Features
America’s Uncivil War
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
Donald Trump was finally prised out of the White House on the morning of January 20, hours before the inauguration of President Joe Biden. He acted true to form and character by refusing to conform to a centuries-old tradition of the outgoing president welcoming the president-elect, both at the White House and at the Inauguration ceremony. Trump’s lack of grace was, however, a source of great relief for President Biden and everyone participating in the ceremony. There is little doubt that had he decided to attend, Trump would have transformed a historic occasion into a ridiculous spectacle all about himself.
Trump left the White House by helicopter to Andrews Air Base, where Air Force One awaited to take him to Florida. A small invited crowd of 200 people, supporters and curiosity seekers, with his tearful children and their families forming a row of mourners, were in attendance to bid him farewell.
Trump’s statement, thankfully short on time, predictably long on lies, was about his “achievements”. He predicted that the “great numbers” he had created during his presidency – numbers representing the worst economic and health crises faced by the US in living memory – will “skyrocket downwards” under the Biden administration. He thanked his family for the “remarkable” work they have done for the country. And he ended with an ominous statement: “So just a goodbye, we love you, we will be back in some form’’.
Trump may unknowingly be echoing sentiments of another Republican president, who concluded his farewell address, saying: “Once you begin a great movement, there’s no telling where it will end”. We know now where Reagan’s movement ended. In a society with a lopsided taxation system which dismantled a hitherto thriving middle class and created corporations and billionaires of vulgar wealth, resulting in the greatest income inequality the country has suffered since the Great Depression. We can also predict where Trump’s movement was heading before his defeat. Headlong towards the destruction of democracy, and the establishment of an authoritarian dynasty ruled by white supremacists.
The Department of Homeland Security recognized a heightened threat of violence by the issue on January 27, with an amazing grasp of the obvious, of a National Terrorism Advisory Bulletin. The DHS remains concerned that Homegrown Violent Extremists, emboldened by the breach of the Capitol on January 6, will continue to target officials and government facilities, and represent the greatest threat of domestic terrorism facing the nation today.
A man was arrested Thursday, with his car parked at a police intersection near the Capitol, in possession of a handgun with 20 rounds of ammunition, a list of members of Congress targeted for assassination, and “Stop the Steal” paperwork. Washington’s Acting Police Chief has requested that the barricades built after the recent insurrection be made permanent, transforming the beautiful capital city into a virtual fortress.
Speaker Pelosi stated that “The enemy is within the House of Representatives”, implying that members of Congress are complicit in the ongoing violence. A rebellion based entirely on Trump’s Big Lie, that the November election was stolen from him, in spite of the fact that 60 cases of election fraud had been dismissed by the Courts, including Trump’s handpicked Supreme Court, for lack of a shred of evidence.
The societal excretion of the plague of violent white supremacy in America depends entirely on the role today’s Republican Party will play, whether it will remain the Party of Trump or rediscover its roots as the Party of Lincoln.
As long as the leaders of the Republican Party keep embracing the vile specter of Trump, keep kissing the ring of the King, as House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy did in Florida last Thursday, the next eruption of a violent insurrection of white supremacists will always be round the corner.
The immediate problem for Trump will be his next permanent domicile. He is currently residing at Mar a Lago, in, Florida. According to a contract he signed with the Town of Palm Beach in 1993, converting, for tax purposes, his estate from a residence to a private club, he would be allowed to reside only a maximum of 21 days per year, seven consecutive days per visit. But Trump, being Trump, will continue breaking the terms of the contract, ad infinitum. His neighbors at the small town of Palm Beach have been protesting against his residence at Mar a Lago, to no avail. During Trump’s first weekend as a private citizen, sky banners flew near his residence, which read, “Trump Worst President Ever” and “Trump You Pathetic Loser Go Back to Moscow”. However, Trump remains unfazed. He knows no shame.
Actually, he does not have many choices. He has property in New York, but the attorneys general of Manhattan and the Southern District of New York are gleefully awaiting his return; they have multiple charges with which to greet him, sexual transgressions, money laundering, insurance and taxation fraud, etc. Besides, he is pretty universally hated by New Yorkers. Russia? Unlikely, he owes Putin too much money; and, as he is no longer of any use, Putin may even decide to Navalnyze him.
His one hope may be to seek asylum in Sri Lanka, or in one of the many Sri Lankan enclaves in the USA, where, strangely, he still has many swarthy fans. Maybe one of these wannabe white devotees can afford him refuge. A Win Win solution for a bunch of Losers.
Trump’s second impeachment trial continues to be the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head. The Article of Impeachment – inciting an insurrection – was handed over to the Senate last Monday, by a procession of the nine Impeachment Managers from the House. A ceremonial procession through the hallowed halls of the Capitol, the very scene of the crime of insurrection and murder, in which both the prosecutors and the jury were both the victims and the witnesses. A solemn ceremony which has occurred only four times in the nation’s history, with Trump playing the “Leading Man” in two of them.
The Senate trial began Tuesday, with a 55 to 45 vote in favor of the constitutionality of the trial of a president after he has the left the office. It is interesting that 45 Republican Senators voted that the heinous crime of incitement to insurrection is not worthy of trial.
A bipartisan deal was struck to delay the start of impeachment proceedings until February 8.
The one defence available to Trump’s lawyers (when he finally succeeds in getting a team together; not an easy task, considering his legendary reputation for welshing on legal fees) would be to deny the legality of the trial. The Constitution does not specifically address the conviction of an ex-president. However, there are many precedents where senior civil officials have been impeached and convicted after they have vacated their posts. Trump will also benefit by the delay as the violence of January 6 recedes in the rear-view mirror, and the temperature lightens as time goes by.
The Prosecution will benefit by new evidence against Trump being revealed every day. The New York Times reported that Trump had planned to fire Acting Attorney General Rosen for refusing to sign a letter from the Department of Justice, drafted by Justice Department minor official and Trump lackey, Jeffrey Clark, instructing election authorities in Georgia to overturn the results of the state. Trump planned to replace Rosen with Clark, who had indicated his willingness to comply with Trump’s desperate act of corruption. Also, several of the 150 insurrectionists arrested after January 6 have confessed that they had been incited by Trump to lay siege on the Capitol and overturn the “stolen” election.
The importance of Trump’s conviction is that it will bar him from holding public office in the future. He has been talking about running for the presidency in 2024, perhaps under the banner of a new party of his creation.
President Biden has ambivalent thoughts about the timing of the Senate impeachment trial. He is as disgusted as are we all at Trump’s assembly and incitement of a mob of white supremacists to storm the Capitol, an insurrection that had been months in the planning. Trump supporters came within an inch of mass assassination of Senators and Representatives, including Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker Pelosi.
The insurrection was grotesquely highlighted by the construction of a gallows, complete with noose, on the Capitol grounds, and the chants of “Hang Mike Pence”, “Where’s Nancy Pelosi”, “Fight Like Hell” and “Stop The Steal”. These slogans echoed the words Trump screamed, Hitler like, at a rally outside the White House, minutes before the mob stormed and broke in to the Capitol, vandalizing offices, defacing property and stealing documents. Five people were killed during the riot, including a Capitol policeman who was bludgeoned to death. Hundreds more suffered injuries. Two other Capitol policemen have taken their lives since the insurrection.
And the mob was an inch away from breaking into the area, with their stated motive of assassinating Vice President Pence and other lawmakers who were in session. The Capitol police managed to hurry the terrified Senators and Congressmen into safety in the nick of time.
While these acts of terrorism against the Capitol were unfolding, Trump made no effort to quell the violence, ignoring desperate calls for help from Senators and Congressmen and delaying the deployment of the National Guard. All the while watching, with his family and cronies, the riots on television, in enthusiastic support at the nearby White House. The National Guard was ultimately summoned, and the crowd dispersed, only after acts of great damage, vandalism and murder. Strangely, no arrest was made on the day, and the insurrectionists were allowed to go home, unharmed and unarrested, indicating the possibility of complicity of Law Enforcement in the insurrection. Equally strangely, no efforts were made to whisk President Trump away to safety from the scene of a violent insurrection in the environs of the White House, normal procedure when the president’s safety is even remotely at risk. Complicity at the highest levels?
While President Biden feels that the impeachment trial would be inevitable, he needs the Senate to confirm his cabinet appointments immediately, so that he could begin the arduous task of governing. He is anxious to address the quadruple crises left behind by the Trump administration – pandemic, economic, climate and immigration. He needs the full attention and action of both arms of Congress to pass the necessary legislation vital to combat these national crises. As a start, Biden has proposed a massive $1.9 trillion stimulus payment, which will provide relief to millions of Americans suffering, facing eviction and hunger, to thousands of small businesses forced into closure, and the necessary funding to the states to expedite the production and distribution of the vaccine.
The Senate impeachment trial is a political process, not a legal one. Trump will probably be acquitted by a jury of 100 Senators unable to reach the two-thirds majority needed for conviction, Republican Senators whose decisions will be guided not by their conscience but by political considerations and fear of Trump’s prevailing malevolent influence.
Whether Trump is convicted or acquitted by the Senate, the Department of Justice should take a long hard look at bringing criminal action against him. There is an abundance of evidence indicating that Donald Trump is guilty of planning and inciting an insurrection, of plotting the assassination of lawmakers, of attempting to destroy the democratic traditions of the nation. In short, guilty of sedition, even treason.
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.
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.
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 . )
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
