May 23, 2010
May 18, 2010
Immigration Issues for our Sangha -NZBC
For over three years, it has been very difficult for our ordained Sangha to obtain Permanent Residency. The NZBC (New Zealand Buddhist Council)has been working hard to change this so that our Dharma communities can have continuity of spiritual care. We have identified the issues and presented Immigration Services with very reasonable alternatives that meet both our Dharma communities' and the Immigration Service's requirements. During the past two years, NZBC has:
written three briefing papers for government officials
met with Immigration officials on three occasions
organised an alliance of four religious communities who experience similar issues (Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist)
authored a "Helpful Hints" paper (for the previous government)
We have also gained some publicity; in December 2009, Radio New Zealand National's Nine to Noon interviewed our Chairperson, Amala Wrightson (download podcast here).
Recently there have been signs that our concerns are being heard by government officials, and that the Minister of Immigration is preparing to take a serious look at the problem.
We continue to liaise with Buddhist organisations to monitor the situation. If your organisation can provide us with examples of how this policy has affected you, we would like to hear from you as soon as possible. The Council cannot get involved in individual cases, but we are able to inform officials about the common problems faced by our communities.
Please contact Amala Wrightson at info@buddhistcouncil.org.nz if you have issues you would like her to pass on.
Read more....
http://www.buddhistcouncil.org.nz/.
May 16, 2010
Sarath Kongahage - New Chairman -SLRC
By K T Rajasingham
Colombo, 14 May (Asiantribune.com):
Sarath Kongahage - Chairman RupavahiniSarath Kongahage is the newly appointed Chairman of the Rupavahini TV Corporation. A mass media expert, he brings in his rich experience from his past service in the print and electronic media as also in the Media and Information Ministry.
He spoke to Asian Tribune and said that Rupavahini, the leading Television channel in Sri Lanka by any standard, has always maintained and catered the national perspective, and to get an opportunity to serve as the head of it is the greatest happiness.
“We are ahead of others, especially during the civil strife we were ahead of all others. We promoted the country and involved in defeating the terrorism.
Subsequently all channels followed after us,” Sarath Kongahagee said.
Also in the next phase of the development, he said “we are also ahead of supporting the government in bringing development to the North and East specially, and to the rest of the country.”
The Chairman added: “Our next phase is on bringing reconciliation amongst the communities. This is an attempt to heal the old wounds and bury the past and build a new country to be called the “Surprise of Asia” that includes making a new Sri Lanka and new Sri Lankan citizens irrespective of caste, creed and religions, whether they are Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims.”
May 10, 2010
May 9, 2010
May 8, 2010
Shakuntala' of Kalidasa presented in Jaffna
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations presented the world famous classical Sanskrit play Abhijñāna Śākuntalam (The Recognition of Shakuntala) of Kalidasa in the form of a musical dance drama in Tamil before a packed audience at the Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna on May 05.
Read more...http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20100508_03
Read more...http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20100508_03
April 29, 2010
April 28, 2010
Swinging Between Enforced Piety And Protecting Law And Order
By Gamini Weerakoon
(April 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We owe our readers an apology for this column not appearing last Sunday. The reason is, we confess, an orgy of kiributh gobbling stretching for well over a year commencing from those sweeping victories in provincial councils elections to the presidential and parliamentary elections.Then came the Sinhala New Year where once again it was the traditional kiributh followed by the other delicacies. We confessed all this to our doctor who was reading our lab reports and shaking his head. ‘Your blood sugar levels will enter not only medical journals but the Guinness Book of Records too, he said and asked what other things we have been consuming.
“Well, doctor I am a Sinhala patriot and not one of those ‘English Speaking Pariahs’ whom one Gunadasa Amaresekera says is the font of all evil in this country. So as our patriots kept winning the elections, I kept eating kiributh like our leaders do on TV and front pages of newspapers and my ever loving wife kept poking handfuls of the stuff into my mouth even though there were no photographers around saying ‘that’s what you have to do if you want to go up the ladder.’ Can kiributh be all that bad? It’s from deep red rice from deep down south, the stuff which Dutu Gemunu’s yodhayas like Suranimala and Velusumana gobbled before marching on to A’pura?
What else did you consume? our physician queried. He was not interested in history.
‘Well, the traditional four Ks — Kavun, Kokkis, Kiributh and Kolikuttu which was supplemented with the five As — Aggala, Aasme, Athiraha, Anamalu and of course being a patriotic Sinhalaya washed down with generous doses of arrack.’
The doctor suddenly lost all his gravitas which doctors are famous for and appeared to be in need of a tranquiliser. ‘You are a chronic diabetic and confess to taking generous does of arrack?’ he exclaimed. ‘Don’t touch a drop of arrack’, was his stentorian command.
‘How about some whisky, brandy or even a beer?’
‘Not one drop of any alcohol and get out of this place before I throw you out’, he threatened.
We got out fast saying that he was like Mervyn Silva threatening liquor shop owners in the Kelaniya area who sold any liquor to the public.
Enter Mervyn Silva
With no offence to our doctor we must say that we saw some parallels between his advice and Silva’s declaration.
Mervyn Silva’s unilateral declaration of banning sales of liquor in the Kelaniya area came soon after his stunning performance of gathering over 150,000 votes (having collected only a near 2000 votes, the last time he contested Colombo Central.)
Enforced piety
Readers of this column would have observed that we do not like any person attempting to enforce morality on us through laws, regulations or thuggery and instead we have advocated compliance on conviction through dialogue. With doctors, we certainly have to take our own doses of medicine without argument for it is our wellbeing that is at stake. Perhaps Mervyn Silva too could argue that his action is also for the well being of the public! He too calls himself a ‘doctor’ of sorts but is he of the medical profession?
Whatever the reasons may be, he has no doubt placed President Mahinda Rajapaksa now basking in the glory of his recent victories, swinging uncomfortably between his commitment to moral piety and duty to protect the law.
Kelaniya temple
Indeed the Kelaniya temple is a hallowed place of worship for Buddhists and thus closing up of liquor outlets per se, it can be argued, is in furtherance of the last precept of the pancha seela. But what should cause concern to President Rajapakse is that this unilateral action of piety by one of his own MPs, is an illegal act. But now that wide publicity has been given to Silva’s order to close down liquor outlets, can President Rajapaksa as a pious Buddhist order that the liquor shops be re-opened? What of his entire much drummed up policy against intoxication: Mathata Titha?
The Excise Commissioner has been quoted by some newspapers saying that his permission is required to close down liquor outlets in a like manner. Besides Silva was not even an MP at the time of this illegal political bravado because he had not been sworn as an MP in the new parliament. He deployed his own vigilante squads (some would say goon squads) to ensure that the liquor outlets he ordered closed are kept closed.
Judge, jury and executor
Meanwhile, Silva a man of the people has gone the people’s way too. He has appointed by himself a committee to study the problem and make recommendations to him even though his legal standing to appoint such committees and the status of such a committee are very much in doubt.
This may be not the time for President Rajapaksa to engage himself in the frolics of Mervyn Silva but there are many people who will be watching how this blatant display of power grabbing and cowing down law abiding citizens will be followed by the President.
It may be well considered as a harbinger by Sri Lankan citizens of standing and those studying the prevalence of law and order in the country.
By Gamini Weerakoon
(April 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We owe our readers an apology for this column not appearing last Sunday. The reason is, we confess, an orgy of kiributh gobbling stretching for well over a year commencing from those sweeping victories in provincial councils elections to the presidential and parliamentary elections.Then came the Sinhala New Year where once again it was the traditional kiributh followed by the other delicacies. We confessed all this to our doctor who was reading our lab reports and shaking his head. ‘Your blood sugar levels will enter not only medical journals but the Guinness Book of Records too, he said and asked what other things we have been consuming.
“Well, doctor I am a Sinhala patriot and not one of those ‘English Speaking Pariahs’ whom one Gunadasa Amaresekera says is the font of all evil in this country. So as our patriots kept winning the elections, I kept eating kiributh like our leaders do on TV and front pages of newspapers and my ever loving wife kept poking handfuls of the stuff into my mouth even though there were no photographers around saying ‘that’s what you have to do if you want to go up the ladder.’ Can kiributh be all that bad? It’s from deep red rice from deep down south, the stuff which Dutu Gemunu’s yodhayas like Suranimala and Velusumana gobbled before marching on to A’pura?
What else did you consume? our physician queried. He was not interested in history.
‘Well, the traditional four Ks — Kavun, Kokkis, Kiributh and Kolikuttu which was supplemented with the five As — Aggala, Aasme, Athiraha, Anamalu and of course being a patriotic Sinhalaya washed down with generous doses of arrack.’
The doctor suddenly lost all his gravitas which doctors are famous for and appeared to be in need of a tranquiliser. ‘You are a chronic diabetic and confess to taking generous does of arrack?’ he exclaimed. ‘Don’t touch a drop of arrack’, was his stentorian command.
‘How about some whisky, brandy or even a beer?’
‘Not one drop of any alcohol and get out of this place before I throw you out’, he threatened.
We got out fast saying that he was like Mervyn Silva threatening liquor shop owners in the Kelaniya area who sold any liquor to the public.
Enter Mervyn Silva
With no offence to our doctor we must say that we saw some parallels between his advice and Silva’s declaration.
Mervyn Silva’s unilateral declaration of banning sales of liquor in the Kelaniya area came soon after his stunning performance of gathering over 150,000 votes (having collected only a near 2000 votes, the last time he contested Colombo Central.)
Enforced piety
Readers of this column would have observed that we do not like any person attempting to enforce morality on us through laws, regulations or thuggery and instead we have advocated compliance on conviction through dialogue. With doctors, we certainly have to take our own doses of medicine without argument for it is our wellbeing that is at stake. Perhaps Mervyn Silva too could argue that his action is also for the well being of the public! He too calls himself a ‘doctor’ of sorts but is he of the medical profession?
Whatever the reasons may be, he has no doubt placed President Mahinda Rajapaksa now basking in the glory of his recent victories, swinging uncomfortably between his commitment to moral piety and duty to protect the law.
Kelaniya temple
Indeed the Kelaniya temple is a hallowed place of worship for Buddhists and thus closing up of liquor outlets per se, it can be argued, is in furtherance of the last precept of the pancha seela. But what should cause concern to President Rajapakse is that this unilateral action of piety by one of his own MPs, is an illegal act. But now that wide publicity has been given to Silva’s order to close down liquor outlets, can President Rajapaksa as a pious Buddhist order that the liquor shops be re-opened? What of his entire much drummed up policy against intoxication: Mathata Titha?
The Excise Commissioner has been quoted by some newspapers saying that his permission is required to close down liquor outlets in a like manner. Besides Silva was not even an MP at the time of this illegal political bravado because he had not been sworn as an MP in the new parliament. He deployed his own vigilante squads (some would say goon squads) to ensure that the liquor outlets he ordered closed are kept closed.
Judge, jury and executor
Meanwhile, Silva a man of the people has gone the people’s way too. He has appointed by himself a committee to study the problem and make recommendations to him even though his legal standing to appoint such committees and the status of such a committee are very much in doubt.
This may be not the time for President Rajapaksa to engage himself in the frolics of Mervyn Silva but there are many people who will be watching how this blatant display of power grabbing and cowing down law abiding citizens will be followed by the President.
It may be well considered as a harbinger by Sri Lankan citizens of standing and those studying the prevalence of law and order in the country.
April 2, 2010
Sri Lanka -- Opinion Poll – 3rd Round results
Colombo, 26 March, (Asiantribune.com):
Here’s third round results of Opinion Poll, we have been conducting on weekly basis from beginning this month. The Monday to Thursday third round ends today.
We have two more rounds to go before Sri Lanka’s General Elections on April 8, when a sum up of all weekly polls would be computed.
In this round a total of 711 voters expressed their options, again we find the UPFA leading with 85 per cent votes.
United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) - 669 votes 85%
United National Front (UNF) - 66 votes 8%
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) 43 votes ) 5%
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) 13 votes 2%
Total voters: 791
The fourth round will open on Monday. We thank our voters for participation
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/03/26/opinion-poll-%E2%80%93-3rd-round-results
Here’s third round results of Opinion Poll, we have been conducting on weekly basis from beginning this month. The Monday to Thursday third round ends today.
We have two more rounds to go before Sri Lanka’s General Elections on April 8, when a sum up of all weekly polls would be computed.
In this round a total of 711 voters expressed their options, again we find the UPFA leading with 85 per cent votes.
United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) - 669 votes 85%
United National Front (UNF) - 66 votes 8%
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) 43 votes ) 5%
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) 13 votes 2%
Total voters: 791
The fourth round will open on Monday. We thank our voters for participation
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/03/26/opinion-poll-%E2%80%93-3rd-round-results
March 27, 2010
A timeless lesson on how consultants can make a difference for an organization.
Last week, we took some friends out to a new restaurant, and noticed that the waiter who took our order carried a spoon in his shirt pocket. It seemed a little strange.
When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I noticed he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had spoons in their pockets.
When the waiter came back to serve our soup I asked, 'Why the spoon?'
'Well,' he explained, 'the restaurant's owners hired Mckinsey & Co., to revamp all our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour.. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 115.27 man-hours per shift.'
As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he was able to replace it with his spare. 'I'll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now.'
I was impressed. I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the waiter's fly. Looking around, I noticed that all the waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So before he walked off, I asked the waiter, 'Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?'
'Oh, certainly!' Then he lowered his voice. 'Not everyone is so observant.That consulting firm I mentioned also found out that we can save time in the bathroom. By tying this string to the tip of you know what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the bathroom by 76.39 percent.'
'After you get it out, how do you put it back?'
'Well,' he whispered, 'I don't know about the others, but I use the spoon.'
MORAL: And be careful, the next time you visit a restaurant.
Many thanks to HPR .Goonawardana
When the busboy brought our water and utensils, I noticed he also had a spoon in his shirt pocket. Then I looked around and saw that all the staff had spoons in their pockets.
When the waiter came back to serve our soup I asked, 'Why the spoon?'
'Well,' he explained, 'the restaurant's owners hired Mckinsey & Co., to revamp all our processes. After several months of analysis, they concluded that the spoon was the most frequently dropped utensil. It represents a drop frequency of approximately 3 spoons per table per hour.. If our personnel are better prepared, we can reduce the number of trips back to the kitchen and save 115.27 man-hours per shift.'
As luck would have it, I dropped my spoon and he was able to replace it with his spare. 'I'll get another spoon next time I go to the kitchen instead of making an extra trip to get it right now.'
I was impressed. I also noticed that there was a string hanging out of the waiter's fly. Looking around, I noticed that all the waiters had the same string hanging from their flies. So before he walked off, I asked the waiter, 'Excuse me, but can you tell me why you have that string right there?'
'Oh, certainly!' Then he lowered his voice. 'Not everyone is so observant.That consulting firm I mentioned also found out that we can save time in the bathroom. By tying this string to the tip of you know what, we can pull it out without touching it and eliminate the need to wash our hands, shortening the time spent in the bathroom by 76.39 percent.'
'After you get it out, how do you put it back?'
'Well,' he whispered, 'I don't know about the others, but I use the spoon.'
MORAL: And be careful, the next time you visit a restaurant.
Many thanks to HPR .Goonawardana
March 20, 2010
Sri Lanka Parliamentary General Elections: Opinion Poll second round result
The second round Opinion Poll (Monday to Thursday), launched on which party is popular and to what extent as Sri Lanka goes to polls on April 8, completes today.
The format is: the Poll will be on for four days every week—Monday to Thursday; and result will be announced on Friday. And the scheme is to go until General Elections in Sri Lanka. On the election eve there will a grand sum total of weekly polling.
In the second round, a good response has been seen; more than 1000 registered.. However the poll percentage is the same.
Here’s the results of the second round:
There were 1069 who came forward to express opinion in the second round.
United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) polled 87% (927 votes);
United National Front (UNF) polled 6% (64 votes)
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) polled 5% (55 votes)
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) polled 2% (20 votes);
Others polled 0% (3 votes)
It can be seen the UPFA was still leading and far ahead even of main opposition party.
However, the third round starts from Monday (March 22). Wait for the third round.
- Editorial Board - Asian Tribune
Fri, 2010-03-19 05:24 — editor
http://www.asiantribune.com/category/categories/saarc-countries/sri-lanka"
The format is: the Poll will be on for four days every week—Monday to Thursday; and result will be announced on Friday. And the scheme is to go until General Elections in Sri Lanka. On the election eve there will a grand sum total of weekly polling.
In the second round, a good response has been seen; more than 1000 registered.. However the poll percentage is the same.
Here’s the results of the second round:
There were 1069 who came forward to express opinion in the second round.
United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) polled 87% (927 votes);
United National Front (UNF) polled 6% (64 votes)
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) polled 5% (55 votes)
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) polled 2% (20 votes);
Others polled 0% (3 votes)
It can be seen the UPFA was still leading and far ahead even of main opposition party.
However, the third round starts from Monday (March 22). Wait for the third round.
- Editorial Board - Asian Tribune
Fri, 2010-03-19 05:24 — editor
http://www.asiantribune.com/category/categories/saarc-countries/sri-lanka"
March 11, 2010
Mr. Ban Ki Moon – Why Sri Lanka? Why not Gaza
News
Nihad Issa - Ramallah, Palestine
Ramallah, Palestine, 10 March (Asiantribune.com):
Ban Ki Moon is now dictating terms to Sri Lanka As friends of Sri Lanka, Palestinians find it extremely difficult to keep silent when we hear of the sinister manipulations and arm bending tactics practiced by the heads of influential organizations like UNO and Human Rights Commission and also by some leaders of UK and the European Community to destabilize Sri Lanka and reverse the newly gained victories and freedom after defeating the terrorists.
We are compelled to come to the conclusion that these organizations are fostering terrorism so that they can sell arms and ammunition to all parties.
Palestinians has been following the Sri Lanka’s struggle against the terrorist group called LTTE who were trying the divide this small friendly country on ethnic grounds with the help of some western countries who were interested in the oil deposits in Sri Lanka. We are also aware that international arms and drug traffickers lost their sources of income with the defeat of this terrorist group LTTE.
Now Sri Lanka is developing its infrastructure facilities and there is a steady flow of tourists to Sri Lanka. We are happy to note that President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is a close friend of Palestine was elected as President for a second term with a majority vote of 1.8 million.
Palestine is one country that is highly concerned about the wellbeing of Sri Lanka and is worried about the unwanted interventions of the West to bring back the terrorists and harass Sri Lanka with unfounded allegations of human rights violations etc. Palestinians strongly feel that West and many international organizations dominated by West are going beyond their limits with no respect or regard for the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or its right to defend its territory.
West and its friendly organizations have failed to realize that Sri Lanka is no more a colony of any former colonial master. That is past history and no more valid. In this regard we in Palestine question the double standards practiced by West and other international organizations when it comes to Palestine. When Israel bombed Gaza for 22 days, killing over 1500 Palestinians including over 500 children and injuring thousands, these compassionate world leaders failed to intervene in spite of the fact that Palestinians are no match for the Israeli army.
Mr. Ban Ki Moon who is now dictating terms to Sri Lanka visited Gaza and saw with his own eyes the destruction caused to life and property but he has in fact failed to take any action against Israel or to re-build Gaza in spite of the fact that Goldstone Report clearly shows all what happened
Asian Tribune
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/03/10/mr-ban-ki-moon-%E2%80%93-why-sri-lanka-why-not-gaza
Nihad Issa - Ramallah, Palestine
Ramallah, Palestine, 10 March (Asiantribune.com):
Ban Ki Moon is now dictating terms to Sri Lanka As friends of Sri Lanka, Palestinians find it extremely difficult to keep silent when we hear of the sinister manipulations and arm bending tactics practiced by the heads of influential organizations like UNO and Human Rights Commission and also by some leaders of UK and the European Community to destabilize Sri Lanka and reverse the newly gained victories and freedom after defeating the terrorists.
We are compelled to come to the conclusion that these organizations are fostering terrorism so that they can sell arms and ammunition to all parties.
Palestinians has been following the Sri Lanka’s struggle against the terrorist group called LTTE who were trying the divide this small friendly country on ethnic grounds with the help of some western countries who were interested in the oil deposits in Sri Lanka. We are also aware that international arms and drug traffickers lost their sources of income with the defeat of this terrorist group LTTE.
Now Sri Lanka is developing its infrastructure facilities and there is a steady flow of tourists to Sri Lanka. We are happy to note that President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is a close friend of Palestine was elected as President for a second term with a majority vote of 1.8 million.
Palestine is one country that is highly concerned about the wellbeing of Sri Lanka and is worried about the unwanted interventions of the West to bring back the terrorists and harass Sri Lanka with unfounded allegations of human rights violations etc. Palestinians strongly feel that West and many international organizations dominated by West are going beyond their limits with no respect or regard for the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or its right to defend its territory.
West and its friendly organizations have failed to realize that Sri Lanka is no more a colony of any former colonial master. That is past history and no more valid. In this regard we in Palestine question the double standards practiced by West and other international organizations when it comes to Palestine. When Israel bombed Gaza for 22 days, killing over 1500 Palestinians including over 500 children and injuring thousands, these compassionate world leaders failed to intervene in spite of the fact that Palestinians are no match for the Israeli army.
Mr. Ban Ki Moon who is now dictating terms to Sri Lanka visited Gaza and saw with his own eyes the destruction caused to life and property but he has in fact failed to take any action against Israel or to re-build Gaza in spite of the fact that Goldstone Report clearly shows all what happened
Asian Tribune
http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/03/10/mr-ban-ki-moon-%E2%80%93-why-sri-lanka-why-not-gaza
March 4, 2010
Obituary Notice
"O" Cracy - The death occurred under tragic circumstances of D.E.M O'Cracy, beloved husband of T.Ruth, loving father of L.I.Berty, brother of Faith, Hope and Justitia. Interred on 26.01.2010 . Araliya Medura, Panagiyawatta, Anduruwala.
matahaka bana 08.04.10
--
Posted By sorrowless
matahaka bana 08.04.10
--
Posted By sorrowless
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