The web site belonging to the campaign for Free and fair Elections (CaFFE), an independent polls monitoring group was blocked for nearly four days and it’s director alleged sabotage by interested parties.
Keerthi Tennakoon said they were able to open the site from early today after it was blocked over the weekend. “This was a deliberate attempt, there is no doubt o0n that”, he said.
He further warned that pre-election violence was on the rise with the worst affected area being Nawalapitiya.
“The opposition has practically given up its campaign in this area owing to threats. Even pro-government candidates from other areas are not being allowed to campaign in this area by a certain heavy weight”, Mr. Tenakoon added.
At least 36 incidents of pre-election violence and malpractices have so far been reported throughout the country.
Defence correspondent of The Nation newspaper, Ruwan Weerakoon and News Editor of the Siyatha newspaper, Prasanna Fonseka have reportedly been summoned by the TID to record statements.
A head at the TID said the two journalists have been summoned to record statements on recent events since they have been closely affiliated to General Sarath Fonseka for a long time.
Ruwan Weerakoon and Prasanna Fonseka have reported in detail the Eelam IV that was launched against the LTTE since Mavil Aru. Prasanna Fonseka at the time was employed at the Sunday Observer.
Defence Ministry sources said there were also plans to record more statements from journalists who have been associated with General Fonseka.
United National Party Colombo District candidate Shiral Lakthileka was questioned by the Terrorism Investigations Department (TID) today on his affiliation with former Army Commander, Retired General Sarath Fonseka during the Presidential election.
Lakthileka told The Sunday Leader that he was questioned on fund disbursements made by General Fonseka during the Presidential election campaign following information received by the General’s coordinating secretary, Senaka Silva, who is currently in CID custody.
He said that the TID questioned him on several issues in order to corroborate information they had already received from Silva.
“They asked me about fund disbursements made for work related to media during the Presidential election campaign. However, I could not respond as I did not know much,” he said.
He explained that although he was initially appointed to the General’s media committee he moved out of it after being appointed as the UNP Kotte organizer.
Lakthileka was asked to be present at the TID at 9.30 a.m. and was interrogated for about two and a half hours.
After recording his statement, Lakthileka was informed by the TID that he would be re-summoned if there were any need for clarification.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has accused the Sri Lankan government for planning to arrest a leading human rights lawyer and a prominent social activist J.C.Weliamuna on fabricated charges. Chrishantha Weliamuna works as the Director of Transparency International in Sri Lanka (TISL), the Sri Lankan chapter of the global civil society organisation leading the fight against corruption.
"The governments allegations against the TISL come in the aftermath of the presidential elections and in the midst of a parliamentary election. In the presidential elections one of the most glaring complaints against the government was its abuse of the state resources for electoral purposes. This is also one of the major grounds for the petition filed by the opposition common candidate against the election results of the last presidential elections.The purpose of the attack on TISL and of the possible arrest its chairperson, J.C. Weliamuna, would be to create adverse impressions on the credibility of the organisations engaged in monitoring elections as well as the findings of these organisations in the last elections" said the AHRC statement.
The full text of the statement follows:
"The Asian Human Rights Commission reliably understands that there is a move to arrest and detain J.C. Weliamuna, the chairperson of Transparency International in Sri Lanka (TISL) on fabricated charges. During the last few weeks there have been several media attempts on the part of the government to make insinuations against the Sri Lankan branch of Transparency International. There were publicised reports about the misuse of funds which TISL has publically claimed as completely fabricated and false. There have also been reports over government media channels about NGOs and INGOs trying to destabilize Sri Lanka and an announcement that the government will carry out an all out campaign against such organisations.
These allegations come in the aftermath of the presidential elections and in the midst of a parliamentary election. In the presidential elections one of the most glaring complaints against the government was its abuse of the state resources for electoral purposes. This is also one of the major grounds for the petition filed by the opposition common candidate against the election results of the last presidential elections. The election monitoring organisations have made strong adverse reports against the government on this score. In the parliamentary elections also, if there is any abuse of government resources similar accusations are likely to arise.
The purpose of the attack on TISL and of the possible arrest its chairperson, J.C. Weliamuna, would be to create adverse impressions on the credibility of the organisations engaged in monitoring elections as well as the findings of these organisations in the last elections.
It is quite possible to make use of national security laws to arrest persons and then engage in heavy propaganda against them while they remain in detention. While TISL may have an impeccable record about their accounts and credibility, these things become relevant only at the final stage of a trial. Meanwhile persons can be kept in detention for long periods and then heavy adverse campaigns can be carried out against them in order to blackmail them for political purposes.
Over a long period the Asian Human Rights Commission has pointed out that Sri Lanka's criminal justice system is in serious crisis and can be manipulated by the authorities to achieve whatever purposes they wish. Even under normal circumstances the fabrication of charges can be achieved easily within Sri Lanka's criminal justice system. In recent times this has also been put to political use and the AHRC has been reporting for quite some time now that the process of arrest, detention and even trial is now being manipulated for political purposes. The cases against J.S. Tissainayagam, Santha Fernando and now the retired general, Sarath Fonseka and many of his associates are glaring examples of the severe abuse of the criminal justice process in order to achieve unscrupulous political purposes.
On the 27th September, 2008 two grenades were thrown at the house of J.C. Weliamuna. One exploded and damaged the building. The other was found inside the property. If it had exploded it could have seriously harmed Mr. Weliamuna and his family. There was a serious outcry locally by the Bar Association and human rights organisations and many international organisations including Transparency International and the International Commission of Jurists. The case was also reported by the International Bar Association. However, there were no serious investigations into the attack and no one was arrested. Recently there was a report by the government when it attempted to create the impression that Mr. Weliamuna threw the grenades to create publicity for himself. These types of counter attacks in order to ridicule the complaints relating to harassment have also become a common feature of government propaganda.
The Asian Human Rights Commission urges the Sri Lankan government to desist in the harassment of Transparency International and to refrain from abusing the criminal justice process by arresting Mr. J.C. Weliamuna or anyone else on fabricated charges. We also call upon the government as well as all members of parliament to intervene in order to stop the arrest and the abuse of the legal process. We also call upon the Inspector General of Police to desist from allowing the abuse of police powers for political purposes. We call upon the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to intervene strongly to prevent the political harassment of civil society organisations and human rights activists. We call upon the Secretary General of the United Nations, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and all human rights agencies and international organisations to intervene seriously to protect the rights of citizens who participate peacefully in political life and to protect human rights activists and defenders."
The Export-Import Bank of India today signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan government to provide credit of USD 67.4 million for upgrading the Island nation's southern rail line.
The agreement was signed by P B Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning, and Export-Import Bank of India Executive Director Prabhakar Dalal in the presence of Ashok K Kantha, the High Commissioner of India in Colombo.
The line of credit will fund the second phase of the upgradation of Southern Railway Line from Colombo to Matara.
India, through the Export-Import Bank of India, had earlier provided a line of credit of USD 100 million under an agreement signed in July 2008.
The implementation of the first phase of the upgradation of the Southern Railway Line is currently on.
The upgradation project includes supply of materials for rail track rehabilitation from Colombo to Matara and execution of work for rail track rehabilitation from Kalutara to Matara which is being implemented by IRCON (I) Ltd.
In addition, the Line of Credit is also being used for supply of 20 sets of Diesel Multiple Units, three units of locomotives, spare parts for the existing M8 class locomotives, supply of plant and machinery for maintenance of existing DMUs and construction of maintenance sheds at Aluthgama, Galle and Colombo by RITES India Ltd.
The upgradation project would allow the trains to travel on the Colombo Matara sector at speeds up to 100 kmph.
Sri Lanka has signed up 290 million US dollars in financing from China's Exim Bank to build an airport in the south of the island and expand railways, the foreign ministry said.
The Exim Bank of China is giving 190 million US dollars for an airport in Mattala, in the southern Hambantota district. China is also giving 100 million US dollar loan to Sri Lanka Railways.
The foreign ministry said loan deals were signed by Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera during a visit to Beijing from March 03 to 05.
Both China and India is financing the re-building of railways in former war zones in Sri Lanka's north.
Jayasundera had also met Exim Bank vice president Zhu Hong Jie and had discussion about the " speeding up the evaluation process for the construction of the A9 highway," the foreign ministry said.
The 'A9' is the main highway that links the northern Jaffna peninsular with the South. The highway is now open to civilian traffic.
China committed 1,200 million US dollars to Sri Lanka in 2009 becoming the largest lender, the finance ministry has said.
By Anusha Ondaatjie - Sri Lanka plans to invite overseas and local companies this month to set up operations in a new $550 million tax-free port zone as the end of the island’s civil war boosts trade and investment.
Companies from Australia, India, China, Russia and Dubai have expressed interest in opening shipbuilding, ship-repair and warehousing facilities at the port in Hambantota, southern Sri Lanka, said Sri Lanka Ports Authority Chairman Priyath Wickrama. The zone, partially funded by a $370 million Chinese loan, should be completed by November, he said.
Sri Lanka will also push ahead with a fourth container terminal at the island’s main port in Colombo to take advantage of the island’s proximity to India and to major shipping routes between Asia and Europe. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government is set to spend $1 billion on ports, roads and power plants this year after ending the Tamil Tiger rebels’ 26-year quest for a separate homeland in May.
“With the war over the potential for Sri Lanka is booming,” Wickrama said. And, “we have a gift of location.”
Sri Lanka is situated on the route between the Malacca Straits and the Suez Canal, which links Asia and Europe. The canal was used by an average of 47 ships a day last year. The island is also 31 kilometers (19 miles) southeast of India, the world’s second-fastest-growing major economy.
Second Phase
Sri Lanka is already planning a $600 million second phase for the Hambantota port, which will include a container terminal, Wickrama said. The government is seeking another Chinese loan, he said. Other industries that may use the 1,700 hectare (4,200 acre) first phase include cement, fertilizers and food- processing, Wickrama said.
Ports Authority will also hold discussions this month with China Merchants Holdings (International) Co. and Aitken Spence & Co., which in 2009 submitted the sole bid for the new $450 million Colombo terminal, Wickrama said.
Construction of the 2.5 million-containers-a-year facility, which will expand Colombo’s cargo capacity by 50 percent, is slated to begin in June and finish by the first quarter of 2012, Wickrama said.
The three existing terminals in Colombo, including two run by Ports Authority and one managed by John Keells Holdings Plc, the island’s biggest diversified company, can handle 4.5 million 20-foot containers a year.
The port will likely handle 4 million containers this year, up from 3.7 million in 2009, Wickrama said.
The island will call for bids for a fifth terminal once Colombo reaches 5 million containers a year, he said.
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