed during the final stages of the war and then recently, very calmly announced that, perhaps, some might have been killed but that this amounted to nothing more collateral damage. No apology or explanation for this sudden turnabout was offered; they just offered it up and demanded that the people of Sri Lanka and the international community accept it. Interestingly, collateral damage is of course something else that the Americans know all about as in the first Gulf war more British servicemen were killed by American friendly fire than by the Iraqis themselves.
So on the arrogance front, it's one point to the Rajapakses' and one hundred and one to the Americans!
After all, who is going to argue with the USS Ronald Reagan?
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