Archive for September, 2012

“Inventors are like artists – we must celebrate and nurture them!”

Deepal Sooriyaarachchi, photo courtesy Business Today

Nalaka Gunawardene in conversation with Deepal Sooriyaarachchi, Commissioner, Sri Lanka Inventors Commission For over two decades, Deepal Sooriyaarachchi made a name for himself as an innovative Chartered Marketer and Management Development Consultant. While holding top executive positions in leading companies, he also excelled as a corporate trainer and author on entrepreneurship, especially in Sinhala language. He has been a pioneer in taking business knowledge to the grassroots, nurturing a culture of enterprise. In mid 2011, he was appointed as Commissioner (chair) of Sri Lanka Inventors Commission (SLIC), the state agency dedicated to promoting innovation and supporting inventors. One year into this appointment, and on the eve of the first major national exhibition of inventions, Deepal spoke to science writer Nalaka Gunawardene, who has been chronicling innovation in print and broadcast media for many years. Nalaka currently hosts a biweekly show on innovation on Sri Lanka’s national TV broadcaster, Rupavahini. Nalaka: What are the main objectives of Sahasak Nimawum (“A Thousand…

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Putting paid to the Government’s false claims: The new IDPs in Sri Lanka

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Editors note: On the day Menik Farm was officially closed, an urgent memo was circulated widely on the fate of the IDPs from Keppapilavu. The memo adds vital context to the following story, which also needs to be read in light of Government and Ministry of Defence claims that, there are no longer any IDPs in Sri Lanka. that they have all been resettled. that phrases like “Internally displaced people, relief camps & refugee camps” will not be there in Sri Lankan dictionary in future Urgent and disturbing | SOS: Memo from Keappapulavu displaced people cl.ly/2T1y2E0K170W @unocha @7piliers @lankasol #lka #srilanka — Groundviews (@groundviews) September 24, 2012 Also read Relocated to nowhere by the author, appearing in Ceylon Today. ### The war displaced community in Seeniyamottai in the Mullaitivu District have a story that is different to others. Unlike other internally displaced persons (IDPs) living within the confines of Menik Farm, Sri Lanka’s largest internment facility as well as the…

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FUTA’s “6 percent for Education” in Sri Lanka: Sensible or Sensational?

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Original photo courtesy Vikalpa “It was mainly symbolic”, is how FUTA President Dr. Ranjith Dewaisiri characterized the group’s demand of “6 percent of GDP for education”, which has now gained national attention. This was in response to a question posed by an audience member during ‘THE FORUM with Eran’ held this week (26th) featuring Dr. Ranjith Dewasiri, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha (M.P.) and Eran Wickramaratne (M.P.). The FUTA President’s comments were quite revealing, and in a sense alarming. Much has been written already about the strike action of the FUTA and the trade union’s demands of wage hikes but also higher government spending on education (i.e., “6 percent of GDP”, according to FUTA). Questions were raised from Dewasiri on, “how did you come up with the 6 percent number, and what are FUTA’s thoughts on how to spend it?”. For both, the answer was quite non-specific and non-committal and this is disconcerting. It is clear that FUTA has now assumed moral…

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Higher Education and its Disjunctures: An Interview with Professor Sasanka Perera

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The following is an interview with Professor Sasanka Perera of the South Asian University conducted by Mr. Ranjit Perera of the Social Scientists Association of Sri Lanka via Skype on 18th August 2012. Ranjit Perera: Cyberspace and virtual reality are intertwined in the context of today’s communication technology; this came to my mind while conducting this interview. Any thoughts on that before we get down to more serious issues? Sasanka Perera: Well, I am hesitant to get into a philosophical discussion on these matters in an interview meant for popular consumption. I guess we can have this chat separately. But briefly, yes. This interview would not have taken place across national borders if not for the internet and the fact that technology within it is accessible, cheap and democratic in its reach. But this is not virtual; you are there asking questions. I am here trying to answer them. The only issue is that the physical distance between us have…

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Innocence of the Muslims

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March in Colombo on 24 September 2012 against the film. Photo courtesy Vikalpa Muslims have never shied away from discussing the private and public life of their Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). In fact they have welcomed an examination of his life and times. However when the Muslim world is geared for a debate and public engagement, the West denigrates itself with cartoons and cheap flicks. The latest being Innocence of Muslims which has set the whole world on fire. This attempt to hurt at any cost reveals a certain desperation that can only be a compliment to Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). However in allowing and permitting this worthless, useless and desperate attempt to ridicule and slander exposes the double standards and hypocrisy inherent within the western world and its intellectual realm with regard to one of its most touted and promoted intellectual products ‘free speech’. The White House Press Secretary described Innocence of Muslims as ‘reprehensible and disgusting’. Yet the Obama Administration…

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  • 24 Sep, 2012
  • 6 Comments
  • Human Security,
    IDPs and Refugees,
    Post-War,
    Trincomalee

Update on the struggle to go home in post war Sri Lanka: Manthuvil in the Mullativu district

Temporary shelter of one family-22Sept2012

In relation to the 6 families who were staying at Our Lady of Velankanni church, original article available here. Due to insistence of the families, the Army had agreed to vacate the lands they (Army) had occupied and allow all six families to go back to their own lands. However, around two acres of lands remains occupied by the Army. About one acre belongs to one family, while the rest comprises of about half acre each belonging to two other families. The Army is refusing to hand over these lands. The Assistant Government Agent for Puthukidiyiruppu had promised to provide alternative land, but no places or dates had been given. However, the people insist they want their own land back. All the families mentioned that they have Permits for these lands. The Army had not paid any rent or compensation for the land occupied, with the occupation estimated to be for more than three years. The families estimate that the…

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Elections in the East, reconciliation and politics: In conversation with Javid Yusuf

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Javid Yusuf is an Attorney-at-Law and former diplomat. Groundviews last featured him over two years ago, just after the Presidential Election in early 2010. In this programme, we talked about the recently concluded elections in the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern Provinces in Sri Lanka and more generally, on politics and reconciliation in post-war Sri Lanka. We begin by looking at why this election and voting in the Eastern Province in particular was perceived to be so significant. Javid responds by noting the election was, in general, a barometer of the government’s popularity and in the Eastern Province, a barometer of how minority thinking. We talk about the very different narratives from government, the opposition and other independent political analysts after the results of the election, and what could be read into these divergent viewpoints. Javid notes that the government did quite well in getting the votes it did in the North Central Province and Sabaragamuwa, and said that there…

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  • 22 Sep, 2012
  • 5 Comments
  • Development,
    Jaffna,
    Post-War

Rehabilitation of Sri Lankan War Victims: Why NGOs should co-ordinate

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Photo courtesy The Asia Foundation Since the war ended in Sri Lanka in May, 2009, the wave of sympathy  for  the victims of the war resulted in philanthropists, members of the Sri Lankan diaspora, individual well wishers and funding organizations providing prospective INGOs, local NGOs and charities with the resources needed to expeditiously  help the war victims to resume their normal life as quickly as possible.    The war had resulted in the loss of  a large number of breadwinners  leaving behind thousands of disabled men and women, and,  widows and orphaned children. The infrastructure in the conflict zone had been reduced to ruins. The Government’s efforts to help the war victims has been slow and its priorities are overshadowed by defence concerns against a vanquished enemy resulting in a lion’s share of the financial  allocations being given  to the Defence Ministry.   Comparatively,  only a pittance  had allocated to provide  relief and rehabilitation to the victims of the war.  The visible…

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Sri Lanka’s forgotten mass graves: Google Earth and remembering the dead in Nandikadal

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The end of war in Sri Lanka, captured for posterity by Google Earth published last week by Groundviews was the first look at the end of the war in Sri Lanka through historical satellite imagery freely accessible via Google Earth. The article was an open invitation for those using Google Earth to scan for and alert others over areas and artefacts of interest, that in turn could strengthen discussions around the hellish final weeks of war in Sri Lanka. Given the nature of imagery from around this period and centred on Nandikadal, the article explicitly noted, What Google Maps and Earth does NOT enable one to do, given (1) the quality of some of the historical imagery (which sometimes features extensive cloud cover of vast regions) and (2) the large gaps between the available historical imagery (mid March, late May, after the official end of the war and killing of the LTTE’s leader, then mid-June and early August) is any…

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Eastern Province election: The big lie about shared power in Sri Lanka

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Photo courtesy AP/Eranga Jayawardena Justice Minister Hakeem was reported to have told during campaigning, he should not be made to look like a man taken hostage. Ministers Rambukwella and Premjayantha, invited TNA to form a “National” alliance for the Council in the East. Senior Minister and Communist Party leader DEW Gunasekera says he wrote to President Rajapaksa proposing a “National Council” that includes the TNA, for the East. Senior Minister and LSSP leader, Prof Tissa Vitharana backs a “non racial”, all included Council for East. A week gone by and the claim by President Rajapaksa – that his leadership paved for ten successive victories for the UPFA which by itself is a historic feat – is being severely challenged in the East. People are strangling the conscience of the SLMC leadership and the SLMC shopping list is being ignored by President Rajapaksa. To begin with, the PC elections were NOT free and fair in any way. After many violent clashes, two…

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The struggle to go home in post war Sri Lanka: Manthuvil in the Mullativu district

Discovery of explosives in resettled areas in Puthukudiruppu-14Sept2012

Last Friday, 14th September, I visited friends from Manthuvil and Puthukudiruppu, both in the Mullativu district who are trying to resettle in their own houses. One friend has a lovely house in four acres of land in Manthuvil, along the Puthukudiruppu – Mullativu road. He and I had both heard from separate sources that the area had been demined a long time ago. In fact, there are no signs warning of mines or explosives near his house, as I had seen in many areas in the North. However, the Army continues to deny my friend and his family permission to return to his home. He is desperate and yearns to return after being forced to stay away for many years. My friend says that the Army has persistently refused him and others in the area permission to return, without providing any official reasons for the restriction. In August, as most people around the area began to resettle, including on the…

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Who burnt houses of returning Muslim IDPs in Mannar?

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“We can see how the people are suffering but who are we to tell? Nothing can be done. Who can fight against the Government? The news on the ground is that the Defence Ministry is trying to secure 1500 acres to build a hotel in this area. This is the main reason they don’t want these people to return to their homes. As we all know what the Defence Ministry wants, it usually gets. Who can stop them,” were the words of a rather unusual source – a Police officer, who was stationed at Marichikattu in the Musali Division of the Mannar district, where 7 huts belonging to Muslims were allegedly burnt on the 3rd of September, 2012. It is not clear who was responsible for burning these houses – but several Muslim villagers said they suspect the Navy, and that they could be trying to intimidate the villagers from returning to this area. Click the images above for high…

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The not so curious case of Hirunika Premachandra

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Original photo published in The Nation Hirunika Premachandra is either one confused woman or one shrewd woman.  One moment she is unleashing her wrath on MP Duminda Silva, the chief suspect in the fatal shooting which led to the death of her father Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra. The next moment she is on an election platform of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) asking voters to “strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa” by voting for his Party. The cold, hard reality is this. Duminda Silva is a darling of this administration, no two words about it. He was well sheltered, long before be become involved in the fatal shooting of B.L.Premachandra, despite his name being linked to several illegal activities. In fact he was rewarded for being a law unto him by being appointed as the Monitoring MP for the Ministry of Defence.  Can things get any more blatantly clear than this fact itself that he is in the…

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AFTER A LONG JOURNEY HOME: SOLITUDE IN JAFFNA AND THE SILENCE OF A CITY

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[Editors note: Dr. Rajini Thiranagama (née Rajasingham), was a Tamil human rights activist and feminist murdered in 1989 by the LTTE. She was one of the founding members of the University Teachers for Human Rights, Jaffna, which during the war, published some of the most hard hitting critiques and exposes of Government as well as LTTE atrocities and human rights violations. Since 2009, Dayapala Thiranagama's insightful articles to Groundviews have been amongst the site's most read and shared]. ### This summer, after 23 long years, I drove to Jaffna from Galle with my eldest daughter. We travelled through the heart of Sri Lanka on the A9 road, passing Kandy, Matale, Dambulla and Kekirawa. We drove past areas where I had worked in 1986 as a member of the Vikalpa Kandayama (Alternative Group), laying down an underground political structure. At the time, I had left my academic job in the university to do fulltime political work and was confronted by two great dangers: increasing political repression from the…

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The end of war in Sri Lanka, captured for posterity by Google Earth

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When in early 2009, UNOSAT released satellite imagery of what later turned out to be the final weeks of Sri Lanka’s 27-year old war with the LTTE, the images were met with vehement Government condemnation, and counter-analysis by the Ministry of Defence. During this heady, hellish time, the subject of The Cage: The Fight for Sri Lankan & The Last Days of the Tamil Tigers by former UN spokesman Gordon Weiss and the recently released Still Counting the Dead: Survivors of Sri Lanka’s Hidden War by the former BBC correspondent Frances Harrison, while the President assured Sri Lankans and the world that heavy weapons weren’t being used, the satellite images from UNOSAT added to the confusion, showing clear and widespread indications of heavy shelling. The question then became when the shelling occurred. From the report by the UN Panel of Experts, appointed by the UN Secretary General to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s Final Report, the trading of allegations…

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About Groundviews

Located at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is a citizen journalism website that uses a range of genres and media to highlight critical perspectives on governance, reconciliation, human rights, the arts and literature, democracy and other issues. The site has won two international awards, including the prestigious Manthan Award South Asia in 2009. The grand jury's evaluation of the site noted, "What no media dares to report, Groundviews publicly exposes. It's a new age media for a new Sri Lanka... Free media at it's very best!"

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