Features
Trump’s last desperate attempt at evading imprisonment
TERMINATION OF THE CONSTITUTION
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
The anticipated Red Wave at the midterms did not happen. The under- performance of the Republican Party at the recent midterms has been attributed to Trump. All of the candidates for the House and Senate endorsed by him were defeated. The Republicans took the House with a razor thin majority (they had been trumpeting that they will pick up 30 to 50 seats) and the Democrats retained control of the Senate, with an increased majority of 51/49.
This defeat is loosening Trump’s grip on the Republican Party. His popularity rating with Republicans, which was 60% three months ago, is at 30% today. The announcement of his decision to be the Republican candidate for the Presidency in 2024 has met with little enthusiasm. Having lost every election since he took office in 2016, Republicans, except for his white supremacist cult, are realizing that he is unelectable.
So Trump has played his final card to regain the Presidency. Last Saturday, on his Truth Social network, Trump called for the termination of the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election and reinstate him to the Oval Office.The entirety of the tweet is worth reading, if only to reinforce the reality that Trump is a lunatic wannabe dictator:
“Do you throw the Presidential Results out and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A massive fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution…..Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”
The Fraudulent Election under reference, now known as The Big Lie, is the 2020 Presidential Elections. Over 60 challenges alleging election fraud were dismissed by the Courts, including three by the Republican 6/3 Supreme Court, on grounds of a lack a shred of evidence. An election that was declared by state and federal election authorities to be one of the fairest elections in history.
Trump’s desperation to have even an appearance of the Presidency or his imagined privileges granted to a Presidential candidate, is because the legal walls are closing in on him on all sides.
The Trump Organization has been found guilty on all 17 charges of tax evasion, insurance fraud and money laundering charged against the Organization by the Southern District of New York.The Select Congressional Committee investigating into the January 6 insurrection has decided to hand over to the Department of Justice evidence proving the criminal role that Trump and his allies played in inciting the insurrection.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has concluded his investigation into the violent January 6 coup, and the even more serious alleged theft of White House documents. In an admirable act to show that justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done, Garland has appointed a Special Counsel, a senior prosecutor and a former Assistant Attorney General, Jack Smith, to review the evidence amassed to evaluate Trump’s role in (a) the insurrection of January 6 (Sedition), and (b) the mishandling (Theft) of White House classified documents, many marked Top-Secret, available to access to those only with the highest security clearance, and leaving them for over a year at an unsecured basement room at his home/resort at Mar-a-Lago. (Espionage, Obstruction of Justice). The Special Counsel will be the final arbiter to give an opinion about the arrest of the former President on criminal charges.
As it is becoming increasingly obvious that he was losing control of the Republican Party, Trump used the gathering at Mar-a-Lago to tip his hand as to the direction his future politics will take, with the invitation to his party of the best-known white supremacists, antisemites and holocaust and election deniers in the nation.
Fuentes was an honoured guest at the Mar-a-Lago dinner party. A white supremacist, holocaust denier and antisemite, Fuentes is seen as the chief organizer to forge a white nationalist alternative to the Republican Party. A new Party, titled the America First Political Action Conference (AFPAC) united with other radical right groups like the KKK, QAnon, the Proud Boys and Trump’s MAGA cult which will challenge the identity of the traditional mainstream conservative pre-Trump Republican Party.
Fuentes’ primary task is to aggressively preserve the white, European-American identity and culture. He is in favor of a Christian dictatorship. He has also said that once Trump wins the election in 2024, “we do away with elections, and run the country as a strong, Christian dictatorship”.
The second controversial guest was African American Kanye West, now known as Ye, a most successful rapper and songwriter. Also a great fan of The Donald, Ye has recently been making antisemitic rants, accusing Jews of having a monopoly of the banking system and Hollywood. He has also denied the reality of the holocaust and legality of the 2020 presidential election vote.
In the tangled, hate-filled minds of these radical right white lunatics, moderate Republicans, contemptuously described as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) have been the reason for the under-performance of every election during and after Trump’s administration: the 1818 midterms, 2020 general elections and the recent 2022 midterms.
They were completely unaware of the imminent threat to white culture, traditions and privilege, which will be lost, unless they fight now to preserve their birthright.Fuentes states that “The Founding Fathers never intended for America to be a refugee camp for nonwhite people”. In a recent tweet, Fuentes said “Our civilization is being dismantled, our people are being genocided (sic)”.
Donald Trump’s 2016 victory was won because a sufficient number of moderate Republicans, especially in the battleground and border states, thought maybe, just maybe, the white radical right had a point. After all, America was being inundated by immigrants of different skin colours invading their borders. A racist rant that Trump was drumming at every one of his rallies.
The current situation of the thousands of Hispanics seeking asylum from their homelands, legal immigrants acting within US immigration laws, have created an insoluble problem in the southern borders which no President during the past 30 years has been able to solve, even to alleviate. A permanent solution seems to be out of reach as long many countries in Central and South America, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Venezuela, to name just three, remain in conflict, with their citizens in danger of life and liberty.
Then the US has to deal with problems caused by those blacks from Africa, who, having served their purpose for centuries to provide free labour and make America the economic powerhouse of the world, now demand equality and full citizenship.
African Americans enjoyed the most generous Jim Crow laws, which enabled them to live in perfect harmony, so long as they had no contact with white people and the use of any of their facilities – water fountains, schools, swimming pools and even public transport. For some reason, these laws were not considered equitable by these African Americans.
So the United States has once again demonstrated their leading position as the most compassionate and Christian nation by granting these black and brown minorities full legal equality in 1964. Equality promised by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. A slight delay caused by inevitable government red tape.However, to grant them societal equality has proved too hard, even too threatening, for some Americans, who have now banded together as the aforementioned white supremacist movement. Under the aegis of Jesus, of course.
Just as Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 did not result in the granting equal rights and freedom to all the people, so the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has not granted complete freedom to African Americans. The racism, the hatred is endemic and ubiquitous.
Republicans will come to a fork in the road in November 2024. The right fork represents the path to a white Christian dictatorship and the destruction of democracy. The left to adherence to the US Constitution, and the continuation of The Great Experiment and the American Dream.
If the Republicans take the right fork in 2024, the last words of John Wilkes Booth, after assassinating Lincoln: “Sic semper tyrannis” (Ever thus to tyrants). The South is avenged”, will be proved at least partly correct. The tyrants would have won, and the racist bigots who espouse the values of today’s Trump’s Republican Party, would once again achieve authority. And the Great Experiment will be done and dusted.
Republican leaders who have already announced their candidature for the 2024 presidency, who know that Trump is losing his grip on the Party, are playing it cute.
They mildly reproved the presence of Fuentes and Kanye West at the dinner party at Mar-a-Lago, but stated that Trump may not have been aware of their presence at such a large gathering. Of course, the fact that Fuentes and Ye held the positions of honour flanking the host at the dinner table was conveniently ignored. They have made no comments about Trump’s announcement about his 2024 aspirations, because they have their own. They have been remarkably silent about Trump’s outrageous post to terminate the Constitution.
My guess is that these opportunists are still checking which way the wind blows, and will say nothing that will be perceived to interfere with their 2024 chances. Trump has stated that unless the Republican Party confirms his nomination for the presidency in 2024, he will instruct his cult not to vote, which will present the Democrats with four more years. Trump cares naught for his Party, he cares naught for his country. It’s all about him. It has always been all about him.
Last Wednesday, December 7, marked the anniversary of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, which Roosevelt had named a “date of Infamy” to emphasize an atrocity against the American people. September 11, 2021, was the greatest atrocity of terrorism against the American people within its shores. These two events, tragic as they were, served to unite the country against the common enemy. Americans fought together, they bled together for the country and they healed together. They were rightly hailed as the Greatest Generation, as they fought off the spectre of Nazism and Aryan Supremacy.
The second anniversary of the storming of the Capitol by domestic terrorists on January 6, 2021 is a month away. Though this violent insurrection did not result in thousands of casualties, it represents a “Day of Infamy” with far-reaching dangers of division, racial hatred and a democracy whose fragility and vulnerability has been proved conclusively.
January 6, 2020, represents the date on which American democracy nearly collapsed. A violent event that highlighted the fragility of a document written over two centuries ago, which may need fresh Amendments to safeguard democracy and keep the manic hatred of dictatorial, authoritarian and religious ambitions of traitors at bay.
Trumpism was roundly rejected during the 2020 midterms by a huge vote of youngsters between 20 and 50, a Blue Wave that was most significant as it was admirable. These youngsters will emulate the example set by their great grandfathers in fighting off the present domestic white supremacists and Neo-Nazis and work towards the Shining City on the Hill.
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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