Associated Press,  Fri Mar 16 22:08:18 EDT 2007

    FOSTER KLUG  -   Associated Press Writer  -              WASHINGTON (AP)  Sri Lanka's foreign minister urged U.S. officials on Friday to stop Tamil Tiger rebel groups he said were raising money in the United States to pay for continuing violence against his government.     
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- The Academic

Watched our foreign minister's interview on BBC Hardtalk. Pretty impressive performance.

May be the crossovers, jumbo cabinet and all were worth it in some ways.

Quite agree with Gampaha.  That was a brilliant Hard Talk interview.  Our FM showed he can give as well as take.  He has done his homework unlike other Ministers who cut a very sorry figure at interviews.

BBC Hardtalk interview Video.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsa/n5ctrl/progs/07/hardtalk/bogollagama_15mar.ram


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Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth. - Albert Einstein

Apparently Sooriarachi had been arrested.
Lets have more interesting news like this one.

Apparently Soori was going to expose the bribes taken by the Rajapakse brothers.May be Bogo will ask for US to fix it ,though they (US) are led by Evangelical Christians whom JVP/JHU hate!!!!!!

The arrest comes after Mr. Sooriyarachchi exposed an alleged scandal by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse, the brother of SL President, involving Rs.600 million in the purchase of Russian-made MIG fighter and weapons Courtesy BBC


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TRUTH IS OUT THERE

This man Bogollagama's interview is very good.    He fared very much better than Chandrika a couple of years ago where she embarrassed all Sri Lankans and the country by making stupid statements.   I wonder how Mangala would have done in Bogollagama's place??????

mudface wrote:

Apparently Sooriarachi had been arrested.
Lets have more interesting news like this one.

Why do we care about when something bad happen to a SL politician?
Shouldn't almost all of them be in jail anyway?

I consider this as a mad dog fight.


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"What is left when honor is lost?"

perl wrote:

mudface wrote:

Apparently Sooriarachi had been arrested.
Lets have more interesting news like this one.

Why do we care about when something bad happen to a SL politician?
Shouldn't almost all of them be in jail anyway?

I consider this as a mad dog fight.

You're right, most of them should be in jail. My problem is with the stated reasons, and the order in which they go to jail.


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"The degree of one's emotion varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts - the less you know the hotter you get." -- Bertrand Russell

I personally didnt see anything exceptional in the FM's conversation. If we are to compare him to some of his blundering predecessors, yes he came out looking like a level-headed person. But thats not saying much since all ministers should be level-headed to begin with. His main defense was show me proof... of all IDP numbers, government atrocities, etc. And then he talks about muslims who were forced out of Jaffna that the IC is not talking about. OK if he wants to talk about them...why are they still displaced. Hasn't Jaffna been under government control for over a decade. And if they dont feel safe going back, why havent they been settled elsewhere. Atleast some of them...there is no excuse for such a large number to be still in camps.

I dont expect compassion to be a strong trait in an FM but it would have looked a whole lot better if he atleast admitted mistakes were done and the administration is trying to rectify them. After denying most accusations outright, he says commisions have been appointed to look into others... but ended up with egg on his face when asked, "so who has been brought to justice". The unfortunate thing is that given the governments intransigence to correcting the abysmal human rights violations, there was not much he could have said other than lie. But the IC is only going to give so much time before they ask for 'proof of the investigations'.

I dont think the government won any fans over to its side...though, it could be argued through no fault of the FM.

The SL political leadership tied to each other strongly through a network of corruption.  Those who break code of (un)ethics will be prosecuted.


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"What is left when honor is lost?"

Interesting viewing but I too didn't find anything exceptional in his responses. He denied everything that was implied is taking place in SL when many of us know he isn't being very honest. I don't think it would hurt to accept there have been civilian casualties in the conflict which should be expected when fighting a war of this nature, and the SLA is doing everything they can to minimize casualty levels among civilians. As for the matter of refugees, the response could have been to accept those figures and say that camps are overwhelmed as people leave areas of fighting. The govt. is doing its best but much more can be done (ie. we're not perfect).

When it comes to the abductions there isnt a lot for the FM to fall back to - which is prolly why he was saying that stuff about investigations and proof over and over. Then questioning the statements of guys like Rourke who honestly don't have anything to gain from lying on his reports. But the truth is no investigations are being done and the govt doesn't even see the simple signs of wrongdoing that human rights agencies are seeing. Then he goes on about our good human rights record and well-being of the people.

He seriously did do more damage to this govt.'s image with his denials and "lack of proof" excuses. By not accepting any mistakes he's painted an image of the govt. which is both unrealistic and ridiculous.

Heres an interesting news item about Lucky Paramanathan, a Toronto resident who won $ 18 million in a lottery

http://www.thestar.com/News/article/194249

SL should get the Canadian authorities to keep tabs on where this cash goes.

Regardless of the lucky man's allegiences or intentions (of which I know nothing), the tiger fund-raising network is sure to ask for its share.

Tiger Tax (People & Power, Al Jazeera)
4 March 2007
News

Below is a broadcast from People & Power on Al Jazeera, subject is Tiger Tax.

Press the play-button on left bottom to watch the video and alter the volume level via the volume-button on the right bottom.

http://www.tamilaffairs.com/node/57



Tiger Tax (People & Power, Al Jazeera)
4 March 2007
News

Below is a broadcast from People & Power on Al Jazeera, subject is Tiger Tax.

Press the play-button on left bottom to watch the video and alter the volume level via the volume-button on the right bottom.

Tiger Tax (People & Power, Al Jazeera)

Up to 70,000 people have been killed during the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE's armed struggle for an independent homeland, 'Tamil Eelam', began in the late 1970s. Many of the minority Tamils in Sri Lanka felt that they had been discriminated against by the government since the country's independence from the British in 1948.


A photo of the LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, is held up at an event in London

The LTTE has become notorious for their use of suicide bombers and recruitment of child soldiers. However, the Sri Lankan government has also been heavily criticised for brutal human rights violations during the conflict.

Despite a ceasefire which was brokered in 2002, with help from Norway, tensions have escalated again since late 2005.Bloodshed on both sides has brought the country close to all out war once again.

Twenty years of conflict prompted huge numbers of Tamils to leave Sri Lanka, creating a Tamil diaspora which numbers up to 800,000 worldwide. This diaspora community became one of the critical sources of financial support for the LTTE. The UK was one of the countries in which the LTTE set up organisations to collect funds from Tamil householdsto send back to Sri Lanka.

The UK government banned the LTTE in 2001, labelling it a 'terrorist' organisation.However, the ban has not been heavily enforced and the LTTE has continued its fundraising activities in the UK.The situation is similar in a number of other Western countries.Nevertheless a number of Tamils feel that they are unable to publicly express their support for the LTTE in the UK, for fear of breaking the law by 'glorifying terrorism'.

Many diaspora Tamils willingly give money to the LTTE. However, Human Rights Watch, the international watchdog, says that others have been subject to intimidation, extortion and physical violence as the LTTE seeks to suppress criticism of its human rights abuses and to ensure a steady flow of income.

People & Power investigates the massive fundraising drive allegedly launched by the LTTE in London and elsewhere from late 2005 onwards, as violence intensified in the North and East of Sri Lanka. The programme speaks with Tamils in London who the LTTE has tried to pressurise into providing funding for the 'final war'.

The programme also speaks with Tamils in London who are beginning to publicly criticise the LTTE. They are calling upon the Metropolitan Police to clamp down on the LTTE's activities in the UK. However, they say that even in London they are not immune from repercussions for speaking out against the LTTE. People & Power reporter, Juliana Ruhfus, investigates.

Source: People & Power: Tiger Tax (Al Jazeera)


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"What is left when honor is lost?"

Quote:

Despite a ceasefire which was brokered in 2002 with help from Norway,
tensions have escalated again since late 2005.Bloodshed on both sides has brought the country close to all out war once again.

..thanks to Sungoat, Alibaba and brothers.