TRO ABDUCTION OF 10 AID WORKERS, 3 LEFT, 7 STILL HELD
Do you know that song ... Day by day, day by day .... well that's what I hear in the back of my head whilst we all sit and wait for the release of these 7 people. Before I go any further, I think we all need to who these people are ...
Kasinathar Ganeshalingam: PSEDC NorthEast Province Secretary
Thangarasa: Driver
Thanuskody Premini TRO Batticaloa Chief Accountant
Shanmuganathan Sujendram TRO Accountant, Manikkavasahar Children’s Home, Santhivelli
Thambiraja Vasantharajan Accountant, TRO Batticaloa
Kailayapillai Ravindran Accountant, Vipulananda Children’s Home, Palugamam
Arunesarasa Satheesharan Accounts Trainee, Vellavali
[By the way - if you want more details & you don't who the TRO are etc etc call this person - Arjunan Ethirveerasingam
SL Mobile Phone Number: +94 77 674 6594 arjunan100@yahoo.com]
So - let's just cover some burning questions ...
Who did it?
The Sri Lankan Army - oh sorry, Karuna, champion of the Tamil people, can't you tell? Man that hero is just buring his way into my heart. He's such a legend. Even on Christmas day he doesn't take a day off. He works real hard - killing, kidnapping & most importantly KEEPING the PEACE in the NORTH EAST. Yep that's his main job & you say why, why does he do this for .... simple, the dude is one hell of a smart arse & he lurves us, deeply. Well, certainly enough to destory all of our lives & lick the boots of the Sri Lankan Army.
So Why did they do it?
Because they are a law unto themselves and do not want peace in Sri Lanka - well let's face it, they'll be unemployed, bereft of a whole array of violent passtimes including rape, torture & abduction which as we know are oh so addictive once you become a trained serial killer. Yeah, the North East of Sri Lanka ain't New York but we sure do have a comparable murder rate.
Why did they abduct TRO workers, why specifically the TRO?
Because they have international credibility, they move from Govt controlled areas into Tiger areas regulariliy, they are funded, they get to regularily see whats going on & are mostly accountants (??) - oh & even Chandrika has given them a pat on the back. Look, I don't rightly know - because they are completely STUPID MORONS? Hey anyone out there want to explain it to me? Feel free, don't hold back.
So .... who can free these people?
Errr - well, who's in charge of the Sri Lankan Army? That's right folks, the PRESIDENT of SRI LANKA. Yep the one and only - Mahinda Rajakapske. He's in power, he's in charge, he's the man. So has anyone asked him to, you know, have a word with the boys up North? Yes they surely have.
What has Mahinda done about the abduction of TRO workers so far?
Hmmm - not sure - nothing? There again, if you know anything, pray do tell.
In the meantime ... what does this mean for Sri Lanka?
It means we have a President who has no real power, no control & is of no use to anyone. He's a puppet on a string. Who has he chosen to allow to control him - the JVP, the JHU & the Army. All men of war not peace.
Will there be Peace in Sri Lanka?
Not sure, maybe, maybe if you get your act together & tell Mahinda what you want. Peace. right? Much as it was very hard to do, we are going to have to go back to our bloggers Peace plan - visit Morquendi's Nittewa & let's see if we can show Mahinda the way ... shall we start off with a few simple things... here's a bit of advice for Mahinda ...
1. Take control of the Sri Lankan Army - a rogue Army is a very dangerous thing to the people it's supposed to serve & hence will eventually be dangerous to Mahinda himself... so slap 'em down & pull them into line.
2. Mahinda should command the release of all TRO detainees - that's right Mahinda, that's why you have that title, Commander in Chief of the Sri Lankan Army (all those photo opportunities when you're marching past them, it's not just for you to look good) - so tell them what to do & don't take no for an answer.
3. Arrest those who have been involved in this - no dodgy trials, no bullshit - punnish them & send them to jail.
4. Ensure the Peace talks go ahead. The GOSL will certainly be in a better position if steps 1-3 are followed at the Peace talks.
5. I don't know why but I get the impression that Mahinda is not such a bad egg - he's just a bit unlucky with the Sri Lanka that he clawed & fought his way to the top to rule - but that doesn't mean he can't change things around. We need to show him how.
State Show Tsunami - KAVI.
A lot of strange things are happening in Sri Lanka.
Today is the first anniversary of tsunami. Yesterday 25th December, I reached the worst hit coastal village known as PERALIYA which is located in close proximity to where I live and almost daily I pass through this coastal stretch in bus.
Today on 26th December, the Biggest State Show of Tsunami was held at Peraliya . The ever biggest train mishap also took place in this same village killing over 2000 passengers including the villagers when the giant tidal waves engulfed the area. Yesterday (25th) two of us reached this village to observe a massive rehearsal of the State function planned to be held to mark the tsunami catastrophe . All key government officials , and the Forces took part in this rehearsal a day prior to the real function which took place today. Two of us were issued Media Passes and special nvitations by the Southern Province Assistant Secretary yesterday.
Today we reached at the exact time but 12 Provincial Media Persons incluing two of us were not alowed to enter the Venue. Since the fateful day of tsunami upto now all of us, the Provincial Media persons stationed in the tsunami hit areas did all the media coverages and not the Parachute Media Persons. Even in yesterday's Sunday Observer there was a Feature of mine on tsunami victims. But to our utter surprise we who write about the affected areas continuously were not allowed to enter. We stayed out and even some Foreign Volunteers who worked day and night without any rest since the early days of tsunami were not given permission tro enter the venue. Total strangers who never sighted the area even though they were present since tsunami were allowed to go in.
The only Member of the Cabinet to provide relief for tsunami affected people, was Minister Fernandopulle . He was the first to reach Peraliya immediately after tsunami . His absence at todays State Function was conspicuous. He is very popular among the tsunami survivors of this area but for unknown reasons he was not invited. Large amout of money wasted for the preparation of this state show could have been utilized for the construction of several permanent houses for the dispaced families suffering in temporary sheds now for one year. This is a short account of the biggest state function held in Sri Lanka
The communal war-mongers JVP and JHU who preached ways and means of achieving so called honourable peace and sustainable peace are totally silent now. They are the political parties responsible for the chaotic political situation of the country. Lord Buddha never advocated instigating one community against another one creed against another creed . All peaceloving citizens of Sri Lanka always eschew violence, hatred and jealousy against any other community.
As Media Persons we are responsible in promoting reconciliation among diverse communities of the country. I hope you have already carried my articles in your Web. Today I went through some items of the web and I was highly pleased to read certain items. You can use what I have written today, if you wish in your web.
Below is an article written by a friend, KAVI. He has asked me to publish this for him.
DELAY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT HOUSES INCREASES THE
THE FRUSTRATION OF THE WORST AFFECTED TSUNAMI VICTIMS OF SRI LANKA:
BY:
(W.T.J.S. KAVIRATNE - PRESIDENT SOUTHERN PROVINCE MEDIA ASSOCIATION)
Key Authorities of the Government , High Ranking Officials and Big NGOs who had given numerous pledges and exaggerated false promises for the worst affected tsunami victims , that a large number of permanent houses could be built within a period of one year should be held responsible for the sluggish nature of tsunami housing projects launched in Sri Lanka. These responsible actors on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation including the Representatives of the Internationally Reputed NGOs who had signed many MoUs with the Government had miserably failed in keeping to their promises .
It is not a secret that all those High Ranking Officials who handle Permanent Housing Projects for tsunami victims, are in the habit of moving here and there in luxury vehicles while earning exorbitant monthly salaries for the jobs assigned to them. In addition both major NGOs and the relevant Government Authorities maintained state-of- the- art offices equipped with ultra-modern computers and other gadgets.
Millions of rupees have been spent on the maintenance of the offices related to Tsunami Reconstruction and Rehabilitation .
On the completion of one year since tsunami , many thousands of worst hit tsunami victims who lived within 100 metre coastal buffer zone or on the beach itself are still living in the temporary sheds made out of planks or aluminium sheets technically known as Transitional Houses.. These transitional housing schemes constructed only for a short period by both foreign and local NGOs are not meant to be used for ever but unfortunately contrary to the expectations of the tsunami displaced , due to the prevailing situation , the tsunami victims have to languish many more years in the temporary sheds till they get a permanent house.
According to reliable sources , the statistics given by relevant authorities and major NGOs on the number of permanent houses completed up to date are not authentic. Whenever a single model house out of the number of permanent houses assigned to a NGO in accordance with the MoU was completed , NGO representatives were in the habit of giving false figures as they had completed many houses but in reality , according to the ground situation only a very few permanent houses had been completed so far even after the end of one year since tsunami catastrophe.
No proper monitoring had been done on the construction of permanent houses by the Supervisors or Engineers and this was revealed a few months back , on a surprise visit made by one of the Voluntary Consultants to a Housing Project in Galagodawatta a land belong to the government allocated for the permanent houses assigned to many donors who had signed MoUs with the government. This surprise visit was made on a public holiday and the Sub Contractor was caught laying rocks and cement on a trench having a depth of only 4 - 6 inches as the foundation of a permanent house The Voluntary Consultant from Australia was shocked to observe that this faulty foundation was done even in the presence of the Managing Director of the Construction Company who had undertaken the contract of the permanent houses . This faulty foundation was detected in the permanent housing project funded by Hollywood Artists and the World Trust Foundation in USA. The consultant immediately got the sub contractor to remove the freshly lain cement layer and requested to cut the trench of the foundation in accordance with the specified depth.
The consultant is having the photographs of all the faulty foundations laid in Permanent Housing Projects under tsunami reconstruction , what he had observed in Sri Lanka.
Usually a trench for a foundation should have to be supervised before laying the rocks and this was not done by the Supervisors employed by the big Contractors or the NGOs. As a direct consequence of the lethargic nature of the Authorities concerned low quality Building material had been used in many of the permanent houses constructed .
Visiting building sites and close supervision of building material used and other aspects of the construction of the houses had not been done on regular basis by the relevant officials according to the reliable sources .
The Major Donors Red Cross., SOS, Presidents Fund., Turkish Government , Small Fisheries, Lions Club, CARE, Tzuchi Foundation, World Vision, ARITAS, TRO, Sarvodaya,
UN Habitat, Gift of Givers, Women s Development Agency, and several other local and foreign donors had signed MoUs with the government on the construction of permanent houses for the tsunami displaced. Out of the total number of 41,738 permanent houses assigned to NGOs according to the MoUs signes, they could complete only 2411 permanent
Houses. Under this list, permanent houses constructed on personal level and by individual foreigners for tsunami displaced within 100 metres are not included. This list indicate only the permanent houses constructed on lands allocated by the Government for the Donors who signed the MoUs
District: No of Permanent Houses No of Permanent Houses Completed
Assigned to Donors
Ampara 8435 54 units
Batticaloa 1469 41 units
Kilinochchi 288 02 units
Jaffna 4551 69 units
Mulaitivu 311 none
Puttalam 56 none
Trincomalee 5737 84 units
Colombo 5998 08 units
Galle 4884 513 units
Matara 2759 14 units
Hambantota 932 1514 units
Gampha 643 none
Kalutara 2975 12 units
Total 41,738 units. Total : 2411 units.
If the construction of Permanent Houses for the tsunami displaced continues at the present rate it could take many more years to reach the target according to the reliable sources.
( W. T. J. S. Kaviratne - Sri Lanka)
Sri Lankan men - Fabulous or Fetid?
At the request of a certain blogger, I have been asked to start up a debate on whether or not Sri Lankan men are the erudite, charming, genteel, gorgeous & God's gift to womankind superiour male specimens that they think they are - or ... are they just so full of it that they only reason we put up with them is because, hmmm, well - because we're polite & we'd rather not offend their fragile egos???
Well - having never quite had the fortune of engaing in a serious encounter with a Sri Lakan man, I now throw this debate open to the rest of the planet & request input from all my fellow blog sisters who have had the joy .... or lack thereof ... when getting deep & meaningful with a Sri Lankan man...tell us how things have gone, the good the bad & the ugly. Tell us what you'd like to remember & don't forget to divulge what you'd like to forget...
Ranil Wickremasinghe - King, Egomaniac or the next President of Sri Lankan?
Well folks - I will start with a disclaimer. The best that I can ascertain is that Ranil is born on the 26th of November 1957. I am waiting confirmation from my dear Blogshpere friends Morq, Sittingnut or Ivap re this - but have just done Ranil's chart & I think I have my date...
So, the disclaimer is that if I'm wrong well I will probably be out by a few planets & his Sun sign & I will correct this. I do not know the man so I cannot correct myself.
So if Ranil was born on the 26th of November, 1957 he has the following planets in his chart...
Sun @ 4 degrees in Saggittarius
Moon @ 2 degrees in Aquarius
Mercury @ 23 degrees in Saggittarius
Venus @ 20 degrees in Capricorn
Mars @ 11 degrees in Scorpio
Jupiter @ 23 degrees in Libra
Saturn @ 15 degrees in Saggittarius
Uranus @ 11 degrees in Leo
Neptune @ 3 degrees in Scorpio
Pluto @ 2 degrees in Virgo
Now I apologise to all astrologers in blogsphere but I haven't worked out how to format things so the above is what we are stuck with.
Sun in Saggitarius at 4 degrees
As a leadership trait - yes Ranil wins the day here. He is reasonably early in the Sag cycle so there is strength from the Sun position. He has courage & Sag repeats itself through his chart to enhance this.
Moon in Aquarius
This is problematic, the Moon is in detriment in Aquarius. Very ironic that he is Sri Lankan where Full Moon days - Poya days are worshipped. I sympathise with the man because I too have Moon in Aquarius. I can be cold, remote, aloof & distant. I do not bond well with motherhood & I have rejected it. Can someone tell me what Ranil's relationship with his mother was?
On the other side of course you don't get more egalitarian than Moon in Aquarius. So Ranil has principles, he is elitist and yes a dreamer. He has a vision which stops short of the universe. He is expansive, a thinker & able to use his brain to the nth degree.
Mercury in Saggitarius at 23 degrees
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the man but he should be a good orator. Again I need confirmation from my friends on the ground. The Moon in Aquarius will give him a certain finnesse but the Mercury in Saggitarius should give him passion in his speech. I have to be honest and say - he hasn't lit any fires under my bushel with his oration yet! So this may mean that the Moon in Aquarius dominates and restrains him.
Venus in Capricorn @ 20 degrees
Well - then we have this... harsh. Can someone tell me about Ranil's love life? Presumably an arranged high caste marriage? Are there children? This man suffers for love & he enjoys it. Again I sympathise - not because I have Venus in Capricorn but because I am a Libran & he does not understand the freedom of love. His love life is ruled by duty, boundary & restriction. In essence he all but has never been able to express it. Furthermore he never will. In fact one might say that Ranil's arranged marriage was to Sri Lanka. He has gone to the wedding, met the bride but will never tell her that he loves her. When you couple this with the Moon in Aquarius, it explains why he does not know how to reach the people. I have a lot of respect for Capricornians but I now how dark & bleak they can be. Venus is suffacted in this environment. On his own, quitely when the Saggitarius bravado is not booming through, Ranil suffers quietly & wishes to dear god that somone had proposed a different mistress for him.
Mars in Scorpio @ degrees
Hmmm.... again bleak, troubled. Ranil has a streak for vengence - given the murderous environment that most Sri Lankans live in, not something we need. He holds a gurdge. He is as a contrast to the cold, lost soul searching for solace above, relentless, unflinching, controlled & knows how to use power. He can be domineering, callous & controlling. Hmmm ... yes well all good traits for a politician don't you think?
I will stop here awaiting confirmation re if I have the correct date. If I am wrong it is these planets that will have to change...
Oh no my dear! We aren't Caste conscious, we are Egalitarian!
Viva la Revolution, Workers Unite & Free the Proletariat! Yeah sure, the Caste System is a live & well in Sri Lanka. Mainly because it can be used to facilitate more predjudice...
Are we a nation of shop-keepers? Maybe we are a nation of gourmet chefs? How about a nation of Gem Merchants? No we are a nation of racist bigots. One day when the sea has swalloed us up, this is what we will be remmebered for - rabid, racist, ruthless ... fools!
First we are a particular religon, all 4 major faiths are represented in Sri Lanka and then we are a caste. Then we are a Tamil or Sinhalese.
So - how do we become a Nation? The proud, unified nation of Sri Lanka??? Got any ideas???
Tasty, Ledgendary, Sri Lankan Recipies ....
Ok folks - don't hold back, hand them over.... I want all your secret Sri Lankan Recipies....
From Wattlapam to Deviled Beef, Stinghoppers to Pol Sambol... tell me what your favourtie dish is.
Include a photo if possible, dishes must be a speciality of your mum, aunt or grandma. They must also include one secret ingredient.
