Age of War mongers and Development killers

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is halfway in his term, is “butchering” the country’s economic development, charged ‘Development Watch’ member Asanka Mahagedaragamage. The economy has fallen lower from where President Rajapaksa has started, he told a media briefing by development watchdog at ‘Workers Union’ at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte this morning (Nov. 28th).

Mr. Mahagedaragamage said, “Today, Sri Lanka’s debt stands at Rs. 3,301,990 million. Just yesterday, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told Parliament that a Sri Lankan owes Rs. 163,425 to the world.”

“Today, 22.7 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line. Dependents of Samurdhi allowance is half of the country’s 20 million population. Public health has deteriorated. Budgetary allocations for health and development are lower than last year. One-third of the country’s children suffer from malnutrition. Also, one in every five births are of underweight babies. This is a very serious situation. What will happen is that the future generation will become mentally-retarded.”

Spokesman of ‘Development Watch’ attorney Nanda Muruttettuwegama said, “Today, Sri Lanka’s development is centred on a single family in Medamulana and a group of 700 to 800 surrounding it. It is unfortunate that the country’s development has narrowed down to such a level.”

He had this to say about the collapse of the local tea industry.

“The income of three million people of this country comes from the tea industry. It is the livelihood of one-seventh of the population. Although President Mahinda had boasted that the biggest relief from the budget would be given for tea cultivators, this budget had allocated not a cent for them. This government is trying to draw parallels between the world economic crisis and the crisis facing the tea industry. But, I want to make it clear that the tea industry crisis is a problem of this country. It has nothing to do with the world economic crisis.”

“That can be explained by the fact that Indian tea exports had increased in the recent past. When the price for Ceylon Tea and its exports go down, India’s prices and exports have increased rapidly. This is the same situation in China and Kenya. Their exports have gone up.”

‘Development Watch’ members, former Test cricketer Hashan Tilakaratne and North Western Provincial councilor Upulanganie Malagamuwa also addressed the media briefing.

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Kilinochchi today: Is this the same place Minister Keheliya Rambukwella referred to?

Lankadeepa online edition published these photographs of Kilinochchi today. It is flooded like hell, but still does not look like a place that is about to fail ‘any time’ as Minister Keheliya Rambukwella predicted yesterday. Neither it looks like a ghost town as the military spokesmen constantly remind us.

Whom are they kidding? Are they talking about another Kilinochchi?

Mumbai rocked by deadly attacks: Latest: 100+ dead

Gunmen have carried out a series of co-ordinated attacks across the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay), killing 101 people and injuring 287 more.

At least seven high-profile locations were hit in India’s financial capital, including two luxury hotels where dozens of hostages are being held.

The buildings are now ringed by troops. Gunmen are also said to be holding people captive in an office block.

Police say four suspected terrorists have been killed and nine arrested.

As day broke in Mumbai, the situation on the ground was still confused with reports of gunfire and explosions at between seven and 16 locations.

The city’s main commuter train station, a hospital, a restaurant and two hotels – locations used by foreigners as well as local businessmen and leaders – were among those places caught up in the violence.

Commandos have surrounded the two hotels, the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident, where it is believed that the armed men are holding dozens of hostages.

In other developments:

• Fire crews evacuate people from the upper floors of the Taj Mahal Palace, where police say a grenade attack caused a blaze

• The head of Mumbai’s anti-terrorism unit and two other senior officers are among those killed, officials say

• The White House holds a meeting of top intelligence and counter-terrorism officials, and pledges to help the Indian government

• Trading on India’s Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange markets will remain closed on Thursday, officials say.

news.bbc.co.uk

Sajith Premadasa on Inflation, Interest Rates, GSP+, Brain Drain, Poverty Alleviation and ICT Policy

Excerpts from the speech made in Parliament

Mr. Speaker,

A careful and intricate examination of the prevailing economic conditions through a thorough analysis of the macro-economic indicators and economic trends, amply exemplifies the dire situation that Sri Lankans of all walks of life will endure in the short, medium and long term.

In recent times many politicians and economic analysts have extolled the virtues of high economic growth rates our country has achieved. Many have interpreted these figures as exhibiting the underlying economic strength of the family households of Sri Lanka.

A more careful look at the figures illustrate a totally different picture which confirms the ever expanding economic and social divide.

When we inspect the figures stated in the HIES 2006/2007 conducted by the DCS in a scrupulous manner, it states that while the richest 20% of our society receive 53.8% of income, the poorest 20% receive a meager 4.8% of income.

The present Budget proposals fail miserably to recognise this glaring shortcoming.

If one is to assume that economic growth rate in itself is an automatic cure for the economic ills of our country, let me remind this August assembly that it was the UNP administration under the able leadership of Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe (RW), during the 2002-2004 time period, that propelled this country into achieving high rates of economic growth, from a position of economic malaise and stagnation. If the underlying Macro-Economic precepts, and principles of the RW era were continued, our growth rates today would have far exceeded the double digit levels that are presently experienced by a large number of states in India and India as a whole.

Today we see a lowering of our country’s growth projections in the Budget as a direct result of the inept and incompetent economic decision making processes and the policy resultants, of the present administration.

Inflation which was at 14.9% in November 2001 was meticulously brought down to 2.5% in March 2004. In fact in the beginning of 2004, SL had the rare distinction of experiencing zero inflation levels which is unprecedented in the interdependent and interconnected world that we live in. Such record levels of inflation (deflation) were achieved even in the face of drastic price increases in petroleum products which amounted to 91% during the 2001-2004 periods. There is an attempt in certain government circles to state that there is a direct correlation between price increases in petroleum products and inflation.

Once again the figures that I possess exhibit that such a deduction is misleading and erroneous.

It is time that the present defenders of the Government refrained from forwarding such bankrupt theories to justify the high levels of inflation which certainly has a direct link to irresponsible and reckless printing of money, and to over indulgent deficit spending facilitated through excessive borrowing at exorbitant rates of interest.

Merely changing the way inflation is calculated CCPI to CCPI will not suffice to control inflation. Once again it will be another futile exercise in mis­leading the Sri Lankan people.

If I may now turn to the key issue of unemployment which at present stands at approximately 5.8-6%, I cannot see any comprehensive effort on the part of the present administration to address this issue in an overarching manner. May I remind this house about the 200 Garment Factory Program that was championed by the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa precisely to tackle the issue of unemployment.

At that time this project was criticised as an utter failure. His political detractors resorted to virulent vilification of the scheme calling it a program, “to get our village boys and girls to stitch knickers for foreign women”.

However, what is the present situation in terms of the progress, that the garment trade has made to date? It has become the highest foreign exchange earner for SL today earning USD 3.2b annually. The industry also provides 270, 000 direct and 700, 000 indirect employments.

This is one of the main tools of monetary policy. However, presently the Government has embarked on utilising high interest rates as a tool in controlling inflation. While this has succeeded in reducing inflation from 29% to 20%, high interest rates have resulted in crowding out private investment.

When the country was in economic doldrums in 2001, IR’s were as high as 13.7%. However the RW administration gradually brought it down to down to 7.24%, in 2004, creating a propitious environment for the inflow of valuable capital and resources into the country.

Today IR’s are at 25%. This is inimical to promoting private investment which is universally accepted as the engine of economic growth.

Let me re-iterate: high IR is a disincentive to investment. Therefore, in order to spur EG and promote economic prosperity and therefore reduce unemployment, low IR is an essential pre-requisite for any economy with growth ambitions.

This fact is amply illustrated by the substantial cuts in IR through out the major economies in the world from USA, UK, China, Japan, and SK in order to counter the impending global recession.

Let’s now look at the issue of foreign exchange reserves. Presently the status of foreign exchange reserves is precarious to say the least. Recent months have seen a precipitous drop from USD 3.4b in August to 3.1b in September and 2.6b in October.

One of the main reasons for this is the “capital flight” syndrome as markets and investors deem SL as a high risk country to invest.

It is essential to maintain currency stability. However, this should take place at a realistic currency value, that does not adversely impact on export competitiveness and import costs.

The GSP plus issue is an impending economic and national disaster of enormous proportions. This facility bestowed upon us by the EU provides SL with preferential tariff free access to the world’s largest market numbering USN 16 trillion. The exponential rise in SL exports to the EU from USD 1.3b to 2.8b after the implementation of the GSP plus scheme, is a clear indication of the immense value of the scheme to our country. In 2007 alone SL apparel exports to the EU amounted to l.1b Euros.

With the expiration of these concessions coming to fruition in a few months, I believe the Government has completely mishandled and botched up the negotiation process.

Right at the inception there was ministerial conflict and bureaucratic wrangling over who should get the credit if negotiations were successful. Ultimately the policy prescription prescribed by the Government, amounted to a bailout package with a one off payment amounting to USD 150m in return for the Government obtaining redeemable preference shares in each company to the value of the investment.

All I can say is, that RP would have handled this issue in a manner that would have been in the long term interest of the industry and the country.

The brain drain issue continues to be an important policy issue that is consistently ignored by this Government. The possession of a highly skilled, capable, talented, educated work force is an indispensable pre-requisite to the functioning of a successful economy.

Statistical evidence with regard to brain drain paints a sorry picture as far as SL is concerned.

According to SLBFE figures in 2003, 1541 professional workers left the country and this figure rose to 2678 in 2005. Between 2003 and 2005, a total of 45,590 skilled workers have left the country. What policy prescription has the Govt. designed to address this fundamental issue of national importance?

There is universal acceptance that providing support to sustain high nutritional standards especially amongst the most vulnerable sectors of our society, that is infants, mothers and children is of superlative importance if a country is to succeed and prosper.

Here again statistics indicate the persistence of acute and chronic· malnutrition among the vulnerable sectors in SL.

Under these circumstances why has the govt. failed to formulate and implement a comprehensive integrated national nutrition policy?

The Samurdhi programme that has been apparently designed to achieve this objective is a dismal failure. The measly amounts that are dished out to the poor in the form of Samurdhi stamps are woefully inadequate in providing adequate resources to the target groups to overcome poverty.

When one examines the record of this Govt. in this field, there is a visible disparity in rhetoric and reality. When our neighbour and friend India have made significant strides in the ICT arena (where the ICT industry grew to USD 51 billion in 2006-2007) Sri Lanka continues to vacillate and hesitate to take the next great leap forward.

President Rajapaksa in his 2008 Independence Day speech claimed that SL has attained 25% computer literacy, but according to the figures provided by DCS CL has increased only from 9.7% in 2004 to 16.1 in 2006-7.

DCS survey also asserts that 46.9% of Sri Lankan households cannot afford to purchase a computer. How constructive it would have been if the govt. introduced a subsidised scheme for computer purchases and the expansion of computer literacy projects.

It is obvious to any lay person, that the current PA administration has totally ignored the external economic and political environment prevailing globally in formulating economic policy.

As a responsible and accountable administration, it should have taken account of the impending global meltdown. It is my humble premise that Sri Lanka’s Economy is in dire straits.

If one dares to question whether the situation is redeemable, the frank answer to that is “of course it is possible”.

However, it would take a paradigmatic shift in the design, structure and substance of public policy to achieve this monumental task.

Pooneryn captured 15 years ago too: Did it change anything?

As President Mahinda Rajapaksa celebrated his third year in office, 79 of his closest relatives hold top government positions, including as ministry secretaries, parliamentarians, presidential advisors, diplomats and chairmen of corporations, said leader of SLFP Mahajana Wing Mangala Samaraweera.

Mr. Samaraweera was speaking at a media briefing titled “Three years for Chinthana: Country is lost” in Colombo today (Nov. 20th).

He said, “Upon being elected President on November 19th, 2005 Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, on November 23rd, had got his salary increased four-fold, a proportion unseen from the time of President J.R. Jayawardene. This is mentioned on page 1,210 of the Hanzard.”

As President — J.R. Jayewardene, Ranasinghe Premadasa, D.B. Wijetunga and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga — all received Rs. 25,000 as their salary.”

Commenting on the capture of Pooneryn, Mr. Samaraweera said, “The government has been saying in the past couple of days that our security forces have captured Pooneryn area. On most occasions, it was painted as an achievement of the President himself. We must pay out tribute to the heroic soldiers who fought and laid down their lives to recapture Pooneryn area.”

“But, 15 years ago, we similarly celebrated the taking of Pooneryn. This is mentioned in Dinamina. It is an irony of fate that it was captured on 15th November 1993 when D.B. Wijetunga was president, with Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister.”

“That day too, we captured Pooneryn at the cost of a large number of lives in the security forces. Today as well, we have gained it by sacrificing members of the security forces of yet another generation. We may feel happy that Pooneryn has been captured from time to time, but we still cannot provide a solution to the national conflict.”

“This is an endless war. Newspapers do not publish these things. You will not be allowed to publish these either. I know that by last Tuesday, 235 injured soldiers were brought to Colombo National Hospital. It was reported that 85 were brought to Kalubowila, 90 to Jayawardenepura and more than 300 to Military Hospital. Also, the bodies of more than 200 brave sons of this country were brought to Jayaratne Funeral Directors. This government is preparing to sacrifice any number of lives to hide all these and cover up its inabilities.”

The SLFP (M) leader also commented on the state of the economy.

“The IMF and the World Bank held a joint meeting in Washington on October 10th to discuss the collapse of the global economy. At that meeting, they released a report on 160 countries. Of those 160 countries, Sri Lanka is among the 28 weakest of economies. The other countries include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, Madagascar, Rwanda, Malawi and Haiti. Three years of Mahinda Chinthana, and our country has fallen to the level of these countries. I am not saying this. It is the World Bank report that says so.”

“We have not yet felt the effect of the global economic collapse. At present, we are feeling the economic crisis brought about by the waste, corruption and fraud of the Rajapaksas. It is only when we prepare to celebrate New Year in April that we will feel the burden of the world economic crisis. The Central Bank governor recently admitted that foreign reserves had declined by 30 per cent within three months. We will have to take money in suitcases to buy goods for Sinhala New Year. By that time, the value of the Rupee will be depreciated that much.”

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OLD ANANDIAN’S CENTENARY GROUP: Annual General Meeting – 2008

Century group of old Anandians consists of those who completed their A/Ls in 1986, 87 and 88. They will be having their seventeenth Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday 22, 2008 at the college Centenary Building at 10.00 am.

The Inaugural meeting of the Centenary Group was held in 1988 at the Kularatne Hall. Mr. A.P. Gunaratne, then Principal and Mr. Sithendra Senaratne – representing the main OBA were present as guests. The founder President of the Group was Samantha Rajapaksa, Secretary Sujeewa Karunasekera and the Treasurer Lalith Perera.

Today Centenary group has a membership of more than 700 old boys out of a potential of 1,500.

Following are some of the key tasks carried out by the Old Anandians Centenary Group last year.

• Organising the ‘Alms giving’ at Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura parallel to the Olcott memorial ceremony.
• Conducting a training program for the college clerical and minor staff held at Ambalama Hotel.
• Maintenance of the PABX system in college at a cost of Rs. 120,000.
• Renovation of Dental clinic at college at a cost of Rs. 300,000. (The services of the clinic are open to other schools too)
• Repairing hundred tables at the college library.
• Donation of video cameras and other equipment worth Rs. 400,000 to the video club of the college.
• Donation of 10 scholarships to the deserving out station students. A student receives Rs. 1,400 per month under this scheme
• Donation of Rs. 25,000 each to Carom and Gymnastic clubs. These are two sports the college has excelled in recent years.
• Donation of Rs. 200,000 worth medical equipment to Colombo South Hospital jointly with the old Anandians in UK

Why ‘Machan’ isn’t banned?

Machan is a great movie. So great that one naturally wonders why it is not banned in Sri Lanka.

I am not joking. Machan has all the key ingredients to infuriate the local Taliban, who genuinely believe that every piece of art should by default promote their military agenda of creating a supreme Aryan Sinhalese Buddhist race.

Machan, unlike recent movies like Aba or Prabhakaran does not ride on the popular war mania. On the contrary, it retells the embarrassing true story of the disappearance of entire Sri Lanka’s ‘National’ handball team in Bavaria. Heavens forbid! What wretched details of the urban poverty it shows! No character seemed to have received the myriads of benefits offered under ‘Mahinda Chinthana’.

Doesn’t Uberto Pasolini watch Rupavahini and ITN news? Doesn’t he know anything about the thousands of on-going projects to eradicate poverty under the caring Sinhalese Buddhist leadership? Is he showing the poverty in some other country to disgrace Sri Lanka’s government?

That is not all. Nesa, a Tamil grave digger (played by Pitchchei Selvaraj) describes the horrid details of how his entire family was killed. (I am sure by LTTE – they are the only killers here) A senior officer in Police (Theertham Muthiah Ganeshan) instead of bringing the offenders to law, himself join them. (He is not a ranaviruva, so I think it is okay with Taliban) All this with the generous use of the scared lion flag. Heavens forbid again, in Bavaria the lion flag was carried by an Afgan farangi.

Never mind. Local Talibans are dumb. They understand the threat only when someone hammers their heads in Asoka Handagama style. They are not that intelligent to take subtle hints.

Add to that, Uberto Pasolini and the co-scriptwriter Ruwanthie De Chickera are smart. They, unlike the handball team in the movie, are experts in this game. No political remarks. No direct offence to Talibans. One protagonist of the three – the very Sinhalese Buddhist Manoj (Gihan De Chickera) in spite of plotting, changes his mind in the eleventh hour. Most ‘bad guys’ are Tamils, Muslims and Christians. (though it could hardly be the mix of original team that disappeared) So, like the German Visa officials in the movie, local Taliban nods okay. We watch it.

I suggest Uberto Pasolini and co-producer Prasanna Vithanage thank the Rajapakse government in the same manner Ruvan (Mahendra Perera) in the movie thank German immigration officers. That is the least they can do, as a return for not banning this movie in Sri Lanka.

Machan is not the perfect movie. It leaves many unanswered questions. How come Vijith (Namal Jayasinghe) is allowed entry on a Visa issued to another? Who sponsors the poorest in the team? Is it that easy to obtain fake Sri Lankan passports for foreign nationals? Come to think of it, what value is added by bringing in other South Asians to the picture? (The real team that vanished comprised only Sri Lankans) Is that an attempt to say the Sri Lankans are not alone in taking desperate measures to find greener pastures in Europe?

Ruwanthie De Chickera’s otherwise powerful script does an injustice to few characters. We are never given a close look at three youngsters– known only as PK, VD and AJ. The handsome gigolo Piyal’s (Sujeewa Priyalal) two cousins too have always been in the background. Compare this with the selection of the cricket team in ‘Lagaan’. Every member of that team is unique and gets the attention he deserves. Only excuse: a cricket team is only eleven members but our ‘national’ handball team has 23 members – including the ‘managers’ and ‘coach’.

Overall, the acting is outstanding. Apart from those who are mentioned above, Dharmapriya Dias plays Stanley, Dharshan Dharmaraj is his brother in law Suresh, Mohamed Adamaly – the well known Sri Lankan lawyer is a Pakistani doctor, Pubudu Chathuranga, the young star of ‘Hiripoda Vessa’ is a spoilt pessimistic son and Dayadewa Edirisinghe is Nassem, a peon in a government office. The latter leaves for good deserting his young wife Jasmine (Jayani Senanayake).

Mahendra Perera plays a prominent role but Kumara Thirimadura and Saumya Liyanage are assigned minor characters. Cannot expect too much from them. This is in addition to a gamut of veteran actors and actresses (Malini Fonseka, Hemasiri Liyanage, Chathurika Pieris, Jayani Senanayake, Irangani Serasinghe and Damitha Abeyratne) playing cameo.

Camera (Stefano Falivene) and music (Lakshman Joseph De Saram and Stephen Warbeck) brilliantly supports the political narration I am more interested in.

This is the type of movie I would recommend without any reservations. Believe me, it is hundred times better than that cinematic failure Aba. (I like to take some of my pre-release comments on Aba. Apart from its industrial value, Aba is a useless movie)

Finally, I personally liked how Machan made local Talibans appeared as German authorities after the disappearance of the team.

Good show Uberto, Ruwanthie and the cast. You have given us a movie that Sri Lanka could be really proud of.

Will his Iranian Muslim paymasters react to Chamipika Ranawaka’s anti-Muslim remarks?

Patali Champika Ranawaka is usually a cautious speaker. That is appreciable – given his natural and genuine detest towards the minorities. However, this time it looks like he, like that Aesopian drunken mouse who wants to kill the cat, has put the foot in his mouth. A section of Muslims have already shown their resentment. The others are waiting patiently, not because they tolerate him, but they themselves maintain close relationship with the government, in which Ranawaka is a powerful figure.

It is sad that the self proclaimed Sinhalese Buddhists champions never bother to read the chronicles of Sinhalese. Had he ever read Mahawamsa Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka should have known the first references to local Muslims appear centuries before he thinks Arabs mingled with Sinhalese. If he ever bother to read other sources of history, like for instance, Ibn Batuta’s famous 14th Century travelogues he would never have uttered such derogatory remarks about Muslims of Lanka. But his blindness goes hand and hand with racism. Racism is always blind. Even facts like the sacrifices of Major Muthalif and Lieutenant Colonel Meedin for a war he wholeheartedly advocates will go unnoticed in the face of the natural abhorrence towards Muslims.

Mahinda mama will certainly not take it lightly. He knows the importance of Muslim countries. Take Iran for example. Mahinda mama has to depend on Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his financial needs. It is to him the former runs whenever there is a shortage of cash to run his political war. So effectively it is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who pays Champika Ranawaka’s monthly salary as a Minister.

True, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is more like the kid nobody wants to play. Normally he does not mind buying friends even if the price is bit high. Still how long will he tolerate friends who insult his own religion? How long will he consider Sri Lanka a friend if powerful Ministers start questioning the fundamental right of Muslims to live in this land? Will he tolerate the frequent calls of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) for Muslims to return to Middle East, the only ‘home-land’ of theirs according to JHU who believes 100% of the island should belong to Sinhalese Buddhists (not to even Sinhalese Christians/Catholics).

It is sadder the stance some of the so called Muslim leaders take in this issue? What Ministers Ferial Ashraff, M.H.M. Athaulla, A.H.M.Fowzie and Governor Alavi Moulana have to say about their colleague’s insulting remarks to Muslims? Will they tolerate it without any question? How will the family members of Major Muthalif, Lieutenant Colonel Meedin feel about such remarks?

Will Minister Champika Ranawaka, like a gentleman, make a formal apology to the Muslim community he insulted?

Champika Ranawaka in honeymoon with Wimal Weerawansa: For how long?

Champika Ranawaka marries Wimal Weerawansa. Politically, that is. So Shashi Weerawansa’s perpetual jealousy should not let her pass the rest of her hubby’s juicy love letters to JVP polity bureau.

A meeting jointly organized by two NGOs Desha Hithaishee Vyaparaya of Wimal Weerawansa and Thrastha Virodhee Jathika Vyaparaya (aka NMAT) of Champika Ranawaka was the second key political event that involved the latter within a week, the first being the protest by Muslims against the derogatory anti-Muslim remarks made by him. Both Champika Ranawaka and Wimal Weerawansa are de facto leaders of two political parties. (Ellawala Medhananda’s leadership role in JHU is confined to issuing press notices) So it is strange why these two wanted organized the meeting in their hats as NGOwallahs and not politicians. Perhaps this is just the engagement – a preparation for a grand scale wedding later.

As a JVPer, any move by Weerawansa to join hands with the extreme nationalist JHU types would have been vetoed by the JVP leadership. A partnership between JVP and JHU would never have been possible. Firstly, JVP, as a party, is weak in building partnerships. Their brief marriage with SLFP ended both parties irate. Secondly both Champika Ranawaka and Athuraliye Rathana have scars from their previous associations with JVP. Finally when JHU was hastily formed in early 2004, JVP was one party that seriously stood against. That seals all possibilities of any joint venture.

However, with the new freedom earned as the leader of his three-wheeler party it is natural for Weerawansa to use the first opportunity to bridge the gaps with JHU – a sister party that stands for more or less for the same petty principles.

Still, what many casual political observers would not notice is the stark difference between the two parties and the individuals. It has to do with the origins.

Physics find two kinds of magnets. A ‘hard’ or ‘permanent’ magnet is one that stays magnetised, without any external influence. Magnetism is an inherent characteristic of them. A ‘soft’ or ‘impermanent’ magnet on the other hand, can be induced to show magnetic characteristics by placing them in a changing electromagnetic field. Racism is not too different. There are hard and soft varieties.

Champika Ranawaka is from a Govigama middle class family. He undergoes the formal education process and receives a degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Moratuwa. Then he enters politics giving up his job as a professional lecturer.

He is the hard variety. His racism is hardcoded. No external factors influence him. As any narrow minded Sinhalese politician with Govigama origins he thinks serving Sinhalese Buddhists is his eternal duty. He fights with anything or anybody stands in his way.

On the other hand, Weerwansa’s racism is largely influenced by external factors. Unlike Ranawaka, he hails from a lower class and lower caste family. His father was a ‘kattadiya’ – not a position of respect in any village. As in case of most JVP hardcores, the caste factor could have played a key role in his politics. The social pressure forces him to join JVP giving up his studies. His university is the party. There he learns to hate the society. As a typical JVPer, ‘dirty capitalists’ were his first enemy. Then at a certain point he realises his induced racism brings more results. That differentiates him from his comrades like Lalkantha and Tilvin Silva who still repeat the same obsolete and outdated Marxist theories.

With the discovery of ‘good capitalists’ (like those in Mawbima Lanka Foundation) and few jobless oldies like Gunadasa Amarasekera, who support him financially and ideologically respectively Weerawansa sheds his Marxist skin. That does not make him a Ranawaka. His faithful still do not include powerful Buddhist monks. In spite of his oratory skills in vernacular and his stance on civil war, Sinhalese Buddhist society still not ready to take him as one of his own. They do not see him fighting for the Sinhalese Heritage, as Ranawaka does.

One may argue given enough time, these differences will die. I don’t think so. They have common ground, but there are differences that matter.

Their new political intercourse reminds us the popular folk story about Raigamaya and Gampalaya. Former sells beetle leaves (bulath) mixed with leaves of pepper. Latter sells areca nut (puvak) mixed with some similar looking but useless kind of a nut. They barter the commodities to the gain of none.

Perhaps the only difference is both are ‘Raigamayas’ in this case.

Inland Revenue to run after Suruttu and Newspaper sellers collecting 1% ‘Nation Building Tax’

The nation building tax will be applicable to every business that earns a daily income of Rs. 1,000 or more, said Commissioner General of Inland Revenue S. Angammana.

Speaking at a seminar at the BMICH in Colombo yesterday (Nov. 07th), Mr. Angammana said he was unhappy that VAT has been reduced and a new nation building tax introduced through Budget 2009, with Inland Revenue Department given responsibility of its execution.

Even small businesses like cycle repairers and barbers will come under this tax, and it will be a formidable task for the department to administer it, he said, adding however, that as public servants, they are duty bound to collect the tax revenue.

Also addressing the seminar, Finance Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe said the nation building tax has been imposed temporarily only for a two year period.

The government intends to earn Rs. 15,000 million per year from this tax and utilize the revenue earned to rebuild the areas affected by terrorism, he said.

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