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Saturday December 2nd, 2023

Discrimination against minorities what is the endgame?

#Stopforcedcremations – Demonstrations against the forced cremations of Muslims who die of Covid have popped up across the North and East

ECONOMYNEXT – Parliamentarian Harin Fernando’s now-famous speech delivered last week was, in many ways, a reflection of the deep anguish religious and ethnic minorities are dealing with the overtly discriminatory attitudes of the authorities.

In his role as the enfant terrible of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, Fernando spoke primarily of the fallacy of the government’s slogan of “one country one law” and drew the ire of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa himself.

But Fernando also went on to make a more important point that the religious and ethnic minorities have to accept a subject-hood under the Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarian rule in this country.

He told Parliament that “when (Cricketer) Fairooz Maharoof hits a six, we all applauded, when Mutthiah Muralidaran took 800 wickets we lit firecrackers, but could either of them be appointed captain of the national Cricket team? The answer, he said is ‘No, because of their ethnicity.”

“We are all Sri Lankans who have different beliefs. I am a Roman Catholic Sri Lankan and (pointing to Justice Minister Ali Sabry) you are a Sri Lankan Muslim.”

This subject-hood is being reinforced by none other than the Catholic Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith who has said that Buddhism is “the greatest gift that Sri Lanka has received” when he spoke at the Payagala Buddhist temple on January 2.

He has on previous occasions too, implied that we the minorities must live under the benign Buddhist tent totally accepting the subject-hood of the Roman Catholics to the Sinhala Buddhist state.

Constitutionalist Dr Asanga Welikala recently commenting on the detention of leading lawyer Hijaz Hizbullah tweeted that he is a victim of “institutionalized discrimination.”

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Riling up the Tamils

Bulldozer tears apart war memorial in Jaffna/Twitter.com

Students of the Jaffna University, Human Rights activists and political leaders have been protesting throughout the weekend, the destruction of a monument for the people who died in the separatist war, erected at the University.

The monument, built by the University Council in 2019, had been bulldozed on the orders of Vice-Chancellor Prof S Srisatkunarajah who says he was “pressured by the University Grants Commission (UGC)” to do so.

Columnist Ananth Palakidnar told EconomyNext that the structure, dubbed the Mullivaikkal monument, had no reference to LTTE fighters nor did it glorify them.

“It only remembered those who died in the final fighting, which included a number of students in the University,” he said.

The UGC Chairman, Senior Prof Sampath Amarathunge in a statement released on Saturday said the monument was removed because it is not “suitable for the Sri Lanka of today and tomorrow.”

He added that the memorial “could be a barrier to peace between North and South,” emphasizing that Sri Lanka’s universities now have a healthy mix of students from all regions and all ethnicities and religious backgrounds.

While the authorities may seek to indicate unity amongst the people, this incident only helped bring disparate Tamil political groups together to protest the destruction of the monument.

Palakidnar observed that “it has given these activists a cause again.”

It also caused the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress to call on its supporters across the North and East to stand together with their Tamil brethren and oppose the destruction of the monument.

However, by Monday the University authorities appeared to have second thoughts and the Vice-Chancellor has promised to rebuild the monument. Whether this is a ploy to stave off the wave of protests or not, is a matter left to be seen.

Muslims pushed to the wall

The most egregious example of minority bashing that we are experiencing right now is the issue of the compulsory cremation of the remains of people who die of Covid 19.

Despite assurances by expert committees that the virus cannot spread when the affected individual dies, and the WHO guidelines permitting burial, and close to 200 other countries burying their Covid 19 dead, Sri Lanka will not budge.

Various “Expert Committees” have been appointed to advise the government on the cremation issue and as far as the World Health Organisation, the College of Community Medicine of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) and the Committee led by Prof Jennifer Perera are concerned burial is safe.

Prof Malik Peiris, a world-renowned expert on the virus has pronounced that once dead, a cadaver cannot transmit a virus and Prof Tissa Vitharana, a member of the current administration agrees.

Vitharana too is a well-known Virologist, who has headed institutions in Edinburgh, Melbourne and the Medical Research Institute in Sri Lanka. Despite all that, he claims he has never been consulted on managing the pandemic.

For Muslims to whom burying their dead is of utmost importance as part of the duties toward the dead, this attitude of the government is deeply traumatizing. They now seem to have reached the end of their tether, where an unflinching government continues to ride roughshod over the pleas of the Muslims. Their attempt for relief through the Judiciary never got a hearing.

For a short while, it seemed the government was waffling and groping in the dark, having run out of ideas even as the pandemic shows no signs of abating. The one thing that is clear is the devastating effect it has had on lives and livelihoods, and here too the government seems to ignore the plight of daily wage earners and low-income families who are placed in lockdown and complain they have little or no access to getting their daily needs.

In North America, the term waffling means someone is struggling to make a decision with no clue what to do.

At the beginning of the pandemic, no less a person than Dr Anil Jasinghe said burials would not be an issue. However, soon after a Gazette notification said only cremations will be allowed. This is not an issue that affects only Muslims, as for all communities that follow Abrahamic religions, burial is the accepted method. Cremation was permitted for Catholics only in 1963 and only under special circumstances.

Those of Abrahamic faiths such as Muslims and Christians believe in the resurrection “on the day of judgement” and therefore place much importance in ensuring that bodies are buried intact.

For those of the animist tradition, usually among aborigines, including the Veddas or to use the Hindi term Adivasis of Sri Lanka returning one’s body on death to Mother Earth is an offering where the remains will help a new life flourish.

What seems to be happening is that the administration is unable to stand firm against an onslaught from the majority Buddhist groups, who helped the government to win power, and is now vehemently opposing burials.

That is baffling, as the people believed they were electing a strong and decisive leader, one who led the nation to victory in the war against separatist forces. What’s more, the administration has the backing and advice of those described to be the brightest minds in the country, members of Viyath Maga.

There are two current situations where ethnic and religious minorities are now compelled to accept subject-hood. The Muslims like it or not they must cremate those of their community who succumb to Covid 19, while the Tamils cannot memorialize their dead. It seems that a benign attitude towards remembering the dead is applied only to Sinhalese.

In her most recent pronouncement in Parliament, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said that the Prof Perera-led committee was “not official and the decision has to be made by the main committee headed by Pathologist Dr Channa Perera.” This, despite there being a letter issued by the Secretary of Health, appointing the Perera committee!

“When faced with such a serious pandemic situation we cannot take actions based on the social or political feelings of groups, but have to be guided by science,” she said.

But the science, according to the three main professional bodies, the CCPSL, the Perera committee and top international experts including the WHO runs against the Minister’s decision. What’s more, the Perera –led committee is made up of eminent scientists.

Such deliberate disregard to scientific opinion is yet another example of institutionalized discrimination Welikala talks about.

Such anti-minority policies and actions need an explanation. Why is the government hell-bent on creating more discontent when it is already battling the negative effects of the pandemic, a failing economy and rising unemployment?

Supporters of the administration, university lecturers no less argue that it is far more important to save the living than the dead. They insist the virus will contaminate water while overlooking the many instances, where the living have been placed in danger when attending political gatherings and funerals and most recently the jostling crowds wanting to get their hands on the ‘miracle paniya.’

Of course, it goes without saying that the current government and all those in their ranks are masters in the art of distracting the masses!

Another question is whether ultra-right-wing supremacists are influencing policy.

For most people who are looking for answers are trying to figure out the government’s end-game. Where is it headed with this?

Last week, Vice President of the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka, Hilmy Ahamed told EconomyNext that he believes the government wants to “radicalize the Muslim youth and push them to do something rash.”

An unsettling thought indeed!

For his part, Ahamed says he has pleaded with Muslim parents to talk to their children and to pray that such a situation could be averted.

In the case of the University memorial, protesters have been calmed down, for now, with a promise of building a new one. Then why demolish the other in the first place?

All in all, it is clear this administration supports the idea of subject-hood of the other. What it plans to gain, is left to be seen.

(Colombo, January 11, 2021)

By Arjuna Ranawana

Comments (3)

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  1. MdC says:

    Maybe the Buddhists are in want of more land, cemeteries, to sell to the new colonizers funnelling yuan to their greedy masters?

  2. Sam says:

    Very good analysis of what is happening in Sri Lanka.

    All Sri Lankans will pay the price if this trend continues.

  3. M.A Sona says:

    Please understand this is the country of the Sinhala, by the Sinhala for the Sinhala. We accept others also like our land and may want to stay with us. But let there be no doubt who owns this country. Many wars have been fought to take our land from us, but we have prevailed. Various foreign-funded NGOs like EconomyNext better be careful with what they say

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  1. MdC says:

    Maybe the Buddhists are in want of more land, cemeteries, to sell to the new colonizers funnelling yuan to their greedy masters?

  2. Sam says:

    Very good analysis of what is happening in Sri Lanka.

    All Sri Lankans will pay the price if this trend continues.

  3. M.A Sona says:

    Please understand this is the country of the Sinhala, by the Sinhala for the Sinhala. We accept others also like our land and may want to stay with us. But let there be no doubt who owns this country. Many wars have been fought to take our land from us, but we have prevailed. Various foreign-funded NGOs like EconomyNext better be careful with what they say

Sri Lanka bondholders seek official creditor deals, says slow progress on talks

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s bondholder group has called for sharing terms of agreements-in-principle made with China and Paris Club led creditors, and said that no “substantive” negotiations have taken place so far.

“The Group finds it regrettable that there remains such a significant lack of transparency on the part of official sector creditors despite the Group’s efforts so far to act as a constructive counterparty,” the representative group of bondholder said in a statement.

“The Group has expressed support for Sri Lanka’s efforts since February 2023, has been forthcoming and transparent with official stakeholders at every stage of the process, and has repeatedly made efforts to engage with the Sri Lankan authorities and its advisors in good faith.

“Transparency between creditors is critical for the private sector to reach an agreement compliant with the parameters of Sri Lanka’s IMF programme’s first review, and one that provides fair and equitable debt treatment.

“Unfortunately, no substantive engagement has taken place between Sri Lanka and its private creditors to date.”

Some official sources indicate that the focus was on getting over the official creditor hurdle.

Sri Lanka rejected an initial proposal by bondholders for restructured bonds linked to the performance of dollar gross domestic product.

The full statement is reproduced below:

Ad Hoc Group of Bondholders statement on progress in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring

The Ad Hoc Group of Bondholders (the “Group”) of the Republic of Sri Lanka (“Sri Lanka”) notes the statements released by the Official Creditor Committee (“OCC”) and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Finance on November 29, 2023 on the agreement-inprinciple (“AiP”) reached between Sri Lanka and the OCC. The Group welcomes progress on the restructuring of official claims, as uncertainty around the treatment of these claims has hindered Sri Lanka’s recovery.

At this point, the terms of the AiP reached between the Sri Lankan authorities and the OCC on the one hand, and China Exim Bank, an official sector creditor, on the other hand on October 11, 2023, have not been shared. The Group finds it regrettable that there remains such a significant lack of transparency on the part of official sector creditors despite the Group’s efforts so far to act as a constructive counterparty.

Transparency between creditors is critical for the private sector to reach an agreement compliant with the parameters of Sri Lanka’s IMF programme’s first review, and one that provides fair and equitable debt treatment.

The Group has expressed support for Sri Lanka’s efforts since February 2023, has been forthcoming and transparent with official stakeholders at every stage of the process, and has repeatedly made efforts to engage with the Sri Lankan authorities and its advisors in good faith.

Unfortunately, no substantive engagement has taken place between Sri Lanka and its private creditors to date.

The Group remains committed to reaching an agreement with the Sri Lankan authorities as quickly as possible to find a sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s debt challenges as they relate to the international bond debt.

The Group is advised by Rothschild & Co and White & Case LLP as financial and legal advisors, respectively.

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With criticism, Sri Lanka leader strongly pushes for CJF, investment in TB at COP28

ECONOMYNECT – Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe strongly pushed for a Climate Justice Forum (CJF) and investments in Tropical Belt and criticised the slow action against climate change-led disasters at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai.

This year’s climate summit features a raft of issues for countries working to find common ground in tackling climate change, including whether to phase out fossil fuels and how to finance the energy transition in developing countries.

Wickremesinghe speaking on Friday said Sri Lankans are already feeling the impact.

“Sri Lanka is experiencing a palpable rise in ambient temperature; continuous gray skies; heavy rains that are not seasonal; lightning and thunderstorms; and as a consequence, flooding of riverbanks and earth slips in the mountains,” he told the gathering.

“Let me reiterate, each year, the costs of mitigating these recurring calamities in terms of lives, livelihoods, displacement destruction, rebuilding is an additional burden on our thinly-stretched economies.”

“Remember, the developing countries are both disproportionately vulnerable and disproportionately impacted – due to their lower adaptive capacity when it comes to investments in Finance, Technology and Climate.”

Here is the full text of Sri Lanka President Wickremesinghe’s speech at the COP 28: 

Mr. President

Excellencies

Esteemed Delegates

At the outset let me congratulate the Government of the United Arab Emirates for hosting COP28 and extend to you my gratitude for your warm hospitality.

It was in 1972 the world first focused on the environment -The UN Conference on Human Environment which enunciated the goal of defending and improving the environment for present and future generations.

50 years later, the Stockholm+50 Report concluded that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires rapid and large-scale reduction of carbon emissions.

The UNEP Report of 2023 “Broken Promises” warned that we are facing a 3 degree Celcius increase in global temperatures by the end of the century.

We are already feeling the impact. Sri Lanka is experiencing a palpable rise in ambient temperature; continuous gray skies; heavy rains that are not seasonal; lightning and thunderstorms; and as a consequence, flooding of riverbanks and earth slips in the mountains.

Let me reiterate, each year, the costs of mitigating these recurring calamities in terms of lives, livelihoods, displacement destruction, rebuilding is an additional burden on our thinly-stretched economies.

Remember, the developing countries are both disproportionately vulnerable and disproportionately impacted – due to their lower adaptive capacity when it comes to investments in Finance, Technology and Climate.

The Independent High-Level Expert Group Report on Climate Finance highlighted that at least a US$ Trillion per annum is required to combat climate change.

At the last COP held in Egypt, we agreed to establish the “Loss and Damages Fund”.

However, the Transitional Committee on the Operationalisation of Funding Arrangements in its Report of 4th November 2023 only calls for voluntary contributions.  

The Report makes no mention of the funds needed or who the contributors are. It is silent on the issue of global debt relief.

Nevertheless, four days later, the Technical Dialogue of the First Global Stocktake highlighted the requirements of a minimum of US$ trillion per annum. To arrive at a consensus not to take up a contentious issue is not a solution. Who are we fooling?

We are denied climate justice. In this background, Sri Lanka will propose a resolution for a Climate Justice Forum which was agreed upon at the 5th Forum of the Ministers of Environmental Authorities of Asia Pacific to be moved at the UN Environment Assembly of 6thFebruary 2024.

The Climate Justice Forum will provide us a platform for constructive and proactive engagements.

Since 1972, the Brussels Group has been fighting a rearguard action on climate change mitigation. This forum will give us an opportunity to address their genuine concerns.

To address the issue   of ensuring that the tax payers monies are not wasted.

As the Secretary General of the UN said, “the era of global boiling has arrived”.

The enemy is at the gates. We are still procrastinating. We are still forming our battalions to take the fight to the enemy.

Therefore, this fortnight is critical.

It will determine whether we are capable of providing leadership to mitigate climate crisis or not. Sri Lanka is committed to the 1.5 degree Celcius limit.

We must act immediately to find effective solutions. We must think outside of the box. We must Invest in the Tropical Belt to tackle the Triple Planetary Crisis.

The Tropical Belt constitutes 134 countries covering 44% of earth’s surface, and will by 2030s be home to roughly 50% of world’s population.

Most of the world’s remaining primary forests are tropical, along with its coral reef systems.

The rich biodiversity of the Tropical Belt enhances biological carbon sequestration andcan shield the world from instabilities inweather.

Furthermore, the energy generation potential from solar, wind and biomass are significantly higher in the tropics than that of other areas on the earth.

Yet, anthropogenic activities  

human activities that cause

pollution – in the Tropical Belt can easily lead to an imbalance in the equilibrium of this region.

So much so that some scientists predict that the  Tropical Rain Belt could shift away from the Equator by the 22nd Century.

Large scale investments in Renewable Energy, Pollution Control and Nature-based Solutions. Eg. Protection, restoration and improved management of forests, wetlands, grasslands etc. will lead to significant transformative changes in the entire world by enhancing carbon sequestration.

Therefore, Sri Lanka and other concerned parties will convene a panel to report on the Tropical Belt Initiative.

A multi sector plan distributed not only among the whole tropical region but the whole world.

As the current Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Sri Lanka is focusing on the interdependence between the Indian Ocean and climate change.

A healthy ocean generates oxygen and absorbs the carbon and heat produced from global warming. Mangroves and seagrasses sink more carbon than land forests. However, rapid climate change is altering the marine environment with rising sea levels and temperatures, Ocean acidification, coral bleaching, habitat destruction and extreme weather patterns.

These phenomenon have a direct impact on human lives by disrupting ocean biodiversity, Ocean dependent food patterns, and coastal livelihoods.

Member states and partners of IORA will work towards ensuring a sustainable, inclusive and people-centered Blue Economy to secure the Indian Ocean for future generations.

The Tropical Belt and the Indian Ocean combined will form the largest global sink for carbon sequestration.

Addressing the climate change need, up to date scientific knowledge, and the effective use of these findings

Therefore, at COP27, I proposed to establish an International Climate Change University (ICCU) to  

concentrate on post graduate studies – The ICCU objectives are capacity building and advancing research – necessary to contribute to the crucial efforts to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The ICCU will also serve as a futuristic “Centre for Excellence” in policy dialogue and advocacy on climate change.

The ICCU is critical for generating knowledge on the trans-disciplinary issues that is crucial for Climate Change Mitigation. i.e. for the survival of our planet. (Colombo/Dec 1/2023)

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Sri Lanka, India leaders meet at COP-28, discuss issues

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dubai on the sidelines of the COP-28 global climate summit.

Modi tweeted Friday December 01 afternoon that it was “wonderful to connect and discuss various issues” with Wickremesinghe.

The run-in occurred amid ongoing discussions between the two South Asian nations on separate agreements on investment and trade. Wickremesinghe told this week’s Sri Lanka Economic Summit in Colombo that an attempt to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has been hit by a lack of rules to admit new members.

Sri Lanka was earlier attempting to have a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which was scuttled by economic nationalists during the previous Rajapaksa administration.

“We have recommenced the talks with India,” President Wickremesinghe said on Wednesday November 29 at the economic summit organised by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

“Earlier it was to be one. It has told us … they want one separate one on investment, and one separate one on trade. The investment one I think will take off first,” he said.

Related:

Sri Lanka eyeing investment only deal with India, RCEP hits roadblock: President

 

(Colombo/Dec01/2023)

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