Montgomery McFate Resigns from US Army Human Terrain System

by John Stanton

(September 03, Virgina, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sources report that Senior Social Scientist Montgomery McFate resigned her post with the US Army Human Terrain System (HTS) within the last ten days. Observers say the “category of resignation is similar to that of former HTS program manager Steve Fondacaro in that all assume it was a ‘forced revision’ or ‘let go’ as is common within the HTS program when an employee is released.

McFate’s position is now advertised as vacant said sources.

Observers express concern that some individuals who were appointed/hired by Fondacaro and McFate at Oyster Point, Virginia--to act on their behalf in the Social Science Directorate—will not function in the best interests of the program.

Meanwhile, others report that in the HTS training class known as “Research Methods” some instructors have told students that it is acceptable “to distribute blank journals to Afghan villagers and to have them note their impressions of what is going on in their country.” The problem is, according to sources, that the journal instructions are in English and, of course, most Afghans do not speak English and are often illiterate even in their own language.

Observers say Social Scientists are in such short supply in HTS, that they are being jumped ahead of their designated training classes and are being deployed early minus proper training to survive in a war zone. Uniformed military personnel who have “done the time” in country express bewilderment at command decisions that lead to “field training” conducted by inexperienced National Guardsmen such as the Texas Army National Guard.

Some in the “Guard” have done tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and have the credentials for training. But some have just arrived in-country and are not qualified for the effort

Sources say, “active duty personnel find HTS is useless, and only serves to extend the line to the DFAC (Dining Hall).”

John Stanton is a Virginia based writer specializing in national security matters. Reach him at cioran123@yahoo.com Read more...

The General's daughter speaks out

INTERVIEW WITH APSARA FONSEKA

by a special correspondent

(September 03, Los Angeles, Sri Lanka Guardian) Apsara Fonseka,. the eldest daughter of the former commander of the victorious Sri Lanka army, General Sarath Fonseka, was in Los Angeles rallying the commander’s supporters to a movement to get him free from government detention.

The former General (retired) was jailed after he provoked the government by contesting the President of Sri Lanka unsuccessfully at the last elections, the protesters charged.

Apsara Fonseka, a post graduate student in a US university called the act of the Sri Lanka government, the jailing of the opposition candidate, that happened for the first time since the parliamentary democracy was introduced in the country, a dangerous precedent to launch a dynastic dictatorship in the island nation and she charged independent judiciary has been aborted to take the drastic step. She said her father’s detention is an ominous part in the government’s grand plan to silence the opposition, intimidate journalists and violate human rights.

She was leading a group of political supporters among the expatriate Sri Lankans in a “pooja” to deities to invoke their blessings to pressure the Sri Lankan government and also took part in cracking coconuts to pray for punishment for the wrongdoers at the Malibu Hindu Temple , close to Los Angeles.

Speaking at the coconut cracking ceremony, Saman Boralage a supporter of the Southern California movement to press Sri Lanka to free Fonseka said the former General Fonseka , who has been stripped of all his titles and medals by President Rajapaksa “over political vendetta” is the true hero of Sri Lanka in modern times who lead the armed forces of Sri Lanka to victory after a 30 year war with the Tamil Tigers. After retirement he joined the opposition political forces that lead to this rage of a political vendetta by those who wants to establish a ruling dynasty, Boralage said . It has become government policy to attempt to quell all political forces who seem to be an obstruction at the gate of this dictatorship, he added.

The following is an interview this correspondent held with Apsara Fonseka after the political agitation:

Question: Why are you making poojas to the deities?
Answer: We are convinced that there is a superior spiritual power that would give better judgements than we against evil doers. That makes us get involved in these religious activities.

Q: Were you encouraged by the events at the temple?
A: Though similar events had been done before this is the first time I get involved in such agitation. I am very much encouraged that we are not alone in this battle. Lot of sympathizers for this pro-democracy movement came to support my father and pray that he be released from the unjustifiable political jail he is languishing in at present.

Q: Why should the world be worried about General Fonseka’s detention by the government?
A: We wouldn’t be worried if not for the fact that the system of justice is not interfered with in Sri Lanka and the parliamentary democracy is not itself being threatened. There should be fairness in politics. My father is being held by an anti-democratic government as he dared to contest the President in an election.

Q: How do you think democracy is threatened in Sri Lanka?
A: Everybody with good conscious could see that democracy in Sri Lanka is threatened and the country is moving towards a dictatorship. The whole world is alarmed.

Q: Do you also see this as a method to silence the opposition in the parliament?
A: Yes. For the government they may be thinking this as a method to silence at least part of the opposition since my father is a leader of a significant opposition political party called the Democratic National Alliance. But all such attempts to crush democracy all over the world have failed and the people’s power has prevailed.

Q: Is the international community realizing that the imprisonment of your father is a great injustice?
A: Highly positioned people in the international arena who are called Elders group have been alarmed by the acts of the Sri Lanka government। “The Elders are independent group of eminent global leaders brought together by Nelson Mandela , who offer their collective influence of experience to support peace building and address major causes of human suffering and promote the shared interest of humanity.” They said , “The prosecution , intimidation, assassination and disappearance of government critics, political opponents, journalists and human rights defendants” concern them. A member of the group Bishop Esmond Tutu said, “The ongoing persecution and disappearances of human rights activists , journalists and government opponents is truly terrifying.” Despite intimidation by Sri Lankan embassy in Washington DC and the Los Angeles Consul General’s office against expatriates that they would be dealt with when they visit Sri Lanka Sri Lankan expatriates increasingly flock to our events and openly declare that the gravest injustice has been done to my father. The two main Buddhist sects in Sri Lanka have told the President that they did not approve of the injustice. Even a Hindu priest at today’s pooja to invoke the blessings of the deities told me that soon truth will prevail and the unfairness will be compelled to be removed.

Q. Do you think the human rights of your father has been violated by the Sri Lankan government?
A. As a non convicted person he has a right to decide on his own doctor .He has been denied of this by the government. He has even been denied to be x-rayed to locate the moving shrapnel in his body which he received during three near fatal attacks by the Tamil Tigers. He has been denied to go out and have fresh air and sunlight. The Sri Lankan courts ordered him to have a treadmill for exercise of his lungs and the government has even denied that. As a parliamentarian the Speaker has allowed him to come and attend parliamentary committee meetings. The government has even denied this.

Q. When such injustice happen don’t people in Sri Lanka protest?
A. Yes they do. When a great mass of people demonstrated in the Southern capital of Galle in Sri Lanka against the injustice two parliamentarians were assaulted by the police. When they visited the police station to complain to higher officials they were locked up. The unarmed parliamentarians were accused of beating up the armed police! But when a government minister demonstrated against the United Nations office in Colombo to protest against UN’s interest in human rights and obstructing the daily activities of the mission police were instructed to support it. . When the police came to maintain law and order the Defense Secretry personally ordered them out. When a thug called Mervyn Silva was removed from the cabinet due to public uproar the government also allowed his supporters to demonstrate. There is anarchy. No law and order in the country. Double standards prevail everywhere.

Q.Do you have a message for the people in Sri Lanka?
A. I want to thank all people who stand up to these abominable wrongs and put an effort in trying to make a change. (EOM)


Read more...

Mangala accuses President heading for a dicatorship

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa for heading for a dictatorship and acting agaisnt the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

Mr Samaraweera addressing a press conference today said that the president had not sought a mandate at the last presidential elections to continue with the executive presidency.

He said that president was also acting undemocratically by forcing UNP members to support the proposed constitutional amendments in parliament next week.

Meanwhile, the UNP MPs Lakshman Seneviratne and Earl Gunasekara have decided to support the constitutional amendments due to be presented in Parliament next week. Read more...

"UNP must lead the people towards correct direction"

by Nilantha Ilangamuwa

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) He was born on 17th March 1974 at Matara, the southern part of Sri Lanka and later became a journalist which is how people got to know about him. Now this young gentleman is a Member of Parliament of the main opposition party in Sri Lanka. Budhdhika Pathirana, the young political star who is on a controversial political mission in Sri Lanka today, shared his political thoughts on the present situation with the Sri Lanka Guardian.

According to the information given on his web site: www.buddhikapathirana.org his vision is to: "........witness our community flourish with wealth, health and human values and to make each human being aware of his/her responsibilities and duties towards the society."

In an interview Buddhika’s feeling were optimistic regarding the United National Party. But, he said, "I cannot talk about the United National Front but I think as an individual political party we are going on the correct path most of the time".

Buddhika has clarified the UNP’s decision on the forthcoming 18th Amendment to the Constitution and says, "As a political party the UNP has strongly condemned this amendment which is intended for selfish political motivations; the power of the President and his family will be increased more than ever before. As far as my understanding this is very dangerous political motivation by the President which will curse entire society."

However when Sri Lanka Guardian questions that he is thinking are there any thing will happened to the forthcoming 18th amendment that UNP wither agreed or disagreed, he replied, "We the UNP have always opposed whenever anything came out which betrayed people's freedom and their rights. I can’t accept that we should keep mum if we cannot change things and I strongly believed that we must talk openly when we cannot agree with the government position. Then people will understand what is going on."

However a few weeks ago Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe conducted discussions with the President without informing other members in the party. It seems that there is an internal conflict within the party over the leadership. When we raised this point to Buddhika, he refused to clarify the situation but rather tried to justify the leaderships throughout the entire history of the party. However, he did say that, "...... our leaders were very keen on discussion with others over every crucial moment of politics in Sri Lanka". He came out with a few examples including the Mano-Malik talks during the Chandrika administration.

Meanwhile there are party members who raised points against him in the meeting on Monday over the event organised by the Socio People Developments Foundation recently. According to Buddhika, "I invited three members of parliament to attend the ceremony but our own party members were busy with some television programme. So then Namal Rajapaksa and Anarkalee Akrsha who are MPs of the ruling party attended the event. Some of media thought that I had done wrong with my party." He went on to say, "As I explained there is no disciplinary action against me. Furthermore I explained to the party, 'who can says that I’m helping the government because I married to a daughter of the lawyer who is strong SLFPer also the leader attained to discussed with the President at the Temple trees without knowing others in the party'".

Over the present situation Buddhika observed, "I feel most of people are now getting to understand what this government is really doing the name of power. They are abolishing total freedom of the Country while centralizing all powers into one family. In this context as the party which has long history the UNP must lead the people toward corrected directions." Read more...

Sri Lankan asylum seekers tortured after being forcibly returned from Australia

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Amnesty International is today calling on the Sri Lankan government to ensure the safety of three men who have been tortured and jailed following their forced return from Australia in 2009.

Two of the men, Sumith Mendis and Lasantha Wijeratne, were transferred to a hospital to be examined by a judicial medical officer on 1 September amid claims that they were beaten and tortured following an alleged new attempt to seek asylum in Australia. It is not clear if they are still in hospital or have returned to prison.

All three are at risk of further abuse from guards and prisoners when they are returned to prison where Sumith’s brother, Indika, is already being held.

“This is an appalling situation that calls into question the actions of both the Sri Lankan and Australian governments,” said Madhu Malhotra, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Asia.

“Both governments are culpable in the forced return and mistreatment these men have endured, and both must bear responsibility for the results of their policies and procedures.”

Sumith Mendis and Indika Mendis were detained in 2009 at the Christmas Island detention centre after the boat they were on was stopped by Australian authorities and found to be carrying Sri Lankan asylum seekers.

They were deported to Sri Lanka and promptly arrested and handed over to the Central Investigative Department (CID). Sumith Mendis was released, but Indika Mendis was tortured in CID custody, sustaining severe ear injuries before being transferred to the notorious Negombo prison where he was held for eight months.

On 14 August 2010, the brothers were arrested again, apparently on suspicion that they were again planning to seek asylum in Australia. Sumith Mendis was then tortured by the CID for six days, experiencing beatings and psychological abuse.

On 22 August, the brothers were taken to Negombo prison, along with Lasantha Wijeratne, another Sri Lankan who had also been deported from Australia and tortured in custody.

Following examination by a judicial medical officer, Sumith Mendis and Lasantha Wijeratne were transferred to the hospital.

They now face the risk of abuse by both prisoners and guards when they are again taken to Negombo prison unless authorities take the necessary steps to ensure their safety.

“The Sri Lankan authorities must ensure that all three men are not subject to any more torture or ill-treatment, either at the hands of the CID or prisoners or guards in Negombo prison,” said Madhu Malhotra.

“The Australian government must re-examine its claims that asylum seekers returned to countries they are fleeing from are not subjected to torture and mistreatment.” Read more...

Tamils in the North-East and the Rajapakse Regime

" The recent visit of the Mahanayaka of Malwatta to the North was a good sign. His visit and address at the Jaffna Library touched many hearts. Tamil-Sinhala relations at all levels seem to be on the mend. The President inviting the TNA delegation – and they, who shied from such invitations previously - accepting hospitality of the President at Temple Trees - are positive signs. Better still was the news that our High Commissioner in Delhi entertained the TNA MPs delegation when they visited India recently to Dinner. These are all welcome signs to those in the country keen to see her regain her earlier racial tranquility."
.....................................

by Luxman Arvind

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is fifteen long months since “the internal War” against the LTTE was successfully brought to close. Some sections of the global media make the erroneous distinction the war was against the Tamils in the North-East. In the days, weeks and months following the ending of the conflict President Rajapakse and his brothers – Gothabaya, the Defence Secretary and Basil, the senior Minister now – made many high profile announcements the North-East will see “unprecedented development” from then on.

It is no secret similar assurances were given by the VVIP trio to the higher echelons of the Government of India and the donor community as well. The interim period is a fair space in time to subject the administration to a form of audit between Promises and Performances - which probably the same question, inter alia, India’s Foreign Secretary Smt. Nirupama Rao raised with the regime. “While re-settlement of IDPs was welcome, now it is the time to come out with a political settlement” said Mrs. Rao –the first Indian Foreign Secretary to visit the North East. That she will be followed by Shri S.M. Krishna, the Foreign Minister – due to visit in October – bears its own significance in the diplomatic tradition where high officials of this standing normally conduct their affairs in the Capital only. Curiously, the local media in reporting Mrs. Rao’s visit tried to convey the impression the focus of her visit and that of both governments were concentrated more in increased Indian investments here. For good measure it was reported “she was quite satisfied with the steps taken by GoSL in all matters of mutual concern”

Movement of people to and fro

Fairly free travel to and fro the Peninsula for goods and people is something everyone welcomes – more the Tamil people. This is hardly disputed. The opening has gone out to benefit the South – in bringing down the Cost of Living and the movement of goods from the South to the North. Greater movement of Fish, vegetables, Chillies, Onions, Dried Fish has been greeted with pleasant smiles from housewives. The large and regular movement of people to the North from the South and vice versa has increased trade and the inflow of goods to an area that was denied this for nearly 3 decades – no fault of the government or the Sinhala people this self-inflicted fate. But this rapid traffic also has resulted in some complaints in the form of cultural and behaviourial differences. The Police in the North also have been burdened by heightened incidents of thefts, robbery, intimidation etc.,. While the more educated Sinhalese do come to visit, pray and learn there are others who do not sufficiently hide their misconceived role of coming as “victors over the vanquished” – which is, quite rightly, objected to in the North. But this, one concedes, has to be expected as part of the bubble and not part of an engineered programme. Hopefully, this will settle down soon - in the interests of all concerned.

Infra-structure development is lack-lustre

The occasional repair of roads, bridges, hospitals, schools in Jaffna is seen but much needs to be done and sooner. There are more telephones, more electrical power than before, Television sets, Radio, Internet facilities – more the result of private sector endeavour. Newer cars, buses, lorries are a welcome change to the drab pre-1960 vehicles that dotted the Peninsular landscape. But what is most needed is new investment by the State to meet the existing and displaced population that is streaming in to their original habitats. Houses with clean drinking running water, efficient drainage systems need to come up rapidly. Many houses were destroyed by the war and new ones have not come in place. NHDA and the State has been somewhat slower here although some houses have been repaired and some newly built – again more through private and individual enterprise. Better health facilities, schools, repair and building of places of worship of more immediate need to the people here – are somewhat slow in coming. Emphasis on sprucing up the A9 and other major road links, restoring the rail service insensitively destroyed by the LTTE, laying down new tracks and new routes are not only welcome by the Tamil North but also will stimulate economic growth contributing to the national GDP.

The Jaffna Swimming Pool saga

Why the Government slowed down in that high-profile project to provide a Swimming Pool to students and the people located at Jaffna Central School is a low mark in better relations between the two communities. After all, this was opened by no less a person than young Namal Rajapakse, the son of the President - with much fan-fare in the presence of the influential Governor of the Northern Province Maj. Gen. G. A. Chandrasiri. Namal’s personal support “Nil Balakaya (Blue Brigade)” was entrusted with the task but was later found abandoning the project – with cement, steel and all missing – leaving a huge, gaping and potentially dengue-producing hole in the ground. Despite severe public censure here little seems to have been done to avert the situation – that can continue to undermine the credibility of the name of the Rajapakse family itself. Provision of a functioning and modern Swimming Pool in Jaffna Town will be a tremendous plus in the regime’s name is what should be recognized by those running the administration both in Jaffna and Colombo.

The politics behind releasing the HSZ lands and other recent displacements

Globally land is often the cause of bitter conflict in plural societies. In the smaller countries with large and growing populations this grave problem assumes dangerous proportions. In his testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse recently confirmed HSZ properties in the Wanni and Gurungar area have been “entirely restored” It is reported 80% of agricultural land in the District fell under the HSZ hammer. The confiscation of such productive land can be translated as the people being confined by design to eventual starvation.

The release of the land the Defence Secretary mentioned is yet to be confirmed by the people of the area. In Santhapuram and Indupuram areas in Kilinochi 1,200 families have been virtually chased out of their land. 300 acres in Thirumurugandy and Mullikulam in Mannar and similar number of displacements in Keppapaluwa in Mullaitivu private land in large extents have been expropriated supposedly to set up large army cantonments. 400 acres of valuable beach-front land in Trinco North Kachaveli, Irrakandy and Kumburupitti areas which are 95% Tamil have been allocated to new Sinhala settlers is something that speaks for itself . Does anyone give any thought where these displaed people – infants, children, women, the old and sick - are to live when their homes are so brutally plundered.

Whether the State requires an army of 100,000-200,000 in peace times is yet another valid question. Nowhere in the world does one find the civilian-army ratio to be in the region of 3 to 4:1. The sum allocated for internal defence, reported to be in the region of Rs.2.5 billion, can be used to house the displaced and the IDPs in utilities in keeping with today’s real world. . It will also help the government’s image - both within and more without - if the other properties seized, except those with uncontested security considerations, are restored soon. To avoid much public skepticism it will help if the Government issues formal Communiques giving details of the properties thus released.

500 Tamil Policemen in the North

Mr Gotabhaya Rajapakse in the same sittings confirmed 500 Tamils from the North are being currently trained for duties at the Kalutara Police Training School and that it is the intention of the government to reduce the military role to be replaced by the local Police. This is something the Tamil people will welcome and which will go a long way in “winning the hearts and minds of the Tamil people – a priority of the regime”

Fishing industry continues to be under-utilised

The centuries-old developed fishing industry in the Peninsula that played such a useful role in the pre-war years – and, indeed the NEP - needs much more State consideration than obtaining now. Freedom for the fishermen to go out to the sea at times of their choice is still either restricted or denied totally. New boats, nets, equipment are still in short supply. The bigger and high-finance Ice factories and modern freezer facilities promised are still to come. Much concern has been expressed by fishermen in the East and the North new arrivals from elsewhere in the country have encroached upon their traditional catches – something that must be looked into and settled before this becomes another serious problem. Though there is more than one ministry supposed to help the fishing industry coordination between the various agencies are seriously flawed.

Signs of economic support from Southern Corporate sources

While the people of the District and the N-EP appreciate the role played by Mr Kumar Devapura of Tri Star Apparels to train and find employment for ex-LTTE cadres and pay them a reasonable remuneration during training period, the number of garment factories that have come up here – the largest foreign-exchange earning sector - are far below expectation. MAS, Brandix, Aitken Spence, Star, Timex Garments and other majors need to get more involved in the District to provide employment and raise the living standards of the people to reflect those of their Southern brethren.

Nestle has given a lead in help establish a Milk-chilling Plant and the creation of collection centres. The development of the Dairy industry, goat-farming, large Poultry farms should be encouraged and set up in these areas. Most of the economic activity should be aimed to benefit the IDPs out of long incarceration. Former senior Civil Servant and now President of the Northern NGOs Mr. C.V.K. Sivagnanam estimates the WB/ADB and other donors will come out with over Rs.50,000 million in the next 3 years. He proposes most of the Contractual work be given to the traders of the area so that the estimated 10% that usually goes as Contracts fee is retained in the District for investment within.

Mr Bernard Gunatilaka, senior diplomat and Government advisor, in his appearance before the LL&RC recalled the 480 World Bank and donor-sponsored Projects that the government placed during the negotiations with the LTTE during the P-Toms talks.

The latter were to reject this for reasons of their own while it was clear if these projects had taken off the Tamil people of the region would have harvested much benefit. There is no reason why most of these projects cannot be revisited again.

Donors and foreign investors step into the Rebuilding process

Rebecca Cohn of USAID announced last July they are ready to provide training for 10,000 jobs in the Jaffna District as follows :- Construction industry/5,000 Garment Industry/1,800 BPO/IT industry/3,200. Ms Cohen said a sum of Rs.4 billion has been ear-marked for this purpose. The US efforts will make a valuable contribution to the Quality of Life of the people in the area.

The KKS Cement Works, the Paranthan Chemical factory, the Valaichenai Paper factory,

Precious earth and Mineral sands in the Pulimuddai area were all State-sponsored high-value Investments that suffered varying degrees of decline in the past 3 decades. In recent times, many well known names in global trade and commerce have expressed interest to re-establish these vital units under expert private guidance, modernisation and new investment. Taken together, these ventures can provide that number of jobs that can virtually take care of the entire employment requirement of the region. Yet another matter of concern on the part of the people particularly in the Jaffna District is the employment-trading opportunities and income that should come their way is finding the hands of outsiders who appear to enjoy much State sponsorship and encouragement. There is also the fear the intention of some powerful sections in the ruling circles is to ensure that the commanding heights of Trade and Commerce in the Tamil areas to be reserved for them while the lower opportunities are to find the hands of the locals. Former senior Civil Servant and now President of the Northern NGOs Mr. C.V.K. Sivagnanam estimatese WB/ADB and other donors will come out with over Rs.50,000 million in the next 3 years. He proposes most of the Contractual work be given to those in the area so that the estimated 10% that usually goes as Contractors fee is retained in the District for investment within. The Jaffna Chamber of Commerce, the Yalpalanam Chamber and private professionals are all likely to provide the required technical and managerial know-how in that policy of the Government to help the Jaffna District find its earlier strength in business.

KP, NERDO and the diaspora

There has been months of keen discussion on the role and future of KP – the former LTTE leader who lived overseas for many years – and is now under State custody. Most Tamils welcome his close rapport with the regime in general and with Deference Secretary – the influential Gothabaya Rajapakse, in particular. They look to the new body NERDO to bring them good tidings – economically and politically. But what is worrisome is the thought that KP is being used only for the purpose of changing high-value overseas LTTE assets to find the hands of VVIPs in the government as quid pro quo for his release. This may or not be true but the speculation is real. The other is that KP is being used to cause the inflow of diaspora funds for the re-building of the NEP. The thinking here is the State must give the lead and start the rebuilding and rehabilitation process without waiting for the diaspora to come in. A period of normalcy and peace should follow after this. It is thereafter the diaspora will gain the necessary confidence to invest in the NEP - either for altruistic, patriotic or economic considerations.

Law and Order worries

While the good intentions of the government is not contested, the people of the North-East Province are still not totally free of fear, insecurity and real/inflicted weaknesses in the law and order system. That this is still unsatisfactory in most areas of the Jaffna District is a major worry of the people. Gun-toting goons under the influence of ministerial sources often run beserk with absolutely no regard to the Police or the Courts. The situation in the Batticoloa District is bad with Pillaiyan and Karuna’s goons not only abducting and killing each other but also endangering the ordinary public. Chavakachcheri Magistrate A.M. Mohamed Reyal openly complained from the Bench that the Police are uncooperative in arresting suspects in murder and abduction cases, a poor reflection on the IGP – already under attack from many quarters.

Recently the media reported the arrest of a 4-man gang in “CID uniform” at Ragama

In the process of relieving a Tamil couple of their cash and jewellery. Simple Tamil folk travelling in trains have been terrorised in Polgahawela, Ragama, Veyangoda and even in the Colombo Fort Railway Station” said this media report. That reports of this nature have come from Vavuniya and Anuradhapura is shocking. One wonders what the Railway Security service was doing while all “this was going on for a long time”

The news Mullaitivu Courts will be manned by a Sinhala Magistrate certainly does not inspire confidence in a District that is almost 100% Tamil. The government should show more respect to minority susceptibilities in the matter of important State appointments is something that hardly needs to be emphasised.

The war and collapse of the system in the Wanni resulted in the confiscation of many cars, vans, buses, lorries, tractors belonging to the wealthier Tamils in the region. These were all requisitioned and kept in various locations under the eye of the army and the Police while the owners of these vehicles lost their homes. When the situation returned to gradual normalcy the owners of these vehicles began their searches for their valuable properties and are disappointed they are all said to be “missing or lost” The fact is most of these have been cannibalized and parts of the newer and new vehicles sold to middle men in the Anuradhapura town area. It is learnt the licence plates of expensive vehicles have been changed and are being used by army and Police personnel for their personal transport.

The government cannot expect private investment or the arrival of the diaspora with long-term investment programmes with an ineffective, grotesque and collapsed security apparatus needs to be appreciated and suitable action taken to create a better climate of trust.

Signs of hope lingers

Still, judged by the havoc in the past few decades, it can be argued we could be on the slow path to recovery - provided the government shows goodwill and determination to win the Tamil people to their side. The recent visit of the Mahanayaka of Malwatta to the North was a good sign. His visit and address at the Jaffna Library touched many hearts. Tamil-Sinhala relations at all levels seem to be on the mend. The President inviting the TNA delegation – and they, who shied from such invitations previously - accepting hospitality of the President at Temple Trees - are positive signs. Better still was the news that our High Commissioner in Delhi entertained the TNA MPs delegation when they visited India recently to Dinner. These are all welcome signs to those in the country keen to see her regain her earlier racial tranquility. Read more...

The Follies of ex-ambassadors,media misreporting and lessions of our times

by Pandu de Silva

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While people are going before the Lessons Learnt Commission, expecting reconciliation and lessons to be learnt, the government merrily goes ahead with its hugely undemocratic constitutional reforms. The only noticeable impact of the Commission’s sittings up to now has been to destroy the public credibility of witnesses like Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala as evidenced in the hot air created over Amb. Dhanapala’s statements before the Commission last week when the Island reported that he had said that international humanitarian law should not apply to conflicts between States and armed terrorist groups.

We had no refutation demanded from the Island by Amb. Dhanapala if, in fact, what was reported in that newspaper, was wrong. Amb. Dhanapala only released his written submissions, expressed surprise and disappointment at erroneous media reportage and said that he is waiting for a transcript of the proceedings to do anything else. The issue is simple. If the Island had published a wrong report of Amb. Dhanapala’s submission and his responses to the most honourable Commissioners, Amb. Dhanapala should have resorted to a demand for a correction the next day. This is ordinarily what people do when the media misreports. If the Island had not published such a correction, then the refusal should have been publicised, reflecting on the integrity of the media. Instead, we were told initially that Amb. Dhanapala is waiting for the transcripts to come to do anything further. Is it that Amb Dhanapala could not remember what he precisely said in response to as important an assertion attributed to him, that humanitarian law should not apply in internal conflicts such as Sri Lanka’s?

Now that the transcript for which Amb. Dhanapala was so eagerly waiting is out, we expect him to demand an official correction from the Island. In the absence of a demand for an official correction, there is little point in this e-circulation of transcripts and outraged comments by Amb. Dhanapala who should, in fact, be little outraged if he expected the Island to report what he said correctly. The people who should, in fact, be outraged are those who believed that Amb. Dhanapala was among those few people having credibility in this country and who are still waiting for a formal demand from him to the Island that the relevant news report is corrected. Probably my father, who is a senior public servant and does not surf the net may then relax after being outraged at the initial news report.

As of now, in the minds of many people who do not spend time in cyber space, the Island report is all that they will recall. Did Amb. Dhanapala believe that the Island, of all paper, would not seek to misrepresent what he said? Should he not have adequately guarded himself against this at the outset by handing out written submissions accurately reflecting what he said? This simplicity on the part of our purported intellectuals is harder to take than the misdeeds of the government and its media apologists.

The problem is the fact that the stress in Amb. Dhanapala's submission as well as in his responses before the Commission is not on the need to protect civilians but on the need to reform the laws of war. The Island should have reported also on his passing reference to civilian protections but chose not to so which is not surprising given the line that, this newspaper pursues. However there is also an ambiguity in Amb. Dhanapala's comments. So accusing the media of selective reporting is not the whole truth.

The question is also why people persist in appearing before this Commission which is just a cover up while the Constitution is being thrown into the wastepaper basket. Are we expecting anything positive to come out of the Commission sittings? Why are people like Amb. Jayantha Dhanapala participating in this exercise? It is quite striking that he commends the Commissioners in his submissions before the Commission. The Chair of this Commission was responsible, almost singlehandedly, while Attorney General, for destroying the legitimacy of the Udalagama Commisison. And yet, we commend these people?? Shame on you, Amb. Dhanapala!

And then we have people rushing to the Supreme Court as if expecting that the Court will do anything against these amendments. Among these people is a noted sycophant of Chandrika Kumaratunge who was among those in league with the former Chief Justice, to destroy the judiciary, details of which can be found in Victor Ivan's book, "The Unfinished Struggle" which I read as a law student at that time. And these individuals are our defenders of democracy now??

No wonder ordinary people reject these games. No wonder civil society has so little moral standing in this country today. Read more...

Why India is supporting the Nepalese Maoist?

by Dirgha Raj Prasai

(September 03, Kathmandu, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nepal and India do not want any kind of communist authoritarianism, they aspiring only full democracy. The concerns of the both country is political stability, peace and good governance. It is because only a good and well-established political system can lead the public mass by determining appropriate social and economic management of the state through concrete policies and programmers. So, the both nations are interested for democratic system. But, the Maoists of Nepal and India want the any democratic government to step down; to be replaced by one led by themselves. Then why the Indian politicians and diplomats are supporting the anarchist groups?

Since 2006, Nepal has been known as the party of opportunists and destructors. After general election- 1990, Girija Prasad became Prime Minister. He came out aggressive in spreading the influence of Congress in every organ of the politics and administration by finishing off opposition. The current violence, murder, theft, rape and insecurity started from 1991. The creator of Maoist rebellion was Girija. After 1992 in name of annihilating Masal-Communists (later who called the Maoists) the murder, suppression, rape was not much it crossed the limit. In revenge, Maoist systematically killed thousands of civilians, police and army personnel. Millions worth physical infrastructure was destroyed or burned. And then, since 2005, Girija-leader of NC joined the hands with the Maoist. JNU Prof -S.D.Muni, the strategist of RAW had given the 12-point anti-Nepal agendas- of Republic, Secularism and Federal states to the perverted leaders of the parties and a few lawyers, doctors, journalists to end the existence of Nepal.

The Maoists are using their agendas and are opening a ‘Pandora’s Box’- one-party communist anarchism. The Maoist Party has their own army. The UNMIN also listened only to the Maoist rebels and the corrupt leaders of the so-called big party. The UNMIN and other unseen groups are working to push Nepal into a bloodier civil war and conflict. From the very beginning, UNMIN has been demoralizing the Nepal army.


Nowhere in the world, would a country be able to protect its sovereignty by making the national army weak and powerless? Can we compare the national army with the Maoists cadre (army)? Due to the suspicious activities UNMIN, now, in Nepal, we have two kinds of army- the national army and the Maoist's army. Can we imagine two kinds of army in a country?

If we can understand the grand design of Maoist, the Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai says- ‘After the abolition of the monarchy, would try to resist, and our main contradiction then would be with the bourgeois democratic parties. After April 2009 [when Prachanda resigned from government], that phase of the Constituent Assembly and implementation of the bourgeois democratic republic was more or less complete. We had formulated the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), we had our base areas, we had a lot of mass support, and all this we have been able to preserve. The PLA is still with us, and the arms we collected during that war are still with us within the single-key system, monitored by the United Nations team, but basically the key is with us and the army is with us and we have never surrendered. We are still continuing in the path of revolution.' http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=926>5th Nov. 2009
World People's Resistance Movement (Britain) The reality of the grand design of Maoist's has exposed from Dr. Bhattarai.

I am sorry to write that it was a great blunder of Indian diplomats- Shyam Saran- former Indian ambassador and former foreign Secretary of India, who is widely credited with bringing the present instability in Nepal and Sive Shankar Mukharejee-former foreign minister, KB Rajan- former Indian ambassador, Rakesh Sood-present ambassador, Prof.SD Muni and other officials who not only blundered in their assessment of Maoist but also did much harm to Indian’s interests in Nepal. Among the diplomats, Shyam Saran is a very ambitious diplomat who could not calculate the good result. Now, the Nepalese Maoists, RIM and COMPOSA have been joining the hands for one-party Communism.

Due to the blunder of the culprit Nepalese leaders and the Indian diplomats, nationality and democracy of the both country is in danger position. I think, due to the Indian Maoist (Naksalite) Indian security force is becoming weak day by day. In such condition, what is the answer of Indian politicians and diplomats? The Nepalese and Indian people's position is in danger. Without analyzing the assumption, why the Indian leaders supported the Nepalese Maoist’s hypocrisy? ‘Crows are never the white for washing.’

An Indian scholar Dr. Arvind Gupta writes- Anti-India feeling in Nepal is at its peak. The peace process in Nepal is extremely complicated. India helped bring about the 12-point agreement. It is doubtful that India can help bring the peace process to the desired outcome. There is no guarantee that the Constitution will be drafted soon and that even if drafted, it will bring stability. Nepalese are suspicious of India when they hear Indians talk about cooperation on water issues. Many in Nepal feel that mega projects will not help Nepal. The unregulated, open India-Nepal border is a major security concern for both countries. Cross-border crime, smuggling, fake currency and infiltration of undesirable elements including potential terrorists into India are a major security concern. Nepal also has concerns regarding the smuggling of small arms from the Indian side into Nepal.' August 27, 2010 'INDIA NEEDS A NEW PARADIGM IN ITS NEPAL POLICY

A prominent journalist Pushpa Raj Pradhan, editor-People's Review, writes- 'Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is spending 57 billion rupees per years under the ' Small Grant Project'. Out of total FM radios, 50 percent of them are receiving such Indians grants. Similarly, some Christian missions have also funded those FM radios just to broadcast Christian programmed. India wants the Indianization of Nepal and the Christians want to transform Nepal from a Hindu state to a Christian state. A famous researcher, Yogi Narahari Nath always used to say that Nepal is giving everything to India, from its fresh air to herbs, fresh water, indigenous production working manpower, etc and Nepal is getting nothing from India. The Indian wish is to bring all the political parties in the Indian fold. The Indian mission was fulfilled by the seven parties plus Maoists alliance with the direct support of India-from human resources to financial resources. Christians too became successful to declare Nepal a secular state.'-5 Aug.2010. It is a matter of grief that the political leaders are not feeling the naked foreign intervention.' So, it is very necessary that all the nationalists including King should stand to save the identity and sovereignty of this pious land- NEPAL.

What were pitfalls of the Constitution of 1990? Why was it suspended without reason? What kind of new constitution we require? Why India supported the Constituent assembly? These are the causes of crisis in Nepal. The anti-Indian voice is increasing day-by-day. Nepalese democratic exercise faced the black period in between 2005-2010. The nation’s future seems dark because they have walked as directed by unseen force beckons without studying Nepal’s geographical reality and sensitivity.

In Nepal's context, for 240 years the Shah dynasty did not allow Nepal to disintegrate. Even in difficult situations, the dynasty preserved national dignity. The dynasty that never bowed down to foreign influence bowed down to the people. But the Nepalese people still have not recognized the true value of the institution. Nepalese monarchy has been always showing goodwill towards India. Cordial people to people level relations between Nepal and India has existed since ancient times. We have to keep friendly relations with India due to our similar cultural and religious traditions. But, since 2005, the cordial situation is humiliating day by day between Nepal & India. The permanent institution- 'Monarchy' can put unites the cordial relation between Nepal & India. So, Nepalese nationalists, India and all the democratic forces demand to reinstate the Nepalese beloved monarchy to save the identity, unity and democracy, according to the 1990 constitution, and form all party cabinet The king needs to form an inclusive cabinet under the leadership of neutral politician find a solution on that backing. Read more...

A Vote for 18 Amendment is Vote to Strangulate Liberty

EDITORIAL COMMENT

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Even the former commander of the armed forces is learning that only freedom left for his family came from the Green Card

The man who gave 40 best years of his life to fight for his country and who even led the armed forces through a bitter war is learning that even for his family, like to many thousand others who had to flee their country, even the last bit of freedom left is a Green Card or a Visa which allows from their families to live outside Sri Lanka. Inside, there are only jails or even worse death, is all that the motherland offers.

The central character of Sri Lanka has become the absence of justice.

Courts exists but they cannot prevent injustice. In fact they have to rubber stamp injustice and deprivation of liberty.

Only way out is to find another country to live. That does not come easily.

That this country with out justice, has decided to go one more step down the path of tyranny by removing one of the universally recognized protections against dictatorship, that is the setting time limit to the power of the head of the state. 18 Amendment will fuether limit the possibility of justice, for Sarath Fonseka and all independently thinking Sri Lankans.

When the members of parliament raise their hands to support this amendment, what they are in fact doing is to strangulate the possibility of freedom and liberty within their mother land. Read more...

Ray Wijewardena, an Obituary Appreciation

by D L O Mendis

(September 03, Washington, Sri Lanka Guardian) Ray and I became special friends at the time I was working in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs between December 1969 and December 1978. That friendship grew with the passage of time, but at the time of his passing away, my wife and I were far away in USA, and he could communicate with us only in a spiritual dimension. Inevitably we recalled the statement hanging outside the door of his ‘den’ situated above his large garage, accessed by a flight of steep steps: “Old flyers never die, they just go to another plane”.

That was a perfect introduction to the beautiful drawings in his den, of the nineteen flying machines he invented and built in the garage below, and flew until private flying was banned on account of the LTTE some years ago. I once telephoned ACM Roshan Goonetilake who was keen to meet him (and me) but that never happened due partly to Ray’s ill health. I cannot help thinking that Ray would have met Roshan’s father late ACM Harry Goonetilake, who was my classmate and close friend from schooldays.

This Obituary appreciation will start from my earliest Planning Ministry days, after the aborted 1971 youth insurrection, when there were two rather different technology issues that brought Ray and me so close together. It will discuss issues some of which may sound out of place to some readers but I know Ray would have approved.

First, as I recall he had developed a small four-wheel-drive off-road vehicle that could be useful for counter insurgency work. But it never went into production, although it had unusual features including its jazzed up appearance, quite unlike his well known Landmaster tiller that had a plain-Jane appearance compared to more costly Japanese two wheeled tractors in a later day and age. Nevertheless as is well known the Landmaster was a best-seller in many parts of the world. Ray himself told us how he once gave a lecture at the Harvard Business School in the presence of the famous inventor Buckminister (Bucky) Fuller, who had asked him whether the Landmaster had mechanized agriculture, or had it mechanized the buffalo? Ray, with characteristic modesty says “I was floored!”

[Titled “A refreshing new dimension in agriculture – Reaching for the Sun” this story is included in the Preface in the Proceedings volume of the Pugwash Workshop on Learning from Ancient Hydraulic Civilizations to Combat Climate Change. That Workshop was held to honour Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala on his election as the twelfth President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs for 2007 – 2012, a high honour indeed. It may be mentioned in passing that the first Pugwash President was Bertrand Russell when the Pugwash conferences started in 1957, following publication of the Russell – Einstein manifesto against war in 1955].

Second, a technology issue of special interest to Ray was the organization of village blacksmiths in the Divisional Development Council (DDC) Light Engineering Industrial Co-operatives, in the Regional Development Division of the Ministry of Planning. This unique endeavour began in the Kotmale DRO’s Division where a most unusual public servant, W A Jayasinghe, had started what was initially a phenomenal success.

Ray, as others have eulogized, was a hands-on engineer (and farmer) who had even served an apprenticeship in his youth with a village blacksmith. Hence he really appreciated the motivation of this public officer who sincerely felt for these traditional craftsmen who were at the mercy of middlemen, since they supplied the scrap iron and steel, and charcoal for firing, and marketed the products, mainly agricultural tools and implements in villages and towns.

With the organization of the production co-operative, the scrap iron and steel inputs were purchased from both the private sector (Gampola scrap yards for example) and the public sector, where the Railway department at Ratmalana was a major supplier. Ray’s interest brought in a new dimension into the whole concept. He explained that the blacksmith’s method of deciding the temperature of the heated item of scrap iron and steel, on the basis of colour, was extremely scientific. He gave us a copy of the temperature colour chart used in forging Bethlehem steel, at that time the largest manufacturer of steel in the USA, and showed how it perfectly matched the blacksmith’s empirical judgment based on experience. To those who were in Professor Mylvaganam’s first year Physics class in the University of Ceylon, his story of the ‘potato pyrometer’ may come to mind. This was about a Technician who would slice a potato and stick a piece on a spike which he would plunge into the furnace and quickly pull it out. By examining the extent of the baking of the potato slice he would decide when to release the load of molten steel. The high-tech electric pyrometer was not used at all! Ray loved this story!

Another renowned engineer should be mentioned here, the late T S Jinasena, who drove up to Kotmale in the early days, in his famous MG TC sports car, and fully supported the Blacksmiths’ co-operative project. As a result of Ray’s and his encouragement a group of Blacksmiths were invited to visit the Faculty of Engineering in Peradeniya where Professor Ranjit de Silva discussed with them the metallurgy of iron and steel. Likewise groups of engineering students from Peradeniya visited Kotmale and learned something about the traditional technology of the village blacksmith from the practitioners themselves. An item of information exchanged in this process of “learning from each other”, that I learned and cannot forget, was that the blacksmith knew that railway spring blades were easier to work when heated, than the smaller bus spring blades. Ranjit de Silva explained that the large railway spring blade was easier to work because it was phosphorous steel, while the smaller lorry blade was harder as it was manganese steel.

All this was possible because the DDC Light Engineering Industrial co-operative had succeeded in breaking in on the supply of pruning knives, mammoties, digging forks, and other agricultural implements and tools to the neighbouring estates, which previously were imported from far away Sheffield. Supporting the blacksmiths, Ray drew attention to the regional differences in the shape and size of the traditional udella, and the harmony between blacksmiths and farmers, as against the one size fits all approach of the imported Chillington mammoty. He said this harmony was with the “agro-climatic and socio-economic environment” that is common knowledge among actual users of the udella.

Ray, who took up an FAO appointment in Malaysia at this time had always admired A N S Kulasinghe’s achievements in the restricted confines of the public sector, especially his Research and Development in engineering. Ray saw a lack of engineering R&D to support the DDC program which was an important and meaningful, if unorthodox, step in the new development effort after the tragedy of the aborted JVP youth insurrection. He sent me air-letters from Malaysia relating to the DDC program in which he tactfully advised us that the Kotmale type success should not be taken for granted in other areas.

He suggested that a long term plan for progressive development of traditional technology was necessary, to be promoted by engineers, and supported by administrators of the likes of Jayasinghe (however rare). Towards this end, he proposed that a Technology Development Centre should be set up in the vicinity of Kandy, since the Agriculture department was located in nearby Peradeniya, and the Tea Research Institute was in Talawakelle not too far away. As for technologies used in the coconut and rubber industries (the CRI and the TRI) these came very much to attention later. Not only did he propose this but he sent me a draft proposal to apply for foreign funding for the TDC.

At this time, the Chairman of the Peoples Bank, Hector Abhayavardena, (who thankfully is still with us), was on the board of Directors of the Industrial Development Board, where I was the Planning Ministry representative. He drew attention to the need for an Engineering R& D Centre between the CISIR which did excellent bench scale research, and the IDB that was responsible for promoting industrial development. His idea was that the engineering R&D done by A N S Kulasinghe and his teams of creative engineers in the State Engineering Corporation should be transferred to set up the NERD Centre.

Eventually, Ray’s proposal together with Hector’s suggestion got me started on a cabinet paper to set up the National Engineering Research and Development Centre. It was natural for Ray to be on the Board of Directors, on his return from the UN in Malaysia and Nigeria. It would have been ideal if he could have found time to be the Chairman, since Kulasinghe was no longer available. Understandably, this was not to be.

In the late 1980’s a proposal was made to publish a series of books on the History of Engineering in Sri Lanka, in the Institution of Engineers, to honour individual engineers who had contributed to national development. One of the first names that came up was that of Ray Wijewardena, but he gave the Institution of Engineers a very firm “No” to this suggestion. Nevertheless I did not give up, and kept on reminding him that writing his Memoirs was something he owed posterity! I wore down his resistance little by little, and he would send me email messages from time to time about his life’s experiences.

The big break ultimately came only after the LTTE was finally defeated in May 2009.

Ray immediately agreed that there should be a transfer of technology from the unique research-based development on his “Kohomba” coconut estate at Kakkapalliya, near Chilaw, as the basis for development in the liberated Vanni. Many important persons visited Kohamba estate and there was every possibility of a successful technology transfer to the Vanni. This was the basis for the part of the Preface in the Pugwash Workshop Proceedings volume mentioned above, which Ray heartily approved of.

Ray gave the matter serious thought in discussions, even though his health was declining (or perhaps because of this). Last year, he asked me to introduce him to our renowned jurist Judge C G Weeramantry, which I promptly did. Later he informed me that he had met and discussed the subject with Dr Weeramantry and would be acting on his advice.

There have been Obituary appreciations for Ray, which mention his many achievements in various fields of human endeavour. I am conscious of the fact that I am in an unique position in this regard, which is why I describe him simply as a Renaissance man and a modern Leonardo da Vinci. It is appropriate at this juncture to mention his beloved wife Seela who was the perfect companion who looked after him lovingly to the last days of his long life, perhaps even neglecting her own health in the process. They harmonized perfectly, especially in music with such instruments as the violin, the piano and the harp. One can well imagine Ray playing a celestial harp somewhere in the sky above, where he loved to roam in his own hand built flying machines…..



To supplement this Appreciation the first of what he described as his “Experiences” is annexed, going back to 1932, that he sent to us on email. I know that versions of this story have been written by others, but this is Ray’s own version. All this and more will be included in a Commemoration volume for Ray Wijewardena as part of the Science and Civilization in Sri Lanka series, located in the Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy. Any and every person who wishes to contribute to this forthcoming volume is invited to get in touch with the Director, Professor C B Dissanayake.

In conclusion it is appropriate to quote the first paragraph of his “A refreshing new dimension in agriculture – Reaching for the Sun” referred to above.

“Ancient wisdom. Those of us with the privilege of a pirivena grounding to our education in Sri Lanka will recall being taught the four ‘elements’ of life in Ahpo, Thayjo, Vahyo, Patavi…The Pali word Patavi represented the ‘solid’ or ‘earth’ state,…While Thayjo represented the state of ‘heat,’ or ‘energy’, or ‘fire’,.. Ahpo represented the ‘liquid’ state or ‘water’, while Vahyo represented ‘air’ or the ‘gaseous’ state. All these ‘states’ or elements being reversible as heat is reduced… The vapour reverting to liquid and in turn to the solid state as heat (or energy) diminishes. Central to them all being heat, energy, fire, (‘thayjo’)… the Sun itself.

How very right the ancient Egyptians were in their worship of the Sun-God RA as the giver of all life…

How very right the Zoroastrians are in their worship of the Sun and Fire as fundamental to existence.”

“Experiences 1” by Ray Wijewardena

Email - Ray Wijewardena speaks to D L O and Agnes Mendis

Aviation.. Early days..(circa 1932)

I was then about 8, and beginning to feel my ‘wings’. I had long indulged a romance with flight, and with anything capable of flying…mainly butterflies, birds, dragon-flies and bats. I just longed to be flitting about the skies with them. Not constrained to walking the earth on legs ..or even through water… the St.Thomas’College swimming pool having recently come into my life.

It was then still ‘pre-WW2’, and I had been taken to see a Charlie Chaplain film at the Regal Cinema. I do not recall much about the film, but what HAD enthralled me was a ‘British-Movietone’ short on some experiments in England of the early days of parachuting… then considered not as a sport but as a means for escape from a doomed aeroplane. The ‘short’ showed intrepid aviators dropping from a tower under the new form of flight using an umbrella-shaped parachute. One or two briefs even showed a man dropping while suspended from two parachutes and landing on the grass, safely on his feet.

I was truly enthralled… Here was a simple way to fly which even I might try if only I could locate a parachute… I could think of nothing else… all the way through Charlie Chaplin.

It was raining and blowing heavily as we exited the cinema, and I saw just what I was looking for… masses and masses of up-held umbrellas …. All of them trying (as far as I could see) to lift the people crouched under them. Eureka (I had recently learned the story of Archimedes) … all I needed was to locate an umbrella…or perhaps a couple of them!

The next day, Sunday, was an ‘almsgiving’ ceremony at my Grandmother’s residence in Kollupitiya …now used as the USIS Center and located on the Galle-Road adjoining the Galle-Face Hotel. I had observed the Hamuduruwos as they descended from their vehicles and had even been coerced into the ritual of washing and drying their feet before they entered the mansion to walk along the two-foot-wide strip of cloth laid from the entrance and into the hall. They all left their umbrellas outside the door, - some of traditional palm-leaf, and others, more modern, of conventional circular black cloth with stout wooden handle. These I thought would be ‘just the job’, and certainly the monks would not be needing them for a few hours while they chanted in prayer before the dhane’ commenced.

There were several people outside who looked on with curiosity as I collected two of the large stack of umbrellas leaning against the door and walls, and as I took them inside with me and up the central flight of stairs. They were all too occupied with prayer,… palms pressed together and following the chanting. This would precede the ladling out of food into the bowls cradled on the knees of the monks now seated against the wall all round the hall. I knew the ritual and was well bored with it….not understanding a word of the chanting as I suspected was the case with most of my (better Sinhala tutored cousins inside the hall!

The upper-floor led to the balcony over the portico under which the monks had earlier entered, and I peered over the stone-pillared railing which circuited the balcony. Far below (well, it might have been about ten feet, but it felt far… and about right for my first flight!) stretched the drive-way to the Galle-road and around the garden… then a feast of flower-beds between green strips of grass. The scene came to mind of the parachutes landing, on the turf at the base of the tower in the Movie-Tone film-clip, as I clambered onto the railing (it was quite wide – about a foot! - and I had occasionally chanced an un-observed walk around it during earlier visits to my Grand-mothers residence.) On this occasion there were, however, quite a few chauffeurs and others assembled below with their vehicles, .. and their presence served only to strengthen my determination….. at last…. to fly! When they saw me unfurl both umbrellas, and hold them above me, one in each hand. Perhaps they then realised what I was planning to do and did not sound at all sympathetic in their calls to “Baby-hamu, paresam-venna, vetei”… “Hamu, bahinda-ethening!”…

I must admit that the ground then felt awfully far away, but I was determined not to lose this first chance of flight .. the occasion of the two umbrellas, (parachutes) the high-balcony, and no-one in the near vicinity (not on the balcony anyway) all too good to be lost if I now faltered. Raising my hands, I felt the wind lifting the umbrellas (well.. sort of !) and I well recall stepping out … hopefully to drift in flight to a gentle landing on the turf (in the garden) as with the parachutes I had seen in the film.

Things didn’t seem to be working out quite right as I felt a rush of air, and the umbrellas both blew out and upwards as we (I and the umbrellas) landed (crashed?) into the bed of palms just below, and stopped with a severe jolt. I shall always remember this, the first ‘sudden-silence’ to follow a collision with mother earth…. with terra-firma…. whatever! My efforts to pick myself up were totally spoiled by swarms of drivers and other servants trying to ‘lift’ me. I didn’t wish to be lifted. I had read that WW1 pilots always claimed that it was a ‘good landing if you managed to walk away from it,’… and I was determined to walk. The drivers were determined otherwise… and I guess the loud voices and commotion all round did not auger well for the occasion as the successful ending to a first flight!

My father – a doctor – was furious… not only had I disturbed the alms-giving going on in the hall, I had probably broken my legs!… I kicked out widely, determined to show there was nothing wrong with my legs…that I could walk… and walk I did (‘…. Anything you can walk away from…’). Then followed a spanking, despite my protestations to my father....

”Daddy, I really did fly!” …. And I was bundled into the car to be taken home in disgrace.

I could never – all my life – understand what the fuss was about… The only thing broken was a flower-pot and I was made to replace that as a gift to my grandmother with apologies for having disrupted the alms-giving. My dear grandmother Helena invariably had an amused smile on her face whenever I was taken before her to apologize for yet another of my mis-demeanours… She, above others, certainly understood my proud claim ….”Achchie, I really DID fly”

Read more...

MY THOUGHTS ON THE MAOIST HOSTAGE-TAKING IN BIHAR

by B.Raman

(September 03, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Maoists of Bihar kidnapped on August 29,2010, Sub-Inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, Bihar Military Police havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after an encounter in the Kajra police station area the same day, which left eight policemen dead. They reportedly demanded the release of eight Maoists who are in the custody of the local authorities for allegedly having been involved in Maoist acts of violence.

2.Following the alleged absence of any move by the Bihar Government to establish contact with them before the deadline indicated by them for talks on their demand expired, they claim to have killed Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav. They have not yet provided proof of their claim, but have promised to return Yadav's dead body to the police. They have further extended the deadline till 10 AM on September 3 and threatened to kill the other hostages if their demand is not met,

3.There is considerable indignation and shock over the claimed execution of S.I. Yadav.All TV news channels are devoting considerable attention to a discussion of the development with the participation of representatives of political parties and some retired bureaucrats.Participating in a debate on CNN-IBN anchored by Shri Rajdeep Sardesai, a leading TV anchor, at 9 PM on September 2, I pointed out that the hostage-takers will be watching the debates on different TV channels and any impression of differences as to how to deal with the situation could make a difficult situation even more difficult. I stressed the importance of everyone talking in a single voice in condemning the hostage-takers. I also stressed the importance of the State Government remaining in touch with the families of the hostages in order to keep them in the picture on the evolving situation and reassure them that everything possible was being done to rescue the hostages.

4.We should not forget that the failure of the Government of the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in December 1999 to remain in touch with the families of the passengers in an Indian Airlines plane hijacked to Kandahar by some terrorists of the Pakistan-backed and Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahideen led to a surge in protests from the relatives and their public and media supporters. This was one of the factors which forced the Government of Shri Vajpayee to concede the demand of the hijackers for the release of some Pakistani terrorists in the custody of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

5. The Indian TV coverage of the Kandahar hijacking and the Manila TV coverage of a recent hostage-taking incident involving a sacked Filipino police officer on August 23 showed how ill-advised coverage and comments by the participants in the TV discussions could prove counter -productive and lead to a tragedy. There has been considerable criticism in Manila of the TV coverage, with some experts holding it partly responsible for the tragic death of eight of the hostages, who were allegedly killed by the hostage-taker who was losing patience.

6. One has to emphasise the importance of balance in the TV discussions while the hostage-taking situation continues. It would be a good idea for the TV anchors to caution the participants in the beginning of the discussions that the situation is continuing and that they should keep in mind the strong possibility that the hostage-takers will be watching the TV discussions. Leaders of political parties too should caution their media persons deputed to participate in the debates. Retired bureaucrats participating in the debates should also remember that their comments will be closely watched and noted by the hostage-takers.

7. At this stage, when the hostage-taking continues, only some general observations would be in order:

* Firstly, it would be unwise to treat the present incident as an act of desperation of the Maoists. It is more an indicator of their ruthless determination to continue their fight against the Government with no holds barred.
* Secondly, the Maoists' calculation in exploiting the police officers captured during an encounter with the police as hostages has two objectives---to discredit the Government of Bihar in the eyes of the public and to try to drive a wedge between junior and senior police officers and between the police and the political leadership by projecting the senior officers and the political leaders as insensitive to the agony of the relatives.

8. It is important for the crisis managers of the Governments of Bihar and India to keep these factors constantly in view while planning and carrying out their strategy to deal with the situation. Any other comments of a specific nature relating to the handling of the situation would be unwise at this stage.The entire nation should make it clear that it is behind the brave attempts of the security agencies, including the Bihar Police, to rescue the hostages and that it shares the agony of the relatives of the hostages.

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )
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Media Organizations' Oppose 18th Amendment to the Constitution as an Emergency Bill

(September 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Alliance of Media expressed its deep concern over the changes that are to be made to the Constitution as the 18th Amendments to the Constitution, violating the freedom of express on the part of the people and disregarding all the democratic norms.

The accepted norm of bringing up amendments to the Constitution is to make such amendments after being discussed among the masses and arrived at consensus on them. But it is a dangerous trend to make such amendments in the form of an Emergency Bill violating that cardinal principle.

When the country requires a new Constitution to address the challenges faces the nation, the amendments which further concentrate power seriously around one person and dismantling checks and balances on that rule taking an individual nature, would further establish this dangerous trend.

The Alliance of Media urges the masse to seriously consider the proposals for amendments and to assess realistically the harm that they might cause to democracy, good governance and independence of government’s service. It also emphasis to rally against these undemocratic proposals made without peoples’ consent.

This joint statement is issued by Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association (SLWJA), Free Media Movement (FMM), South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance (SLTMA), Journalists against Suppression (JAS) and Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU). Read more...

The 18th Amendment destroying democracy by manipulation of the democratic process itself

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

(September 02, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka Guardian) A simple way of understanding the 18th Amendment is to compare it to the situation in the United States of America. The president of the United States is elected for a term of four years and is entitled to remain in power for a maximum of two terms. This is an absolute limit. Suppose this limit was removed and a US president could contest the election and remain in power for an indefinite period of time. What difference would that make to the entire system of governance in the country; to understand that we have to go into the principle of this absolute limitation.

The principle is that any person who is vested with extraordinary powers should be subjected to limitations and the principle behind that is that no human being is worthy of absolute trust. No one will be trusted with power absolutely. Entrusting power must be accompanied with the placing of limitations to that power. The limitation of two terms was made on that basis. Behind this is the whole notion of binding power. Power should be bound otherwise power can destroy the very things it is supposed to protect.

A nation can be destroyed by the political power of one person. The idea of checks and balances within a presidential system is connected to the placing of limitations on the terms of the presidency. If in the United States the president can remain in power for an indefinite period of time that would affect every institution within the country. The president is only one component of the power of the state. There are so many components that have to function independently if the state has to function correctly, to provide security for the people in order govern in such a way that a society can be managed for its own benefit.

When the head of a state has the possibility of remaining in power indefinitely he will interfere with all the other units; the Attorney General's Department, the courts, the police, the public service and all other independent components of power. All those components that deliver services will be interfered with when one person has unlimited power.

If the president of the United States of America can be elected indefinitely it would turn the entire system upside down. The system simply cannot function anymore. The ruling individual will become the nation and the nation will be subordinate to this ruling individual rather than this ruling individual serving the nation. This is the whole conception of power that is at stake. The 18th Amendment is challenging one of the most sacred notions that has been developed by civilisation: that power must be bound, power must be limited and that this is the only way to preserve the sovereignty of the people, the independence of the nation and that the power of the individual will not become a destructive force.

The discussion on the 18th Amendment with this, at this stage is simply irrelevant. If there is a president that is able to stay in power indefinitely whether there will be an 18th Amendment or not is simply irrelevant. It will be dealt with by the president in the same way it was dealt with in the past.

The issue at the moment is not so much on the 17th Amendment but rather the issue of the time limits to the power of the president. If this principle is taken away Sri Lanka will be pushed together with those nations where all principles have been abandoned. In 1978 one of the constitutional experts declared that Sri Lanka was going in the same path as the Central African Republic where Jean Bedel Bokassa introduced a constitution with absolute power. Today it has taken a further step downwards. We cannot remain as a civilised nation if a limit on presidential power is not imposed.

This is not about an individual, this is about a nation. Is the nation more important than a particular individual or not? This is what is at stake. It is a moment of enormous importance and a step taken in the wrong direction can plunge Sri Lanka into political anarchy for many years to come.

Fundamental aspects of democracy that cannot be changed even with a two thirds majority and referendums

One of the lessons that have been learned from history by democratic nations is that under certain historical circumstances democracy itself can be used in order to destroy democracy. The emergence of Adolf Hitler through popular vote and the subsequent developments brought home to the population in Germany that there were limitations in their past understanding of constitutionalism and this led to the leaving of room for persons with tyrannical ambitions to subvert the whole process of democracy and turn it into fascism.

In the post world war period one of the serious concerns of the German people was to find ways to prevent the possibility of the manipulation of democratic forces to destroy democracy itself. The entire constitutional law was rethought and new mechanisms were developed to prevent the recurrence of this possibility.

One of the fundamental notions developed was that there are certain fundamental aspects of democracy which should be written into a constitution and these aspects cannot be changed even by a two thirds majority or a referendum.

A major weakness of the 1978 Constitution was that it created room for the easy manipulation of the constitution by the use of a two thirds majority in parliament and by referendum. As J.R. Jayewardene was moved by authoritarian ambitions it was not to his benefit to incorporate the developments of democratic nations relating to this important aspect. Thus, the 1978 Constitution left room for the destruction of democracy itself by the manipulation of the two thirds majority and the referendum process.

The limitations on the terms of the presidency and provisions for checks and balances against the abuse of power should be kept as an unchallengeable and unchangeable part of a democratic constitution.

The text of the drafted 18th Amendment can be downloaded here. Read more...

A Speech for Endless War

The Business of Killing

GUEST COLUMN BY. NORMAN SOLOMON

(September 02,New York, Sri Lanka Guardian) On the last night of August, the president used an Oval Office speech to boost a policy of perpetual war.

Hours later, the New York Times front page offered a credulous gloss for the end of “the seven-year American combat mission in Iraq.” The first sentence of the coverage described the speech as saying “that it is now time to turn to pressing problems at home.” The story went on to assert that Obama “used the moment to emphasize that he sees his primary job as addressing the weak economy and other domestic issues -- and to make clear that he intends to begin disengaging from the war in Afghanistan next summer.”

But the speech gave no real indication of a shift in priorities from making war to creating jobs. And the oratory “made clear” only the repetition of vague vows to “begin” disengaging from the Afghanistan war next summer. In fact, top administration officials have been signaling that only token military withdrawals are apt to occur in mid-2011, and Obama said nothing to the contrary.

While now trumpeting the nobility of an Iraq war effort that he’d initially disparaged as “dumb,” Barack Obama is polishing a halo over the Afghanistan war, which he touts as very smart. In the process, the Oval Office speech declared that every U.S. war -- no matter how mendacious or horrific -- is worthy of veneration.

Obama closed the speech with a tribute to “an unbroken line of heroes” stretching “from Khe Sanh to Kandahar -- Americans who have fought to see that the lives of our children are better than our own.” His reference to the famous U.S. military outpost in South Vietnam was a chilling expression of affinity for another march of folly.

With his commitment to war in Afghanistan, President Obama is not only on the wrong side of history. He is also now propagating an exculpatory view of any and all U.S. war efforts -- as if the immoral can become the magnificent by virtue of patriotic alchemy.

A century ago, William Dean Howells wrote: “What a thing it is to have a country that can’t be wrong, but if it is, is right, anyway!”

During the presidency of George W. Bush, “the war on terror” served as a rationale for establishing warfare as a perennial necessity. The Obama administration may have shelved the phrase, but the basic underlying rationales are firmly in place. With American troop levels in Afghanistan near 100,000, top U.S. officials are ramping up rhetoric about “taking the fight to” the evildoers.

The day before the Oval Office speech, presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs talked to reporters about “what this drawdown means to our national security efforts in Afghanistan and Southeast Asia and around the world as we take the fight to Al Qaeda.”

The next morning, Obama declared at Fort Bliss: “A lot of families are now being touched in Afghanistan. We’ve seen casualties go up because we’re taking the fight to Al Qaeda and the Taliban and their allies.” And, for good measure, Obama added that “now, under the command of General Petraeus, we have the troops who are there in a position to start taking the fight to the terrorists.”

If, nine years after 9/11, we are supposed to believe that U.S. forces can now “start” taking the fight to “the terrorists,” this is truly war without end. And that’s the idea.

Nearly eight years ago, in November 2002, retired U.S. Army Gen. William Odom appeared on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” program and told viewers: “Terrorism is not an enemy. It cannot be defeated. It's a tactic. It's about as sensible to say we declare war on night attacks and expect we're going to win that war. We're not going to win the war on terrorism."

With his Aug. 31 speech, Obama became explicit about the relationship between reduced troop levels in Iraq and escalation in Afghanistan. “We will disrupt, dismantle, and defeat Al Qaeda, while preventing Afghanistan from again serving as a base for terrorists,” he said. “And because of our drawdown in Iraq, we are now able to apply the resources necessary to go on offense.” This is the approach of endless war.

While Obama was declaring that “our most urgent task is to restore our economy and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work,” I went to a National Priorities Project webpage and looked at cost-of-war counters spinning like odometers in manic overdrive. The figures for the “Cost of War in Afghanistan” -- already above $329 billion -- are now spinning much faster than the ones for war in Iraq.

One day in March 1969, a Nobel Prize-winning biologist spoke at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Our government has become preoccupied with death,” George Wald said, “with the business of killing and being killed.” More than four decades later, how much has really changed? Read more...

Death By Globalism

Economists Haven't Got a Clue

by Paul Craig Roberts

(September 02, Washington, Sri Lanka Guardian) Have economists made themselves irrelevant? If you have any doubts, have a look at the current issue of themagazine, International Economy, a slick publication endorsed by former Federal Reserve chairmen Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan, by Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank, by former Secretary of State George Shultz, and by the New York Times and Washington Post, both of which declare the magazine to be “ahead of the curve.”

The main feature of the current issue is “The Great Stimulus Debate.” Is the Obama fiscal stimulus helping the economy or hindering it?

Princeton economics professor and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman and Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi represent the Keynesian view that government deficit spending is needed to lift the economy out of recession. Zandi declares that thanks to the fiscal stimulus, “The economy has made enormous progress since early 2009,” an opinion shared by the President’s Council of Economic Advisors and the Congressional Budget Office.

The opposite view, associated with Harvard economics professor Robert Barro and with European economists, such as Francesco Giavazzi and Marco Pagano and the European Central Bank, is that government budget surpluses achieved by cutting government spending spur the economy by reducing the ratio of debt to Gross Domestic Product. This is the “let them eat cake school of economics.”

Barro says that fiscal stimulus has no effect, because people anticipate the future tax increases implied by government deficits and increase their personal savings to offset the added government debt. Giavazzi and Pagano reason that since fiscal stimulus does not expand the economy, fiscal austerity consisting of higher taxes and reduced government spending could be the cure for unemployment.

If one overlooks the real world and the need of life for sustenance, one can become engrossed in this debate. However, the minute one looks out the window upon the world, one realizes that cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps, and housing subsidies when 15 million Americans have lost jobs, medical coverage, and homes is a certain path to death by starvation, curable diseases, and exposure, and the loss of the productive labor inputs from 15 million people. Although some proponents of this anti-Keynesian policy deny that it results in social upheaval, Gerald Celente’s observation is closer to the mark: “When people have nothing left to lose, they lose it.”

The Krugman Keynesian school is just as deluded. Neither side in “The Great Stimulus Debate” has a clue that the problem for the U.S. is that a large chunk of U.S. GDP and the jobs, incomes, and careers associated with it, have been moved offshore and given to Chinese, Indians, and others with low wage rates. Profits have soared on Wall Street, while job prospects for the middle class have been eliminated.

The offshoring of American jobs resulted from (1) Wall Street pressures for “higher shareholder returns,” that is, for more profits, and from (2) no-think economists, such as the ones engaged in the debate over fiscal stimulus, who mistakenly associated globalism with free trade instead of with its antithesis--the pursuit of lowest factor cost abroad or absolute advantage, the opposite of comparative advantage, which is the basis for free trade theory. Even Krugman, who has some credentials as a trade theorist has fallen for the equation of globalism with free trade.

As economists assume, incorrectly according to the latest trade theory by Ralph Gomory and William Baumol, that free trade is always mutually beneficial, economists have failed to examine the devastatingly harmful effects of offshoring. The more intelligent among them who point it out are dismissed as “protectionists.”

The reason fiscal stimulus cannot rescue the U.S. economy has nothing to do with the difference between Barro and Krugman. It has to do with the fact that a large percentage of high-productivity, high-value-added jobs and the middle class incomes and careers associated with them have been given to foreigners. What used to be U.S. GDP is now Chinese, Indian, and other country GDP.

When the jobs have been shipped overseas, fiscal stimulus does not call workers back to work in order to meet the rising consumer demand. If fiscal stimulus has any effect, it stimulates employment in China and India.

The “let them eat cake school” is equally off the mark. As investment, research, development, etc., have been moved offshore, cutting entitlements simply drives the domestic population deeper in the ground. Americans cannot pay their mortgages, car payments, tuition, utility bills, or for that matter, any bill, based on Chinese and Indian pay scales. Therefore, Americans are priced out of the labor market and become dependencies of the federal budget. “Fiscal consolidation” means writing off large numbers of humans.

During the Great Depression, many wage and salary earners were new members of the labor force arriving from family farms, where many parents and grandparents still supported themselves. When their city jobs disappeared, many could return to the farm.

Today farming is in the hands of agri-business. There are no farms to which the unemployed can return.

The “let them eat cake school” never mentions the one point in its favor. The U.S., with all its huffed up power and importance, depends on the U.S. dollar as reserve currency. It is this role of the dollar that allows America to pay for its imports in its own currency. For a country whose trade is as unbalanced as America’s, this privilege is what keeps the country afloat.

The threats to the dollar’s role are the budget and trade deficits. Both are so large and have accumulated for so long that the prospect of making good on them has evaporated. As I have written for a number of years, the U.S. is so dependent on the dollar as reserve currency that it must have as its main policy goal to preserve that role.

Otherwise, the U.S., an import-dependent country, will be unable to pay for its excess of imports over its exports.

“Fiscal consolidation,” the new term for austerity, could save the dollar. However, unless starvation, homelessness and social upheaval are the goals, the austerity must fall on the military budget. America cannot afford its multi-trillion dollar wars that serve only to enrich those invested in the armaments industries. The U.S. cannot afford the neoconservative dream of world hegemony and a conquered Middle East open to Israeli colonization.

Is anyone surprised that not a single proponent of the “let them eat cake school” mentions cutting military spending? Entitlements, despite the fact that they are paid for by earmarked taxes and have been in surplus since the Reagan administration, are always what economists put on the chopping bloc.

Where do the two schools stand on inflation vs. deflation? We don’t have to worry. Martin Feldstein, one of America’s pre-eminent economist says: “The good news is that investors should worry about neither.” His explanation epitomizes the insouciance of American economists.

Feldstein says that there cannot be inflation because of the high rate of unemployment and the low rate of capacity utilization. Thus, “there is little upward pressure on wages and prices in the United States.” Moreover, “the recent rise in the value of the dollar relative to the euro and British pound helps by reducing import costs.”

As for deflation, no risk there either. The huge deficits prevent deflation, “so the good news is that the possibility of significant inflation or deflation during the next few years is low on the list of economic risks faced by the U.S. economy and by financial investors.”

What we have in front of us is an unaware economics profession. There may be some initial period of deflation as stock and housing prices decline with the economy, which is headed down and not up. The deflation will be short lived, because as the government’s deficit rises with the declining economy, the prospect of financing a $2 trillion annual deficit evaporates once individual investors have completed their flight from the stock market into “safe” government bonds, once the hyped Greek, Spanish, and Irish crises have driven investors out of euros into dollars, and once the banks’ excess reserves created by the bailout have been used up in the purchase of Treasuries.

Then what finances the deficit? Don’t look for an answer from either side of The Great Stimulus Debate. They haven’t a clue despite the fact that the answer is obvious.

The Federal Reserve will monetize the federal government deficit. The result will be high inflation, possibly hyper-inflation and high unemployment simultaneously.

The no-think economics establishment has no policy response for economic armageddon, assuming they are even capable of recognizing it.

Economists who have spent their professional lives rationalizing “globalism” as good for America have no idea of the disaster that they have wrought.

Paul Craig Roberts was an editor of the Wall Street Journal and an Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. The economic critique in this column is powerfully laid out in his latest book, HOW THE ECONOMY WAS LOST, which has just been published by CounterPunch/AK Press. He can be reached at: PaulCraigRoberts@yahoo.com Read more...