Betrayal of the Sinhalese by the Treacherous Perfidious Sinhalese Leadership.
Mangala violated collective Cabinet responsibility: JO
The joint opposition today urged President Maithripala Sirisena to take action against Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera whom it accused of violating the collective responsibility of the Cabinet.
Joint opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardane told a media briefing held at parliamentary complex that Mr Samaraweera had challenged the President through his recent statement that the non-inclusion of foreign judges in the judicial mechanism to probe human rights violations was an opinion expressed by the President.
“President is the head of the government and therefore has the power to appoint the cabinet. He announced the stand of the government with regard to foreign judges. However, the Minister expressed a different opinion and therefore it is a violation of collective responsibility of the Cabinet," he said.
MP Dallas Alhaperuma who spoke about the shadow cabinet said its purpose of was to monitor the work of the minister. “Shadow cabinet is a common concept in politics but the shadow cabinet of ours is different as we will be monitoring the work of the ministers" he said.
MP Bandula Gunawardhane who revealed the latest plans of the joint opposition with regard to VAT said a petition will be filled in courts against the VAT Amendment Bill which was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake last morning.
"The government had actually bulldozed Parliament by increasing VAT even before the Bill was passed" he said.
(Yohan Perera and Kelum Bandara)
www.dailymirror.lk
Joint opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardane told a media briefing held at parliamentary complex that Mr Samaraweera had challenged the President through his recent statement that the non-inclusion of foreign judges in the judicial mechanism to probe human rights violations was an opinion expressed by the President.
“President is the head of the government and therefore has the power to appoint the cabinet. He announced the stand of the government with regard to foreign judges. However, the Minister expressed a different opinion and therefore it is a violation of collective responsibility of the Cabinet," he said.
MP Dallas Alhaperuma who spoke about the shadow cabinet said its purpose of was to monitor the work of the minister. “Shadow cabinet is a common concept in politics but the shadow cabinet of ours is different as we will be monitoring the work of the ministers" he said.
MP Bandula Gunawardhane who revealed the latest plans of the joint opposition with regard to VAT said a petition will be filled in courts against the VAT Amendment Bill which was presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake last morning.
"The government had actually bulldozed Parliament by increasing VAT even before the Bill was passed" he said.
(Yohan Perera and Kelum Bandara)
www.dailymirror.lk
1987 JR mama kala Rata-Jatiya Indiyawata Pavadiime itiritikath Sampurnakarana Ranil Bena 1987
Sudath Gunasekara President Mahanuwara Sinhala Jestha Puravesiyange Sanvidhanaya 13. 7.2016.
All Sri Lankans remember how JR Jayawardhana sold and betrayed this country and its 2500 year old history to India in 1987 by signing the JR-Rajeev Indo-Sri Lanka Pact of which the text is copied below.
Text of Agreement
The President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, having met at Colombo on July 29, 1987.
Attaching utmost importance to nurturing, intensifying and strengthening the traditional friendship of Sri Lanka and India, and acknowledging the imperative need of resolving the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka, and the consequent violence, and for the safety, well being, and prosperity of people belonging to all communities in Sri Lanka.
Have this day entered into the following agreement to fulfill this objective.
IN THIS CONTEXT,
1.1 Desiring to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka:
1.2 Acknowledging that Sri Lanka is a “multi-ethnic and a multi-lingual plural society” consisting, inter alia, of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims (Moors) and Burghers:
1.3 Recognising that each ethnic group has a distinct cultural and linguistic identity which has to be carefully nurtured:
1.4 Also recognising that the Northern and the Eastern Provinces have been areas of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples, who have at all times hitherto lived together in this territory with other ethnic groups:
1.5 Conscious of the necessity of strengthening the forces contributing to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, and preserving its character as a multi ethnic, multi lingual and multi religious plural society in which all citizens can live in equality, safety and harmony, and prosper and fulfil their aspirations:
Text of Agreement
The President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, having met at Colombo on July 29, 1987.
Attaching utmost importance to nurturing, intensifying and strengthening the traditional friendship of Sri Lanka and India, and acknowledging the imperative need of resolving the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka, and the consequent violence, and for the safety, well being, and prosperity of people belonging to all communities in Sri Lanka.
Have this day entered into the following agreement to fulfill this objective.
IN THIS CONTEXT,
1.1 Desiring to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka:
1.2 Acknowledging that Sri Lanka is a “multi-ethnic and a multi-lingual plural society” consisting, inter alia, of Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims (Moors) and Burghers:
1.3 Recognising that each ethnic group has a distinct cultural and linguistic identity which has to be carefully nurtured:
1.4 Also recognising that the Northern and the Eastern Provinces have been areas of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples, who have at all times hitherto lived together in this territory with other ethnic groups:
1.5 Conscious of the necessity of strengthening the forces contributing to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, and preserving its character as a multi ethnic, multi lingual and multi religious plural society in which all citizens can live in equality, safety and harmony, and prosper and fulfil their aspirations:
2. Resolve that
2.1 Since the government of Sri Lanka proposes to permit adjoining provinces to join to form one administrative unit and also by a referendum to separate as may be permitted to the Northern and Eastern Provinces as outlined below:
2.2 During the period, which shall be considered an interim period (i.e. from the date of the elections to the Provincial Council, as specified in para 2.B to the date of the referendum as specified in para 2.3) the Northern and Eastern Provinces as now constituted, will form one administrative unit, having one elected Provincial Council. Such a unit will have one Governor, one Chief Minister and one Board of Ministers.
2.3 There will be a referendum on or before 31st of December 1988 to enable the people of the Eastern Province to decide whether:
2.2 During the period, which shall be considered an interim period (i.e. from the date of the elections to the Provincial Council, as specified in para 2.B to the date of the referendum as specified in para 2.3) the Northern and Eastern Provinces as now constituted, will form one administrative unit, having one elected Provincial Council. Such a unit will have one Governor, one Chief Minister and one Board of Ministers.
2.3 There will be a referendum on or before 31st of December 1988 to enable the people of the Eastern Province to decide whether:
- The Eastern Province should remain linked with the Northern Province as one administrative unit, and continue to be governed together with the Northern Province as specified in para 2.2 or:
- The Eastern Province should constitute a separate administrative unit having its own distinct Provincial Council with a separate Governor, Chief Minister and Board of Ministers
2.4 All persons who have been displaced due to ethnic violence or other reasons, will have the right to vote in such a referendum. Necessary conditions to enable them to return to areas from where they were displaced will be created.
2.5 The referendum when held will be monitored by a committee headed by the Chief Justice, a member appointed by the President, nominated by the Government of Sri Lanka, and a member appointed by the President, nominated by the representatives of the Tamil speaking people of the Eastern Province.
2.6 A simple majority will be sufficient to determine the result of the referendum.
2.7 Meetings and other forms of propaganda, permissible within the laws of the country, will be allowed before the referendum.
2.8 Elections to Provincial Councils will be held within the next three months, in any event before the 31st December 1987. Indian observers will be invited for elections to the Provincial Council in the North and East.
2.9 The Emergency will be lifted in the Eastern and Northern Provinces by August 15, 1987. A cessation of hostilities will come into effect all over the Island within 48 hours of the signing of this Agreement. All arms presently held by Militant Groups will be surrendered in accordance with an agreed procedure to authorities to be designated by the government of Sri Lanka. Consequent to the cessation of hostilities and the surrender of arms by Militant Groups, the Army and other security personnel will be confined to barracks in camps as on 25th May 1987. The process of surrendering of arms and the confining of security personnel and moving back to barracks shall be completed within 72 hours of the cessation of hostilities coming into effect.
2.10 The government of Sri Lanka will utilise for the purpose of law enforcement and maintenance of security in the Northern and Eastern Provinces the same organisations and mechanisms of government as are used in the rest of the country.
2.11 The President of Sri Lanka will grant a general amnesty to political and other prisoners now held in custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and other Emergency Laws, and to Combatants, as well as to those persons accused, charged and/or convicted under these Laws. The government of Sri Lanka will make special efforts to rehabilitate militant youth with a view to bringing them back into the mainstream of national life. India will co-operate in the process.
2.12 The government of Sri Lanka will accept and abide by the above provisions and expect all others to do likewise.
2.13 If the framework for the resolutions is accepted, the government of Sri Lanka will implement the relevant proposals forthwith.
2.14 The government of India will underwrite and guarantee the resolutions, and co- operate in the implementation of these proposals.
2.15 These proposals are conditional to an acceptance of the proposals negotiated from 4.5.1986 to 19.12.86. Residual matters not finalised during the above negotiations shall be resolved between India and Sri Lanka within a period of six weeks of signing this Agreement. These proposals are also conditional to the government of India co-operating directly with the government of Sri Lanka in their implementation.
2.16 These proposals are also conditional to the government of India taking the following actions if any Militant Groups operating in Sri Lanka do not accept this frameworK of proposals for a settlement, namely,
2.5 The referendum when held will be monitored by a committee headed by the Chief Justice, a member appointed by the President, nominated by the Government of Sri Lanka, and a member appointed by the President, nominated by the representatives of the Tamil speaking people of the Eastern Province.
2.6 A simple majority will be sufficient to determine the result of the referendum.
2.7 Meetings and other forms of propaganda, permissible within the laws of the country, will be allowed before the referendum.
2.8 Elections to Provincial Councils will be held within the next three months, in any event before the 31st December 1987. Indian observers will be invited for elections to the Provincial Council in the North and East.
2.9 The Emergency will be lifted in the Eastern and Northern Provinces by August 15, 1987. A cessation of hostilities will come into effect all over the Island within 48 hours of the signing of this Agreement. All arms presently held by Militant Groups will be surrendered in accordance with an agreed procedure to authorities to be designated by the government of Sri Lanka. Consequent to the cessation of hostilities and the surrender of arms by Militant Groups, the Army and other security personnel will be confined to barracks in camps as on 25th May 1987. The process of surrendering of arms and the confining of security personnel and moving back to barracks shall be completed within 72 hours of the cessation of hostilities coming into effect.
2.10 The government of Sri Lanka will utilise for the purpose of law enforcement and maintenance of security in the Northern and Eastern Provinces the same organisations and mechanisms of government as are used in the rest of the country.
2.11 The President of Sri Lanka will grant a general amnesty to political and other prisoners now held in custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and other Emergency Laws, and to Combatants, as well as to those persons accused, charged and/or convicted under these Laws. The government of Sri Lanka will make special efforts to rehabilitate militant youth with a view to bringing them back into the mainstream of national life. India will co-operate in the process.
2.12 The government of Sri Lanka will accept and abide by the above provisions and expect all others to do likewise.
2.13 If the framework for the resolutions is accepted, the government of Sri Lanka will implement the relevant proposals forthwith.
2.14 The government of India will underwrite and guarantee the resolutions, and co- operate in the implementation of these proposals.
2.15 These proposals are conditional to an acceptance of the proposals negotiated from 4.5.1986 to 19.12.86. Residual matters not finalised during the above negotiations shall be resolved between India and Sri Lanka within a period of six weeks of signing this Agreement. These proposals are also conditional to the government of India co-operating directly with the government of Sri Lanka in their implementation.
2.16 These proposals are also conditional to the government of India taking the following actions if any Militant Groups operating in Sri Lanka do not accept this frameworK of proposals for a settlement, namely,
- A) India will take all necessary steps to ensure that Indian territory is not used for activities prejudicial to the unity, integrity and security of Sri Lanka.
- B) The Indian Navy/Coastguard will co-operate with the Sri Lanka Navy in preventing Tamil Militant activities from affecting Sri Lanka.
- C) In the event that the government of Sri Lanka requests the government of India to afford military assistance to implement these proposals the government of India will co-operate by giving to the government of Sri Lanka such military assistance as and when requested.
- D) The government of India will expedite repatriation from Sri Lanka of Indian citizens to India who are resident here, concurrently with the repatriation of Sri Lankan refugees from Tamil Nadu.
- E) The government of Sri Lanka and India will co-operate in ensuring the physical security and safety of all communities inhabiting the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
2.17 The government of Sri Lanka shall ensure free, full and fair participation of voters from all communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces in electoral processes envisaged in this Agreement. The government of India will extend full co-operation to the government of Sri Lanka in this regard.
2.18 The official language of Sri Lanka shall be Sinhala. Tamil and English will also be official languages.
2.18 The official language of Sri Lanka shall be Sinhala. Tamil and English will also be official languages.
3.This Agreement and the Annexures thereto shall come into force upon signature
In witness whereof we have set our hands and seals hereunto.
Done in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on this the twenty ninth day of July of the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty seven, in duplicate, both texts being equally authentic.
Junius Richard Jayawardene, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India
Done in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on this the twenty ninth day of July of the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty seven, in duplicate, both texts being equally authentic.
Junius Richard Jayawardene, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India
Annexure to the Indo – Sri Lanka Agreement
- His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that the referendum mentioned in paragraph 2 and its sub-paragraphs of the Agreement will be observed by a representative of the Election Commission of India to be invited by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka.
- Similarly, both Heads of Government agree that the elections to the Provincial Council mentioned in paragraph 2.8 of the Agreement will be observed and all para military personnel will be withdrawn from the Eastern and Northern Provinces with a view to creating conditions conducive to fair elections to the Council.
- The President, in his discretion, shall absorb such para military forces, which came into being due to the ethnic violence, into the regular security forces of Sri Lanka.
- The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that the Tamil Militantsshall surrender their arms to authorities agreed upon to be designated by the President of Sri Lanka. The surrender shall take place in the presence of one senior representative each of the Sri Lanka Red Cross and the India Red Cross.
- The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India agree that a Joint Indo Sri Lankan Observer Group consisting of qualified representatives of the government of Sri Lanka and the government of India would monitor the cessation of hostilities from 31 July 1987.
- The President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India also agree that in terms of paragraph 2.14 and paragraph 2.16 (C) of the Agreement, an Indian Peace Keeping Contingent may be invited by the President of Sri Lanka to guarantee and enforce the cessation of hostilities, if so required.
Exchange of letters between the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India
July 29, 1987
Excellency,
Please refer to your letter dated the 29th of July 1987, which reads as follows:-
Excellency,
Conscious of the friendship between out two countries stretching over two millennia and more, and recognising the importance of nurturing this traditional friendship, it is imperative that both Sri Lanka and India reaffirm the decision not to allow our respective territories to be used for activities prejudicial to each other’s unity, territorial integrity and security.
Excellency,
Please refer to your letter dated the 29th of July 1987, which reads as follows:-
Excellency,
Conscious of the friendship between out two countries stretching over two millennia and more, and recognising the importance of nurturing this traditional friendship, it is imperative that both Sri Lanka and India reaffirm the decision not to allow our respective territories to be used for activities prejudicial to each other’s unity, territorial integrity and security.
In this spirit, you had, during the course of our discussion, agreed to meet some of India’s concerns as follows:-
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Yours sincerely, sgd Rajiv Gandhi
His Excellency,
Mr. J.R. Jayawardene,
President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,
Colombo.
- I) Your Excellency and myself will reach an early understanding about the relevance and employment of foreign military and intelligence personnel with a view to ensuring that such presences will not prejudice Indo Sri Lanka relations.
- II) Trincomalee or any other ports in Sri Lanka will not be made available for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interests.
- III) The work of restoring and operating the Trincomalee Oil Tank will be undertaken as a joint operation between India and Sri Lanka.
- IV) Sri Lanka’s agreement with foreign broadcasting organisations will be reviewed to ensure that any facilities set up by them in Sri Lanka are used solely as public broadcasting facilities and not for any military or intelligence purposes. In the same spirit, India will:
- I) Deport all Sri Lankan citizens who are found to be engaging in terrorist activities or advocating separatism or secessionism.
- II) Provide training facilities and military supplies for Sri Lanka security services.
- India and Sri Lanka have agreed to set up a joint consultative mechanism to continuously review matters of common concern in the light of the objectives stated in para 1 and specifically to monitor the implementation of other matters contained in this letter.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
Yours sincerely, sgd Rajiv Gandhi
His Excellency,
Mr. J.R. Jayawardene,
President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,
Colombo.
This is to confirm that the above correctly sets out the understanding reached between us.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
sgd J.R.Jayawardene President
His Excellency, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, New Delhi.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
sgd J.R.Jayawardene President
His Excellency, Mr.Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, New Delhi.
This historic betrayal is not surprising when we read his strong words he used and views he held as a member of the National Congress as reported by Michael Roberts (1977) in his ‘Documents of the Ceylon National Congress 1929-1950 Vol (11) (Pp 2802-2803).
Where JR has said
“ A free Lanka , Independent of all other nations of the world, is difficult to conceive of. An Indo-Lanka Federation may have to be discussed, may even have to be planned for and may be useful for us to achieve,– our present political aspirations are out of date and must be replaced by new conceptions and a fresh outlook.
India and Lanka must be one unit for the purpose of defense. In the Federal Legislature (Indian that he proposed), Lanka must be accorded a status equivalent to the status of the Indian Provinces.
It is not possible for us ever to be again the Lanka of Old. We can only dream of the Dutugemunu and Parakramabahu and of the deeds of valour of the Sinhalese heroes against the invaders from India. I visualize a greater future for Lanka and its people, yet citizens of a greater and powerful India…”
“ A free Lanka , Independent of all other nations of the world, is difficult to conceive of. An Indo-Lanka Federation may have to be discussed, may even have to be planned for and may be useful for us to achieve,– our present political aspirations are out of date and must be replaced by new conceptions and a fresh outlook.
India and Lanka must be one unit for the purpose of defense. In the Federal Legislature (Indian that he proposed), Lanka must be accorded a status equivalent to the status of the Indian Provinces.
It is not possible for us ever to be again the Lanka of Old. We can only dream of the Dutugemunu and Parakramabahu and of the deeds of valour of the Sinhalese heroes against the invaders from India. I visualize a greater future for Lanka and its people, yet citizens of a greater and powerful India…”
While this pronouncement he had made more than fifty years before 1987 clearly shows his stand and misconceived notion and underestimated potentialities regarding this country and it’s great people was it not exactly that dependent view he had put in to practice through the 1987 Indo Lanka Pact.
He completed his misconcieved mission by establishing the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment by making his own Constitution of 1987 virtually null and void reducing this country politically to an Augean mess and almost to a part of Tamilnadu in South India, by declaring
He completed his misconcieved mission by establishing the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment by making his own Constitution of 1987 virtually null and void reducing this country politically to an Augean mess and almost to a part of Tamilnadu in South India, by declaring
- a) Northern and Eastern Provinces as Traditional Homelands of Tamils with provision for merging with other Provinces thereby laying the foundation for ethnic separatism
- b) Accepting Tamils in Sri Lanka as a separate Nation
- c) Legalizing Tamil also as an Official Language (only country in the world with two Official languages, when even in India with 70 million Tamils in Tamilnadu does not have that privilege)
- d) Awarding Sri Lankan Citizenship to all Indian Estate Tamils right at the centre of the country, posing a fatal threat to Kandyan Peasants and the “Geographical Heartland” of this Island nation that determine and dictate the entire life system and the survival of the very civilization of the Island Nation, as it forms the source of all our rivers, by an affidavit signed on a one rupee stamp without any binding conditions to prevent them from being a threat to the natives and acting in any traitorous manner against this country and its native Sinhala people, thereby making Sri Lanka citizenship so cheap, perhaps the cheapest in the whole world.
Isn’t it the completion of that historic betrayal initiated by his uncle Thambi Mudalyanselage Junious Richard Jayawardhana, that Ranil, his nephew, is going to do now at the behest of Chandrika, India and his Western Colonial masters of the Church, under the following agreement against all concerned patriotic Sri Lankans, both here and abroad, who are up in arms to protect their only 25,000 sq miles stretch of on this planet and their 2,500 old glorious civilization?
Ranil wants SL to grow with ETCA, though he cites the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China and Singapore are also on the sideline?
Ranil wants SL to grow with ETCA, though he cites the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China and Singapore are also on the sideline?
By Nisthar Cassim
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday drove home the point that Sri Lanka’s future lies in greater trade with the world and the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China and Singapore are being pursued with vigour.
“Sri Lanka has always prospered in the past by trading with India. The ETCA will make Sri Lanka and the southern part of India the fastest growing subregion in the South Asia. Hence the ETCA is important and I want it to succeed,” the Premier said at the Annual General Meeting of the India CEO Forum Sri Lanka.
While there is growing optimism in India over the impending ETCA, the Prime Minister also revealed that Sri Lanka was also going for Free Trade Agreements with China and Singapore while being on course to regain GSP+ covering the European Union.
He told the India CEO Forum members that for South Asia to sustain high growth there must be structural changes in the economy and for Sri Lanka, that apart, greater international trade was necessary as it could not rely on domestic demand alone. This, he emphasised, was the basis for the ETCA with India as well as trade expansionary deals with several other countries.
“We are keen to take full advantage of the geo-economic position of Sri Lanka. We will make Sri Lanka a hub or the centre for business in South Asia,” Wickremesinghe emphasised. “Sri Lanka has to join the global value chain to boost its manufacturing and services sector,” the Premier added.
Towards achieving these goals, Wickremesinghe outlined plans and programs such as economic reforms, the doubling of investment in infrastructure, Logistics Hub, Megapolis, the International Finance Centre in Colombo Port City, the Southern Development Plan, the Kandy Development Plan and the Trincomalee Development Plan as well as a special focus on the North.
Additionally, the Government will pursue fiscal consolidation, greater Public-Private Partnerships, the digitalisation of the economy, simplified taxation and new incentives to high employment-generating businesses.
Guest of Honour, Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha, said a fresh round of negotiations on ETCA would “commence soon” with a delegation from New Delhi coming over to Colombo. A fortnight ago Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama held talks in India.
“Indo-Lanka bilateral relations are sound but we can do a lot more to make it stronger,” he said, adding that since the signing of the FTA between the two countries bilateral trade has grown exponentially by 13 times to $ 5 billion.
India CEO Forum Sri Lanka Founder President Sanjay Tiwari, who relinquished his post after serving for three years, said the 53-member professional organisation was committed to being a key part of Sri Lanka’s future development goals. The India CEO Forum member firms’ investment in Sri Lanka is over $ 600 million, providing 18,600 jobs.
Isn’t it a pity and a tragedy that these bunch of fools who cry for ETCA don’t realize that India has never been friendly towards Sri Lank throughout known history. All India’s actions and reactions have been and are primarily centered around self interest. Why cant our idiots realize this fundamental truth.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday drove home the point that Sri Lanka’s future lies in greater trade with the world and the Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) with India and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with China and Singapore are being pursued with vigour.
“Sri Lanka has always prospered in the past by trading with India. The ETCA will make Sri Lanka and the southern part of India the fastest growing subregion in the South Asia. Hence the ETCA is important and I want it to succeed,” the Premier said at the Annual General Meeting of the India CEO Forum Sri Lanka.
While there is growing optimism in India over the impending ETCA, the Prime Minister also revealed that Sri Lanka was also going for Free Trade Agreements with China and Singapore while being on course to regain GSP+ covering the European Union.
He told the India CEO Forum members that for South Asia to sustain high growth there must be structural changes in the economy and for Sri Lanka, that apart, greater international trade was necessary as it could not rely on domestic demand alone. This, he emphasised, was the basis for the ETCA with India as well as trade expansionary deals with several other countries.
“We are keen to take full advantage of the geo-economic position of Sri Lanka. We will make Sri Lanka a hub or the centre for business in South Asia,” Wickremesinghe emphasised. “Sri Lanka has to join the global value chain to boost its manufacturing and services sector,” the Premier added.
Towards achieving these goals, Wickremesinghe outlined plans and programs such as economic reforms, the doubling of investment in infrastructure, Logistics Hub, Megapolis, the International Finance Centre in Colombo Port City, the Southern Development Plan, the Kandy Development Plan and the Trincomalee Development Plan as well as a special focus on the North.
Additionally, the Government will pursue fiscal consolidation, greater Public-Private Partnerships, the digitalisation of the economy, simplified taxation and new incentives to high employment-generating businesses.
Guest of Honour, Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha, said a fresh round of negotiations on ETCA would “commence soon” with a delegation from New Delhi coming over to Colombo. A fortnight ago Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama held talks in India.
“Indo-Lanka bilateral relations are sound but we can do a lot more to make it stronger,” he said, adding that since the signing of the FTA between the two countries bilateral trade has grown exponentially by 13 times to $ 5 billion.
India CEO Forum Sri Lanka Founder President Sanjay Tiwari, who relinquished his post after serving for three years, said the 53-member professional organisation was committed to being a key part of Sri Lanka’s future development goals. The India CEO Forum member firms’ investment in Sri Lanka is over $ 600 million, providing 18,600 jobs.
Isn’t it a pity and a tragedy that these bunch of fools who cry for ETCA don’t realize that India has never been friendly towards Sri Lank throughout known history. All India’s actions and reactions have been and are primarily centered around self interest. Why cant our idiots realize this fundamental truth.
What is more is already India has completely invaded this Island nation in all respects. Now look at the following list.
In recent history
- The1987 Constitution has been tampered and reduced it to a mere piece of waste paper with the JR-Rajeev Pact and the 13th Amendment
- They already invaded this Island in 1987 disregarding the Sovereignty of the Island Nation
- They trained and armed the LTTE to ousted the democratically elected Government of this country
- They continue the dialogue with the estate Tamils and all other Tamils as people of Indian origin to destabilize the Sri Lankan Government.
- They rob our fisheries resources and insist that their fishermen be given rights to fish in our waters.
- The Indian Government keep deaf, dumb and blind to Tamilnadu politicians all vituperative behaviour and interferences with our sovereignty
- continue to sent waves of illegal immigrants in thousands tot his country
- Invade the whole economy, for example, Banking, service sector, labour market, transport inclidng monopoly in the vehicles, construction, trade, distribution of fuel, household items. Textiles( so much so there want be a single marriage ceremony if we don’t get sarees from India).
- In short from the simple pin and the joysticks to fighter jets and Ships we depend on India The list is un-exhaustive. I leave it to you to make your own list for brevity)
All Sri Lankans know how India had treated us even from prehistoric times.
Starting from Rama in pre-historic times, and then from 2nd century BC downward with Sena- Guttika the horse traders, Elara. And the most devastative and destructive 12th century Magha invasion, that completely destroyed our Anuradhapura and Polnnaruwa civilization and force us to shift to the south West wilderness. (from which we have not been able to recover up to date) there had been continuous waves of Indian invasions by their unquenched greed to capture this Pearl of the Indian Ocean and finally the subversive invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom by Nayakkars after Vijaya Rajasingha was enthroned by conjugal conspiracy.
Are these two men, JR and his nephew Ranil, the reincarnations of Don Juan Dharmapala of Kotte?
The most important question before the whole nation and all those who are supposed to represent them in Parliament is, are they all going to allow Ranil and his UNpatriotic Government to commit another irreversible historic blunder to reduce this country to a regional vassal State of India as JR dreamt in 1930s.
Are we going to remain deaf, dumb and blind again like a bunch of monkeys as they already did in 1987 while these treacherous politicians ruin our 2500 year old glorious nation?
www.lankaweb.com
Starting from Rama in pre-historic times, and then from 2nd century BC downward with Sena- Guttika the horse traders, Elara. And the most devastative and destructive 12th century Magha invasion, that completely destroyed our Anuradhapura and Polnnaruwa civilization and force us to shift to the south West wilderness. (from which we have not been able to recover up to date) there had been continuous waves of Indian invasions by their unquenched greed to capture this Pearl of the Indian Ocean and finally the subversive invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom by Nayakkars after Vijaya Rajasingha was enthroned by conjugal conspiracy.
Are these two men, JR and his nephew Ranil, the reincarnations of Don Juan Dharmapala of Kotte?
The most important question before the whole nation and all those who are supposed to represent them in Parliament is, are they all going to allow Ranil and his UNpatriotic Government to commit another irreversible historic blunder to reduce this country to a regional vassal State of India as JR dreamt in 1930s.
Are we going to remain deaf, dumb and blind again like a bunch of monkeys as they already did in 1987 while these treacherous politicians ruin our 2500 year old glorious nation?
www.lankaweb.com