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My travel buddies and a fairytale 70th birthday

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“I started with noithing and how far I’ve come”

by Sumi Moonesinghe as narrated to Savithri Rodrigo

Having always been fascinated with history, I wanted to constantly walk through historic routes and relive historic tales. One of these was Route Napoleon, which was voted the best road in France and one of the most scenic routes to the south of France. Although I had decided to take the train, that plan went under as a bridge had collapsed. A tour company arranged a driver and car for about EUR 1,000.

The driver was a 32-year-old French ex-marine who turned up at six in the morning and was the perfect tour guide because every time I said something was beautiful, he would immediately stop so I could take in the view and a photograph and maybe even have a cup of coffee. We reached Geneva at 1700 in the evening, in time for my flight to Heathrow, where I connected for my return flight to Colombo.

I had also amassed a coterie of girlfriends who loved to travel. Dawn Austin, Rohini Nanayakkara, Thanchi Coomaraswamy and I booked ourselves on the Grand Mediterranean Cruise in 2007. I was already in London visiting Aushi and joined them in Rome. We were booked into adjoining rooms with balcony cabins. I remember walking into my luxury cabin and sitting on the bed and thinking about how I had started with nothing and how far I had come. Was it karma, hard work or destiny?

It was truly a super-luxurious cruise; we were pampered with anything and everything. From Rome, we sailed to Florence, then on to the Isle of Capri and the Greek Islands. We were four completely different personalities but got on absolutely well together. There was Rohini who wanted to see everything and Dawn who would feel sorry to see her go alone and therefore, accompany her. Thanchi and I didn’t care either way.

When we visited the Parthenon for example, we decided to have a cup of coffee before walking about. But Rohini was antsy, constantly asking if we can move on. At one point, Dawn said, “Rohini, this has been there for a thousand years and it will be there for another thousand years. So there is no need to rush. Let’s sit down, have a croissant and a coffee first.” Rohini finally sat down for a leisurely morning but not before some convincing and an assurance that she could walk about the Parthenon as much as she wanted and we wouldn’t rush her.

The guides were expensive, charging about EUR 80 per tour. I refused to pay such exorbitant amounts.. The three ladies looked at me, laughed and said, “Sumi, you spent so much on this absolutely luxurious cruise and now you don’t want to spend EUR 80 on the guide?” I know it sounds a little foolish but I couldn’t get that thrifty habit out of my system. We would shop a little en route, buying whatever took our fancy.

We also took a cruise to St. Petersburg in August 2009 anal enjoyed it thoroughly. Russia truly is a land of wonder and St. Petersburg, founded by Russian Tsar Peter the Great and named after the apostle Saint Peter, is absolutely beautiful. It is the cultural capital of Russia and judging by the limited sites we were able to visit due to lack of time, it’s a title well bestowed.

I simply adored the Hermitage Museum, which is the largest art museum in the world. Each wall showcasing the masterworks by great artists and the impressive collection that Catherine the Great had acquired from Berlin merchant Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky. From there we took a short walk to the Winter Palace, the iconic symbol of the Russian revolution but prior to that, was the official residence of the Russian emperors for nearly two centuries. The green and white palace has an imposing facade and we were told it probably has the most number of doors, windows, rooms and staircases in any single building constructed at the time – 1,886 doors, 1,945 windows, 1,500 rooms and 117 staircases.

There was so much to explore in St. Petersburg and I just wish we had more time. Sadly, we wasted one evening going to the ballet, which technically we could have seen anywhere else in the world and missed out on seeing Catherine’s Palace, the summer residence of the tsars. I could only imagine the striking architecture, being awed in the Hall of Lights which is the one thousand square metre ornate grand ballroom and walking in those acres of landscaped gardens admiring the gorgeous sculptures.

Rohini joined me to go to Egypt and on the trip to Israel, I traveled with Rohini and Rohini – my sister. We first flew to Jordan and had the most amazing pica bread in Petra. Then we hired a car and driver for our Israeli tour. Our driver was Israeli so he couldn’t take us into Palestine. At the border, a Palestinian driver would pick us up. I remember him saying, “Don’t believe anything I say. Just talk to the people you meet, listen carefully and make up your own mind.”

In just one month after we returned, conflict broke out in that region. In 2001, Thanchi, Romi and I decided to go to China, adding to our itinerary that we also wanted to experience the ‘real China’. We excitedly picked where we wanted to go – Beijing, Xian, Guilin and Shanghai. I contacted Robert Kuok’s office which as efficiently as always, organised the entire trip for us.

In every city we visited, we stayed at the Shangri-La. Now this isn’t quite the real China in the actual sense of the word, but We consoled ourselves that while we spent the day in the ‘real China,’ having a bit of luxury when we got back was worth it. We visited markets, looking for bargains with Thanchi being best at bargaining.

Thanchi spied a Chinese silk cheongsam and asked the vendor for the price. Knowing we were tourists, she promptly tapped out 250 Yuan on her calculator, which was how we communicated as we didn’t know Mandarin. Thanchi turned on her heel and walked off saying, “Expensive, too expensive!” When the woman said, “How much you pay?” Thanchi promptly replied, “I pay 40 Yuan.” I was flabbergasted and thought we would get assaulted or at the very least verbally abused by the vendor. Incredibly, Thanchi got her cheongsam for 40 Yuan.

Not too long ago, I asked Aushi if we could go to Morocco because I have always been fascinated with Humphrey Bogart and the movie ‘Casablanca’. From the moment we landed in Morocco, I was raring to revisit Humphrey Bogart’s story. Aushi, Eroshan and even our driver dissuaded me saying there was nothing to see. But of course, I was not to be put off.

I got into the car and asked the driver to take me to the places that Casablanca had been filmed and Humphrey Bogart had been. The man turned around and looked at me as if I was crazy, but drove me around anyway. There was nothing to see, but what I did notice was that the city was very clean, with not a speck of garbage anywhere.

In the midst of walking those amazing shopping streets in Marrakesh, I fell in love with a beautiful Moroccan door. The massive door, embellished with intricately carved silver metal sheets and inlaid with gold and ebony had me mesmerized. It took just a few minutes for me to purchase it, have it wrapped up and delivered to the Four Seasons, where we were staying. The door was part of my luggage on my return flight to Colombo and now stands in pride of place at the end of my veranda, seen by everyone who walks into my house.

In 2015 I turned 70. The girls were keen on giving me a special day and asked me what I would like to do. “I will have some friends over and we can have Mrs. Dao cook at home.” Mrs Dao was a Thai lady whose Thai food was absolutely delicious. She was a firm favourite of mine when it came to Thai cuisine. She would come home and cook in my kitchen, which was yet another reason to like her cooking. My girls asked me to list out the friends I would like to invite and also the menu I want Mrs. Dao to prepare. Both Aushi and Anarkali were having these conversations with me while they were in London.

Three days before my birthday, I had my first surprise. Aushi landed at home. It was lovely to have her and I thought this was an early birthday gift, which in a way it was. On May 5 and my birthday dawned, I was told by Aushi to take her children Tahlia and Sidhara on a tour of Colombo because they had never quite seen Colombo properly whenever they visited. She gave me a list of places to visit and looking at that, I realized I would be out the whole day.

I fretted a little and asked her whether she had contacted my friends with the invitation for this evening. She assured me that everything was under control. I got in the car for the tour of the city of Colombo with my grandchildren and returned about four in the evening. My house and garden were unrecognizable.

Aushi’s creativity had excelled. The place was magical and looked very festive. I walked into the kitchen, expecting to see Mrs. Dao but what greeted me was a battalion of chefs. Unknown to me, Robert Kuok had sent the chefs from the Shangri-La to prepare a feast for my birthday. Robert had organized the entire meal with Aushi and Anarkali – and Kumar’s help of course.

The chefs were supposed to cook at a cafe and send the dishes over, but when they saw my kitchen, they opted to cook at home. Kumar had been dispatched that morning to the Kollupitiya market, accompanied by one of the chefs to pick and choose whatever they wanted. Robert and his wife Poh-lin sent me two beautiful pots of orchids as an additional gift – the meal itself was their gift to me.

What a fantastic birthday I had. Surprise after surprise – with even my friend Duke and his wife Cathy flying in from the UK – I couldn’t have been blessed more.



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The heart-friendly health minister

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Dr. Ramesh Pathirana

by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka

When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.

Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.

Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.

Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.

The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.

This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.

Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.

This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.

Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.

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A LOVING TRIBUTE TO JESUIT FR. ALOYSIUS PIERIS ON HIS 90th BIRTHDAY

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Fr. Aloysius Pieris, SJ was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera on Nov. 23, 2019.

by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI

Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.

It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.

Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.

Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.

Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.

Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.

Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.

Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.

In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.

Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.

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A fairy tale, success or debacle

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Ministers S. Iswaran and Malik Samarawickrama signing the joint statement to launch FTA negotiations. (Picture courtesy IPS)

Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com

“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech

Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).

It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.

Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.

However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.

1. The revenue loss

During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.

The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”

I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.

As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!

Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”

If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.

Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.

Investment from Singapore

In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.

And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.

I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”

According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!

What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).

However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.

Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.

That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.

The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?

It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.

As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.

(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )

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