Features
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine eclipses Biden’s first State of the Union Speech
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
The malevolent Russian invasion against Ukraine has had almost exclusive coverage in international, TV and social media. Though the Ukrainians have been fighting fiercely and bravely, it is only a matter of time before Russia’s superior force will subjugate Kiev, Mariupol and other major Ukrainian cities, many of which have already fallen and millions of innocent civilians, men, women and children, suffering intolerable deprivations.
History shows us that the aggression of nations with superior military force against weaker nations, aggression with motives of self-interest cloaked in sanctimonious hypocrisy, will initially meet with success. But in the fullness of time, they will fail, their greed and cruelty exposed to the world. A weaker nation, with its citizens continuing to fight for independence, its leaders willing to die for freedom, will always succeed. Many will die, incredible privations will be endured maybe for decades. But the ultimate rout of the aggressor is inevitable.
Ukraine and its President have shown this fearlessness in extraordinary abundance. In a recent video address to the British Parliament, exhibiting the epitome of defiance, President Zelensky echoed Winston Churchill’s famous speech at that august chamber on the evacuation of Dunkirk during WWII: We shall fight on the beaches …we shall fight in the fields and in the streets…we shall never surrender. He reiterated the determination of the Ukrainian people “to defend their motherland to the end” as the Russian invasion ends its second week of indiscriminate murder and mayhem. An invasion which has already compelled over two million Ukrainians to seek refuge in neighbouring countries like Poland and rendered at least one million more homeless and destitute. Lives and property destroyed in the most brutal invasion in Europe since WWII.
Zelensky’s inspired address was met with a standing ovation from the MPs and the Lords in the Palace of Westminster.
The vast range of financial and import sanctions imposed by the US and the EU against Russia, including personal sanctions against Putin and his billionaire oligarchs, while “they will damage the Russian economy, will not obliterate it”. Unfortunately, it is also likely that these harsh sanctions will make Putin, who cannot afford to lose this war, double down and escalate the violence against Ukraine, with no concern for civilian casualties. Russian targeting of schools, hospitals and churches, war crimes, have become routine. The more desperate Putin gets, the more likely he will threaten the use of chemical, biological, even nuclear weapons. And he may not be bluffing. His erratic behaviour of the past six months, his delusions of grandeur of regaining the glory of the old Soviet Empire, are causing psychiatric suspicions that he is unhinged and losing his mind.
Another real danger is China’s low-profile endorsement of Russian aggression.
If not for the invasion of Ukraine, President Biden’s first State of the Union Speech on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, six days after Russia invaded Ukraine, would have taken centre stage in international media.
For the first time in US history, two women, Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, second and third in line for the presidency, sat behind the President of the United States during a State of the Union address. A unique and remarkable image of history that has been too long in the making.
Biden spent 12 minutes of the duration of his SOTU address of 61 minutes on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He reserved his harshest remarks against the aggression of President Putin, and his highest praise for President Zelensky and the heroic determination of the Ukrainian people to fight the aggressor to the death.
Significantly, the Republican section of Congress was not empty, attended as it was by many Republicans, including Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy, minority leaders of the Senate and the House, respectively. The Republican side of the chamber included two radical right QAnon* maniacs, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, who, predictably, spent the entire hour of the speech booing and heckling.
The same Taylor Greene who recently slammed the House Committee presently investigating into the January 6 insurrection as being Speaker Pelosi’s “Gazpacho Police”. What the ignorant Congresswoman from Georgia probably meant was “Gestapo Police”. But who can tell? Maybe these Trumpsters feel threatened by the delicious cold tomato Gazpacho soup of Democrats, on the grounds that its red colour is evidence of their espousal of communism. A conspiracy theory no more outlandish than her previous claims that Democrats are “Satanic Pedophile Cannibals” who eat babies, and that the deadly fires in California were caused by Jews (Rothschilds) firing lasers from outer space.
In his address, Biden did not touch on the courageous defiance of 13 Ukrainian soldiers guarding little Snake Island about 50 km. off the southern tip of the Ukrainian mainland on the Black Sea. When warned by a Russian warship that there will be unnecessary deaths unless they surrendered, the response of these brave Ukrainians, which has since gone viral on the Internet, was: “Russian Warship, Go F… Yourselves”.
Initial reports indicated that all 13 soldiers were killed. However, it is now believed that they are alive and well, held as prisoners in Russia, as heroes in Ukraine. Their words, “Russia, Go F… Yourselves” have become the proud Ukrainian rallying war cry.
This defiant response from a completely outnumbered and outgunned army illustrates the courage and patriotism of the Ukrainians. All Ukrainian men and women are now soldiers, being trained for battle. President Zelensky has also joined the army, no trace of bone spurs. He has been photographed on many occasions in military fatigues, talking and eating with Ukrainian soldiers. Perhaps photo ops, but the image of the President of the country, in battle fatigues, mingling with its citizens is pretty inspiring. Much more so than the ridiculous image of a criminal, egomaniacal sociopath holding a Bible upside down outside a church to prove he is a Christian.
Biden continued, “Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the foundations of the free world. But he badly miscalculated.
“He thought he could roll into Ukraine, and the world would roll over. Instead, he met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined.
“He met the Ukrainian people.
“From President Zelensky to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination, literally inspires the world”.
Biden also stressed the need for unity in America, when he said, at the beginning of his address, “Tonight, we meet as Democrats, Republicans and Independents. But most importantly, as Americans. With a duty to one another, to America, to the American people, to the Constitution. And an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny”.
“Always” is an optimistic word in the current context of today’s American politics, with the Republican Party still under the control of a defeated and disgraced wannabe tyrant, whose peddled lies about a rigged election 16 months ago are still believed, against all evidence, by 60% of his Party. The midterms next November are currently predicted to yield control of both the House and the Senate to the Republicans led by Trump. Control that will enable Republicans to rig future elections not only by voter suppression and gerrymandering, but by changing the rules so that any future president will be elected not by the will of the people but by the manipulation of the state legislatures. Significantly, this process has already begun in Republican controlled battleground state legislatures like Texas and Georgia.
Such corruption of the electoral process, the cornerstone of American democracy, will bring to an end Lincoln’s dream of the Grand Experiment of “government of the people, by the people, for the people”.
With his decision to invade Ukraine, Putin counted on taking advantage of an already polarized America and attempt to cause a rift in NATO. He has failed, at least where NATO is concerned, as that organization has shown complete solidarity under the leadership of President Biden.
As for American unity, fingers crossed, but there seems a little light bringing clarity and sanity at the end of the Trump tunnel, a tiny chink in the Republican armour as the former president’s acts of criminal fraud and treason are slowly but surely being uncovered.
Biden stressed that “our forces are not engaged, and will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukrainian soil…Together with our allies we are providing support to the Ukrainians in their fight for freedom. Military assistance. Financial assistance. Humanitarian assistance”.
“When the history of this era is written, Putin’s war against Ukraine will have left Russia weaker and the rest of the world stronger”.
President Biden then addressed the pandemic and the economy. His handling of these crises has seen his approval rates plummet to the 30%s. Unfairly, considering he inherited a failed economy, the challenges of a global pandemic, and now, an illegal invasion of a sovereign ally in Europe.
“The pandemic has been punishing. And so many families are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to keep up with the rising costs of food, gas, housing and so much more”. Biden talked about the extensive American Rescue Plan that was implemented last year, saying “few pieces of legislation have done more in a critical moment in our history to lift us out of the crisis”.
“And it worked. It created jobs. Lots of jobs, our economy created over 6.5 million new jobs last year, more jobs created in one year than ever before in the history of America”.
Biden talked about the economy which “grew at a rate of 5.7% last year, the strongest growth in nearly 40 years, the first step in bringing fundamental change to an economy which hasn’t worked for the working people of this nation for too long”.
The President said, “Reagan’s ‘trickle-down’ theory has only led to weaker economic growth, lower wages, bigger deficits and the widest income and wealth gaps between those at the top and everyone else in nearly a century”.
He talked about the urgency of the passing of his signature Build Back Better bill, currently stalled in the Senate. Though the Democrats have a wafer-thin majority in the Senate, the legislation has been delayed not just by the intransigence of the Republicans, but obstruction by two Democratic Senators from Red States, Arizona and West Virginia, who are more concerned about their re-election than the welfare of the country. He urged the Senate to pass this bill, which will cost less than Trump’s tax cut of 2017 to billionaires and corporations, so that he could continue with his efforts towards building a socially and economically just America.
Biden touched on his science-based and successful strategy to combat the virus, his plans of reducing health care costs, child care, gun control, funding the police, border control, and many other social programs, which will become a reality after the Build Back Better plan is implemented. Long-delayed legislation which will provide tremendous assistance to working poor, address climate change and rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
He concluded by saying that “the State of the Union, is strong, because you, the American people are strong. We are stronger today than we were a year ago. And we will be stronger a year from now than we are today”.
*QAnon is a political conspiracy theory that later evolved into a political movement. It originated in the American far-right political sphere. QAnon centers on false claims made by an anonymous individual or individuals known as “Q”. Wikipedia
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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