Features
Twelve years since the end of the separatist war
By M M Zuhair
Twelve years since the end, in May 2009, of the 30-year war on separatist terrorism and two years following the April 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the need has presently arisen for the Muslims to articulate the community’s contributions primarily towards ending LTTE terrorism and then to remind the country of the advance information given by the community that could have prevented the Easter Sunday terror attacks––not simply because no one today is talking about these contributions, but because the anti-Muslim perceptions disproportionately created in the public mind from the imbalanced media coverage of the Easter attacks over the past two years, appear to be erasing off memories of the underpublicised patriotic roles played by the community in the course of the 30-year war as well as the advance warnings given years prior to the Easter attacks!
The community never sought remembrances but sadly now, the need has arisen! We need to remind the country at least when it remembers the supreme sacrifices made by the armed forces that we too have played our patriotic part.
August and October are months when the nation must be made to remember how and why in 1990 alone over 1,000 innocent Muslims of the East were targeted and murdered; in addition 90,000 Muslims were expelled from the North and why we all loved the end of LTTE terrorism as well as all other forms of terror. Independent intellectuals and journalists of the Sinhala and Tamil communities did echo sympathetically the crushing bitter feelings of the terrorised Muslims. But now the Muslim contributions for protecting the territorial integrity of the country appear to be forgotten.
Let’s get down to the brass tacks. According to the figures of the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR-Jaffna), on 12th July 1990 at Kurukkalmadam the LTTE killed 68 Muslims from nearby Kattankudy in the Batticaloa district of the eastern province; on 3rd August 1990 the LTTE killed 147 Muslims who were at worship in four Mosques in Kattankudy; on 05 August 1990 and on 6th August 1990, Muslim farmers 17 and 33 in numbers, working in paddy fields were killed by the LTTE and on 12th August 1990 in Eravur, 18 km to the north of Kattankudy another 121 Muslim, women and children,` while sleeping in their homes were cut, chopped and axed to death by the LTTE, fighting for a separate State in N-E Sri Lanka. Jaffna based UTHR was headed by Dr Rajan Hoole.
The total number of Muslim civilian lives done to death by the LTTE within those terrorising 32 days was 386, of which around 250 were from and around Kattankudy, the epicenter of unprovoked massacres of unarmed Muslim civilians. Zahran Hashim and Moulavi Niyas were both from Kattankudy, young boys at the time of the massacres. They must have seen the bodies in the four Mosques and the mass burial of 147 of their kith and kin including their mates from schools and madrasas. Why did the Easter Sunday Commission ignore the possible links of the NTJ leader Zahran Hashim and the disputed “Maha-mola-karuwa” Moulavi Niyas to the Kattankudy LTTE massacres? If indeed Niyas Moulavi was the ‘master-mind’ behind the Easter attacks, then there emerges the strong possibility of radicalised links between the Kattankudy massacres and the 21/4 attacks on selected Christian Churches mostly conducting prayers in Tamil language. With two top NTJ leaders emerging from the ruins of, and possibly radicalised from the Kattankudy killings, the likely links to the Easter attacks need another analysis.
The Easter Sunday Commissioners did visit Kattankudy. But someone failed to take them to the four mosque-massacre sites, the burial grounds, to meet the widows and families of the victims and to hear their heart-rendering remembrances! But they did find space in their report to add a comment that at Kattankudy not enough Muslim women were to be seen on the roads! If only they knew that the widows and the orphans were knitting for a living indoors, their wage-earning spouses having being unceremoniously done to death for not supporting those fighting for a separate State in Sri Lanka! This and related matters have to be dealt with in a separate piece.
The Eastern Muslims, however, put the numbers killed by the LTTE during this period, at over a thousand. These Tamil-speaking Muslims were killed for laying road blocks against the construction of an independent State for the Tamil-speaking minorities of the North and the East. Regrettably genuine attempts by Batticaloa’s Bishop Kingsley Swamipillai and a few Muslim civil activists of the area to avert the Kattankudy disasters were unsuccessful.
In Sri Lanka, however, questionable nationalists have forgotten the sacrifices made by the Eastern Muslims; they happened entirely following deliberate political positions taken by their leaders like M H M Ashroff who committed the Eastern Muslim community, notwithstanding their common Tamil language, to steadfastly stand by the territorial integrity of the country, of course, in the long-term interests of the country and the community.
Given the struggle today of some so-called nationalists to cause the entire community to be dealt with for the crimes committed by a few on 21/4, widely perceived as being done at the behest of external elements and their local agents, there is strong rethinking amongst the Muslims and its diaspora overseas whether the then SLMC-led Eastern Muslims were right in standing in the way of the Tamils’ perceived right to self-determination. The recent Pottuvil to Polikandy march of the Tamils which received widely acknowledged spontaneous support of the Eastern Muslims is a clear indicator that the educated Eastern Muslims are reading the questionable minds of these nationalists quite well.
Muslim diaspora is a new development but the exploitation of the Easter Sunday attacks to ‘teach lessons’ to the innocent sectors of the community be it political, civil or religious, would be seen as grave blunders that will unfortunately only strengthen the diaspora and other foreign elements. This year the government has to battle the deadly spread of Covid-19. But next March and September, it will have to face the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The solutions to impending problems lie within the country. Sri Lanka can hardly afford internal divisions. It cannot afford to overlook the Muslims’ contributions to the current modern history of the country. Sri Lankan leaders need to clear their minds and ensure that no one creates false perceptions.
In October 1990, over 90,000 Muslim men, women and children were summarily evicted from the North for not joining hands in establishing Eelam. The evicted Muslims are yet to be duly resettled. Amongst those evicted in 1990, victims of not supporting the division of the country, are the Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother, who are today languishing in remand notwithstanding two parliamentary committees, the IGP and a Presidential Commission finding no evidence implicating them with the 21/4 attacks!
Many others are still in remand, some for over two years, without the Attorney General consenting to bail. Several Islamic religious organisations which had nothing whatsoever to do with the 21/4 attacks have been proscribed and lumped together with the ISIS and the Al Qaida. Thousands of their past and present members will soon be adversely affected without committing any crime. The foreign travel of even past members and possibly their families going abroad for business, medical and educational purposes may be affected as they will have to declare that they were members of the proscribed organisations although they had nothing to do with 21/4.
Foreign investigators are being brought in violation of Sri Lankan laws to handle criminal investigations. The Island has editorially commented many times on several related matters. Sri Lankan nationalists in the government appear to be facilitating the implementation of the resolution on Sri Lanka already before the US Congress recommending “the United States explore investigations and prosecutions pursuant to the recommendations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights ….” What about foreign judges next, now that UNHCHR is on record that the country’s justice system is weak?
Why wasn’t the possible radicalization of Zahran Hashim and Moulavi Niyas due to the devastating Kattankudy massacres investigated and brought up before either of the two parliamentary committees or the Easter Sunday Commission? It is well known that Muslim organisations and individuals had from late 2014, several years before the 21/4 attacks, kept the authorities alerted on the radical inclinations of Zahran Hashim.
The Tamil-speaking Muslims of the North and the East have a distinct religious and cultural identity. The LTTE comprising Hindus and Christians emerged together on a Tamil-speaking platform. The three minorities of the NE including the Muslims formed 85% of the two merged provinces but the Muslims distanced themselves from the LTTE’s struggle. No one can under-estimate the patriotic contributions of the Muslim community, of which what has been pointed out here is only one of many other significant roles played by them in the national interest.
Muslims believe that long before the defection from the LTTE of its Eastern commander in 2006, the LTTE of the post 1983 riots, would have nearly achieved ‘Eelam’, but for the Eastern Muslims. A number of Muslim youths frustrated with both major national parties, the then UNP and the then SLFP were joining the LTTE around 1985. By 1986 Ashroff formed the SLMC and absorbed the pro-LTTE Muslim youths into the SLMC. The Indian-sponsored July 1987 peace accord ended in failure within two years. The JVP was at virtual civil war with the then ruling UNP throughout the South. The accord was seen by a rioting JVP as a sell-out by President J R Jayewardene and the arrival of the IPKF as a betrayal.
1988/89 were crucial years for the LTTE. Ranasinghe Premadasa won one of Sri Lanka’s toughest presidential elections held on 19th December 1988 followed by the General Elections held on 15th February 1989. The LTTE succeeded in getting Premadasa to order the IPKF to leave the country but failed to get Ashroff on to the separatist boat! Within two months of the IPKF leaving Sri Lanka, LTTE leader Prabhakaran launched Eelam War II. Muslims of the East and then the North soon paid a heavy price for not strengthening the LTTE! How can true nationalists forget these strategic contributions of a patriotic Muslim community?
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
