Features
Parallels between Avurudhu observances and the status quo
An email message has been circulating citing the achievements of the protesters. Another to disprove the government assessment of the protests, particularly at the newly named Galle Face Green cordoned off section, as a beach party etc. The protests joined by all ages, races, religions, strata of society have been far from a picnic; they were sincere, serious, one voiced and committed. With it went singing and moving to music. So what? Jolly good!
To me, sitting at home and ruminating, I decided I had never felt so un-avurudhu-fied as during this year’s national New Year season. On Thursday April 14, having lit my gas cooker and eaten my first meal of kiributh at the auspicious times, I felt my spirits lifted. I still had gas in the cylinder and food on the table. But pessimism and sorrow returned to weight me down. Pondering thus I saw parallels between the usual observances and traditions of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and the very unusual social and political situation of the country.
As kids Avurudhu was magic with new clothes, rasa kevili, routines turned topsy turvy and nonagathe periods extra long which canceled regular rice and curry lunches. We could fill up with all sorts of sundries from bread to unduvel. Even when older, the spirit of Avurudhu descended and caught us in its euphoria. There was plenty of food, peace in the country (usually) and long holidays organized with plenty of money and petrol, and traffic no problem. I need not tell you how it is this year; all of us suffer, but the farmer, the daily worker, the casual labourer is bereft of all respite and celebration.
Solar travel and now directions pointed out
One reason for this traditional festival is that the sun travels from the Meena Rashiya (House of Pisces) to that of Aries or Mesha Rashiya.
People across the board in this country have been stymied from traveling this year in private vehicles and public transport. Instead they have to stand long hours in queues for petrol, diesel and necessities. Very different to all previous years, the VVIPs are being shown by voice, placard and social media, both at home and overseas, where they should be heading – out from the Presidential abode and Temple Trees. Where to? US, Seychelles? Africa, Dubai, prison? The directions have changed as the Big Two and brethren, sons, nephews and sycophant-suckers stubbornly staying put. It was Go Home; now it is Go to Jail and not before you give back to the country all its money you robbed. Previously, it was a sumptuous meal at an overladen avurudhu mesa at Carlton, Tangalla, and then hopping into luxury government vehicles, Lamborghinis and even planes for holidays in Nuwara Eliya or more exotic resorts. Maybe this year the first meal was at Shangri La minus some family members, and just staying in hiding. Why? Fearful of peaceful protesters.
Avurudhu is when astrologers peering into their charts dictate times and colours. We had an Akka in Rajarata who was all powerful in her predictions and rode the crest of the wave. Hirunika exposed her and now she is mentioned all over the island. She of course has plenty of security, but fear must be eating into her, though dabbling in the occult. No mantras left.
New Start – cleaning
Preparation for Avurudhu is first spring cleaning the house. In villages of long ago, the floor was re-cowdunged and roof covered with new straw or plaited coconut leaves. The country’s right thinking, bravely protesting people have also demanded a cleaning out of the House of State with all corrupt leaders, cabinet ministers and others being swept out. Sticking like limpets, cunningly surmising the masses will fatigue, forget, forgive. Not this time for sure! Guns may have been issued though protests were peaceful, but the mood of the lower ranks in the security forces is not for shooting their own people.
Buying new pots, utensils, furnishings, clothes is an avurudhu siritha. People have no money and no time either. But the practice will be continued, slowly but steadily when corruption will be swept away with the corrupt; democracy and rule of law reinstated and taxes and money matters realigned. There has to be a new beginning. Troubled times will continue, but we can bear much if there is light at the end of the dark tunnel. We are a resilient lot, though seemingly lotus eaters.
Harvesting
Gathering the maha rice harvest is next this season. Not this year, sole thanks to Prez Gotabaya Rajapaksa advised by Dr Padeniya and the Athureliya monk. What false, unscientific suppositions was at the bottom of that move. I well remember the President announcing with pride Sri Lanka would be the first country to go totally organic. He pronounced the death knell for rice and tea. Never hearkened unto all the qualified agriculturists, agronomists we have right here. Farmers were dealt a near death blow and starvation stares us in the face. These are no exaggerations; thus another avurudhu sirita corrupted.
The Prez expressed a mea culpa (of sorts) after appointing a new Cabinet. Sounded hollow and just a sop to Cerberus in the newly named village on Galle Face. Apologies are worthless after the severe damage done deliberately. He apologized for not going to the IMF earlier. This was a callously ignored imperative.
Food and feasting
Not for you and me. Maybe we still have two whole meals a day, but so many of our people have not even one meal. No milk for the kids. Not many could afford to make their kavun and athiraha. The only salacious food for the appetite is that those who are so very rich also did not enjoy avurudhu feasting, holed up in hotels or heavily guarded palatial homes with no ease of body and peace of mind.
Worship
Not many would have gone to temple during the punya kalaya. Our citizenry in the majority, I feel, are realizing that Buddhism was used as a tool by the powers-that-be since 2005 or so but definitely post-2019 to divide, cause dissension, and rule. ‘Sinhala Buddhist’ is now a derided term and recognized as a tool used to emphasize the majority of the Sinhalese and Buddhists. Those white clad hypocrites will not be given media exposure carrying jasmine trays to dagoba and vihara and paying pooja to partisan monks. One feature of the protests pointed out by many is that those who gather together have absolutely no racial or religious divide. They are one in their Sri Lankan-ness.
Ganu denu
Superb! A new style of exchange of money has come about this mid-April. Placards replace bulath athas, and its neither pooja nor respect, however grudging it may be, that is presented to the so called Seniors. They have been asked to give back what they so mercilessly plundered from a poor country, and depart.
Rest, recreation and games
This season is a time of rest for the farmer; the backbone of the country, along with other village folk. Women too have time for traditional indoor games and kids swing on rope onchillas. However there is no rest, least of all recreation, for anyone in this wonderful country sent spiraling down to the pits by the R family and sycophants. Protests proceed day and night, especially at places like the front of the Prez’s office in Colombo Fort. One game is played now vociferously via banner and social media, echoed overseas by our compatriots domiciled across the globe. The game is hangi hora; allapan horu, cops and robbers. Tables are turned. Those who were chased and apprehended – members of the public – are now the cops. They are uncovering secreted mounds of spirited away wealth in the form of cash, gold, jewellery, art treasures and artifacts. Much of the gold came from Jaffna when the LTTE were defeated
There is fun among the young protesters and moving to music, so glorious to see but they tirelessly battle the not-appearing enemy. Also an enemy that does not seem to hear them, leave along hearken to them.
A further tradition is visiting relatives. VVIP homes have been broken, we hear, with spouses, in-laws and kids safely sent overseas. And the ordinary people have been unable to travel to village homes to pay respects to their elders.
Did you notice the rains came no sooner the High Ups were publicly blacklisted? Hence just as the avurudu season is followed by veda allanawa, farmers will get the fertilizer they need and people a better life, after a very difficult and prolonged period of transition. Wonderful Sri Lanka has to rise again.
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 . )
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