Meera Srinivasan in Sri Lanka and Kanishkaa Balachandran in Bengaluru have put together a video report for The Hindu on the plight of the Malayaha Tamils or Hill Country Tamils who work on the tea plantations of Central Sri Lanka.
As the poorest community in Sri Lanka, these workers of Indian origin have had to put up with harsh deprivations during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed.
The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), a polls monitor, will file two Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions at the Supreme Court (SC) against the relevant authorities for not holding the Provincial Council (PC) elections, and for not declaring the Local Government (LG) election within the required timeframe.
Speaking to The Morning on Tuesday (29), PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi noted that the fundamental rights of the people are being infringed when both the said elections are not held or declared within the required time period.
“When it comes to the LG election, it seems like it will not be declared on time, while the PC elections have not been held for the past three years now. Therefore, we have decided to take legal action within the next two weeks,” he added.
He further noted that even though the United National Front-led “yahapalana” (good governance) Government initially brought about an amendment on the women’s quota for nomination with a two-page document, when the Bill reached the second reading stage, it had increased up to 32 pages, with a completely new electoral system that the Delimitation Commission had to complete, which, however, it did not. Even the relevant Minister at that time did not agree with these delimitation-based amendments.
“The current Government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe is the third government that came to power after the ‘yahapalana’ Government. So far, all of the politicians have failed to proceed with the PC elections. They had to complete the delimitation and reverse the previous electoral system. That is why we have decided to file a FR petition for the PCs elections as well. There is evidently no preparation and intention to hold elections. Some PCs’ terms expired five years ago, while others expired three years ago. There are no elected representatives; they are operated by the President’s representatives,” he added.
Meanwhile, PAFFREL wrote to the Election Commission (EC) on Monday (28 November) claiming that it is unnecessary to seek the Attorney General’s (AG) opinion with regard to whether the EC can declare the conduct of the LG poll following the enactment of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution which holds that the EC should be reconstituted, but also provides for transitional provisions to be operative in the interim period, and pointed out that EC Chairmen in the past have held elections in such interim and transitional periods. Hettiarachchi queried as to why incumbent EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa cannot hold elections when former EC Chairmen Dayananda Dissanayake and Mahinda Deshapriya had held major elections in the past during such periods.
Also, the EC stated on Tuesday that while it had received the legal advice sought from the AG’s Department on whether it has the power to declare the LG election following the adoption of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, it is however not in a position to reveal the advice received, noting that a decision will be taken following internal discussions. Speaking to The Morning, Punchihewa emphasised that although the EC had sought advice from the AG’s Department, the advice received cannot be revealed even under the Right to Information Act, while adding that the EC would hold internal discussions to make the relevant decisions.
He also told The Morning earlier that a declaration regarding the date of the LG election will be made by the EC, in early next year (2023). He noted: “Our expectation is to hold the LG election before 20 March 2023.”
The President’s Media Division (PMD) today rejected the media reports claiming the President is planning to establish District Development Committees instead of Provincial Councils.
Recent media reports attributing a quote to the President stating that the Provincial Councils will be replaced with the District Development Committees is incorrect, the PMD said.
Issuing a statement, the PMD said President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s response in Parliament yesterday (29) has been reported by several media in such a way that the meaning is distorted.
During the ongoing Parliamentary budget debate responding to a statement by MP Maithripala Sirisena the President stated that the District Development Committees (DDCs) will be established within the Provincial Councils. The DDCs will provide a platform for coordination between the Government, the Provincial Councils and the Local Governments for all executive decisions. This will ensure the process is not duplicated and will reduce financial wastage.
Apart from that, the President has not made any statement about the dissolution of provincial councils, the PMD stressed.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian has welcomed Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry’s strong rebuttal to the narrative about the so-called Chinese “debt trap” in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to reporters on Monday (28), he reiterated that China’s assistance to Sri Lanka is never attached with any political strings, and it never seeks any selfish political gains in China’s investment and financing in Sri Lanka.
China fully relates to the difficulties and challenges faced by Sri Lanka and supports relevant financial institutions in discussing with Sri Lanka and properly resolving them. We have all along provided support to Sri Lanka’s socioeconomic development as long as our ability permits,: he added.
“This year marks the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations, and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact. It is of great significance of building on past achievements and working for fresh progress. China will work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the traditional friendship, cement strategic mutual trust, deepen and expand practical cooperation, and consolidate and expand China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership to better deliver benefits to the two countries and the two peoples,” he also noted.
Source: News 1st
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says President Ranil Wickremesinghe did not obstruct Tamils who commemorated the victims of the war.
The Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa Governments have often blocked such attempts.
However, TNA MP and TELO Leader Selvam Adaikalanathan told Parliament today that several events were held yesterday to commemorate the victims of the war.
However, he said that apart from a few incidents, most events were held without any obstructions.
The MP hailed President Ranil Wickremesinghe for allowing the events to take place and give reconciliation a chance.
The suspect linked to the Easter Sunday attacks, who was out on bail, was murdered in Colombo, in broad daylight, today.
The 38-year-old man was stabbed by unknown individuals in Mattakkuliya this morning.
According to the Police, the assailants had arrived in a car and carried out the crime.
The victim was rushed to the Colombo National Hospital but was pronounced dead in hospital.
Source: Colombo Gazette
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written to Indian External Affairs S. Jaishankar seeking his intervention after the Sri Lanka Navy arrested another 24 Indian fishermen.
The Sri Lanka Navy said that the Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard conducted a special operation in the Northern waters to chase away Indian trawlers from Sri Lanka’s waters last evening.
The operation led to the seizure of 05 Indian trawlers with 24 Indian fishermen, poaching in the island’s waters off the Kovilan Lighthouse, Kareinagar, Jaffna, the Navy said in a statement.
The trawlers and the 24 Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and were handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings.
The Navy said it has detained 35 Indian trawlers and arrested 252 Indian fishermen during operations conducted so far this year.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin wrote to Indian External Affairs S. Jaishankar and requested him to urge the Sri Lanka Navy not to arrest Indian fishermen
Stalin also sought the early release of all the Indian fishermen and the release of the boats in Sri Lankan custody.
Source: Colombo Gazette
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said Russia is a reliable friend who consistently stands for Sri Lanka’s sovereignty at international forums.
Welcoming the new Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan, who called on him at the Prime Minister’s Office, he recalled the Soviet support to industrialisation of Sri Lanka setting up steel factory at Oruwela and tyre factory in Kelaniya decades ago. The Prime Minister also mentioned about the scholarships offered to Sri Lanka at Lumumba and Moscow universities for hundreds of Sri Lankan students who serve the nation now. The Ambassador assured the Prime Minister that Russia would extend its fullest support to Sri Lanka’s economic progress in every field.
They held detailed discussions on potential for Russian large scale investments in Sri Lanka.
Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake was also present at this discussion.
Source:
People in the North and East tend to leave the country due to the dire economic situation where some have gone to Tamil Nadu, Vietnam and Ukraine in the last six months.
He told Parliament that some 302 Tamils have fled to Vietnam and seven to Ukraine.
He said 85 of those in Vietnam have agreed to come back and said the Ministry would facilitate their return.
Responding to a remark made by Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikkalanathan, the minister said a publicity mechanism was needed to educate the people in the North and East on the dangers of seeking refugee status and not to get caught to human trafficking.
“We want to inform them, if they go on refugee status or on a wrong passport and get caught to trafficking, they will have to suffer,” he said.
Written by Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera
Sri Lanka’s export earnings in October 2022 drops 8.18 percent to 1,094 million dollars compared to the same period last year due to a decrease in earnings from apparels, eat, rubber, coconuts as the key export market are going high inflation and an energy crisis.
“This was mainly due to the decrease in export earnings from Apparel & Textiles, Tea, Rubber based Products, Coconut based Products, Spices & Essential Oils and Fisheries sector. Further, the impact of global crisis also affecting to decrease export earnings of major products,” Exports Development Board said in it’s report.
In the ten months to October, exports were up 9.33 percent to 11 billion US dollars.
“For the next six months, there is a very low number of orders,” a senior official at EDB told Economy Next.
“Hence the currency coming in is a little bit low but based on the trend it is like one billion a month during these last ten months and up to October, we have received over 10 billion of export revenue and first being the apparel.”
Sri Lanka is currently in the worst currency crisis in the history of the island’s soft-pegged central bank with the rupee collapsing from 200 to 360 in a failed attempt to float the currency (suspend convertibility) with a surrender rule in place.
At 370 the surrender rule and dollars sales continue.
Exports of Apparel & Textiles fell 13.19 percent to 441.89 million dollars in October 2022.
Tea exports in October fell 0.76 percent to 108.7 million US dollars.
“We have to be very agile these days because markets are changing and our traditional markets, especially the western markets going forward might be disrupted a little more,” another official at EDB said.
“So we have to now look at alternate markets because there is a global disruption in exports and imports and the only way out is to find other markets.”
Export earnings from Rubber based products have decreased by by 6.10 percent to 86.3 million dollars, EDB said exports of pneumatic & Retreated Rubber Tyres & Tubes did not perform well.
Coconut products fell 7.12 percent to 72.41 million dollars.
Export of Seafood dipped by 20 percent to 19.56 million dollars. Crabs exports have done well, EDB said.
Source: Economy Next
