An Indian-born physicist, Basab Dasgupta, residing in the US, tells us in his article published on this page today that his seat of higher learning in India became a breeding ground for the Naxalite movement in the late 1960s; it faced a prolonged closure, and its prestige and reputation suffered as a result. He draws some parallels between the ongoing Gaza protests in universities across the US, and the situation he experienced in India, more than half a century ago. He points out that such protracted disturbances could take their toll on US universities. His observations, in our book, bear relevance to Sri Lanka, where universities are characterised by frequent boycotts of lectures, strikes by teachers and non-academic workers, closures, inhuman ragging, violent clashes among rival student groups, etc.
As for frequent disruptions that Sri Lankan universities have to contend with, the main culprits are the JVP and its off-shoot, the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP). One may recall that in the late 1980s, the JVP disrupted not only universities but also schools in the name of its campaign against ‘Indian expansionism’, the introduction of the 13th Amendment, which paved the way for devolution, and the establishment of the Provincial Councils.
It coined a catchy slogan for its campaign: Palamuwa Mawbima, devanuwa igenuma/upadiya (‘Motherland first, education/degree second’). Democratic dissent was brutally crushed in universities, and even children in primary classes of state-run schools were made to protest against the Provincial Councils! Universities faced frequent closures, and hapless undergraduates lost more than two years altogether.
State universities in Sri Lanka are in the clutches of ultra-radical political groups, and there is no guarantee that they will not be hotbeds of violent politics. This is one of people’s main concerns, which the JVP in the NPP’s clothing ought to address if it is to allay fears and suspicions in the public mind. The JVP remains cadre-based and ideologically-driven to all intents and purposes although it is thought to have shown some signs of being transformed into a mass-based political entity during the past several years.
Some political analysts’ claim that the JVP could revert to its old ways is not baseless, as evident from the spree of retaliatory violence we witnessed in the aftermath of a brutal SLPP goon attack on the Galle Face protesters in May 2022.
Meanwhile, a recent statement made by JVP stalwart Lal Kantha has created quite a stir. Critics of the JVP have used it to bolster their claim that JVP cadres might take the law into their own hands in the event of capturing state power. Lal Kantha said something to the effect that under a JVP/NPP government, the people in villages would be able to exercise some judicial powers. The JVP has a history of conducting kangaroo trials and executing its rivals mostly for defying its illegal orders in the late 1980s.
It is therefore only natural that the statement at issue has caused so much concern. Is it that the JVP is contemplating the establishment of something like India’s Panchayat Raj or the system of self-governance, in rural areas? But Panchayats are without judicial powers.
In August 2010, the Indian Supreme Court (SC) reportedly held that the verdicts of village Panchayats were devoid of legal sanctity. It said so, handing out a ruling in a case where a Panchayat had granted divorce to a soldier. It reversed the divorce decree. So, the JVP owes an explanation to the public about its plan to vest villagers with judicial powers.
Dasgupta argues that if the big-name universities in the US lose their glamour due to current unrest with smart students who usually attend them opting for other universities, there could eventually be some equity in education. One may go along with his argument where America’s prestigious universities and the impact of prolonged protests thereon are concerned, but trouble in universities has brought about a different scenario in Sri Lanka, where frequent closures of state universities, etc., have led to an expansion of private higher education institutions and a huge increase in the demand for overseas education. Sadly, this is something the self-proclaimed defenders of free education, who unflinchingly disrupt universities to compass their political ends, have chosen to turn a blind eye to.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued a condolence message on the demise of Spiritual Father of Believer’s Eastern Church His Holiness Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan Bishop on His departing to Glory & Eternal Rest in America Texas on 08 May, 2024.
The text of the message: I hereby convey my sincere heartfelt and Deepest Condolences to Spiritual Father of Believer’s Eastern Church His Holiness Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan Bishop on His departing to Glory & Eternal Rest in America Texas on 08th May, 2024.
The loss and vacuum His Holiness leaves is irreplaceable as the vast and great tasks performed to build peoples’ lives, Churches and mass Revival in our nation Sri Lanka and throughout the world. Specifically, the humanitarian aid and support rendered to all humanity during the worst natural disasters and financial aid during the economic crisis in our country needs to be mentioned as His Holiness took upon himself all these burdens and gave relief to all concerned which is a rare quality in only a few human beings like His Holiness. The Tsunami in 2004, economic crisis in 2019 and devastating floods in 2017 are some key events which took place in Sri Lanka to mention few and all obstacles were overcome and relief given to all citizens because of the compassionate and loving heart of our dearly respected and loved Metropolitan Bishop.
We will forever feel this great loss in our hearts, in every home and in our nation but will always remember the blessed deeds and words of His Holiness never to be forgotten and May His Departed Soul Rest in Eternal Peace.”
The Navy and Special Task Force (STF) arrested a person at Kalladi on Saturday (11) after detecting 1,440 tablets of a potent painkiller in his car. This prescription drug is abused by drug addicts, according to the police.Navy headquarters said that the suspect, identified as a 32-year-old resident of Batticaloa, along with stock of the painkiller tables ,and his car, had been handed over to the Batticaloa police for further investigations.
by Dr Upul Wijayawardhana
Reading Shamindra Ferdinando’s excellent article, titled, ‘Solheim is back’ (The Island, 8 May) makes one wonder whether a new viceroy is in town! For reasons best known to himself, Ranil appointed Erik Solheim as his advisor on climate change; being one of the first appointments Ranil made after being elected by parliament to complete the balance of GR presidency. Shamindra, quite rightly, points out that Solheim should stick to his climate change brief than trying to issue statements on many other issues.
He is obviously attempting to rake up issues of the failed Norwegian peace process and as pointed out by Shamindra, Solheim acted more as an agent of the LTTE than an honest broker for peace. He misled the Sri Lankan government attaching an invincibility to Tigers. It is not Solheim that ensured peace but the triumvirate of Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka, who by their joint effort convincingly defeated a ruthless terrorist group. Why should Solheim be allowed to sneak back?
In fact, I would go a step further than Shamindra and question whether Solheim should even be a presidential advisor on climate change. Considering his record on climate change, which I would come to later, is he qualified to hold such a position? Even more important is the question whether the president needs such an advisor, at all, urgently.
There is no question that what needs addressing is the economy. True, Ranil has steadied the ship but what seems to be the position now is that the ship is not sinking but is not sailing! What Ranil needs to concentrate is how to get our economy moving in the right direction so that we may escape the economic enslavement. Climate change can wait. Considering these facts, it is pretty obvious that Ranil is just helping an old chum to gain some credibility.
Even if a climate change advisor is needed, is Solheim the right person? On paper, he has some claims. After all, he was the Minister of Environment, in addition to being the Minister of International Development of the Norwegian government from 2005 to 2012. From 2013 to 2016 he chaired the OECD Development Assistance Committee. The most relevant appointment was his being the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) from 2016 to 2018 but it is noteworthy that he was forced to resign from this post.
It is pertinent to examine “Why Solheim was asked by the Secretary-General of the UN to resign from the post of Executive Director of UNEP?”
In a piece published in The Guardian of 21 September 2018, Damian Carrington, environment editor, stated the following:
“The globe-trotting travels of the UN’s environment chief have been sharply criticised in a draft internal audit as “contrary to the ethos of carbon emission reduction”.
Erik Solheim, executive director of UN Environment, was travelling for 529 out of the 668 days audited, spending $488,518 (£370,380), according to the report. The audit also said he had “no regard for abiding by the set regulations and rules” and claimed unjustified expenses.
The development comes amid growing concern among some UN Environment officials, with sources claiming his “haphazard and dictatorial management style” has “already made us dysfunctional in many respects”.
Solheim told the Guardian he had already paid back money for instances of oversight and made changes where other rules had been broken. He said he could not comment in detail on the audit until it was completed and published: “If any other mistakes are found, we will immediately correct them.”
Responding to staff concern over his leadership of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), he said: “To secure unprecedented environmental action, we need to change, as individuals, as society, indeed as the UN. No one is immune to the difficulty that type of systemic change often brings.”
The draft audit, leaked to the Guardian, was compiled by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and will be finalised after responses from the individuals named. It is particularly critical of Solheim’s frequent flying, which included a weekend trip from the US to France and back.
“The extensive travel patterns of [Solheim] did not set an example for the rest of the staff to follow,” it said. “In 2011 … the secretary general stated that ‘What we demand of others, we must do ourselves’. Such extensive travel therefore presents a reputation risk to the organization, especially [given] that UNEP is supposed to be the lead on sustainable environment matters.”
It also said UNEP, unlike several other UN organisations, did not have policies and incentives for staff to reduce their carbon emissions. In August, Solheim told a Norwegian aviation magazine, people should not have a “guilty conscience” about flying and said he held gold frequent flyer cards at all three major airline alliances.”
Following the leak of this report, a number of countries including Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands and Japan temporarily halted contributions to UNEP threatening its viability and UN had to take action. On 20 November 2018, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres accepted Solheim’s resignation, after asking him to step down.
This clearly shows that Solheim is a hypocrite who attempted to save the environment by clocking air-miles at UN expense! Do we need advisors of this calibre? When we have enough crooks of our own why import?
Why Solheim? We need an answer.
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will visit Sri Lanka, alongside his travel to India and Bangladesh from May 10 -15. According to the US State Department, his trip will strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Concluding his visit to India, Assistant Secretary Lu will visit Colombo, during which he will engage with officials from across the political spectrum and deepen the United States’ partnership with Sri Lanka. In his meetings, he will reaffirm the United States’ support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, as well as the importance of a robust civil society as a cornerstone of a free and democratic society.
from The Island https://ift.tt/91NjLCJ
