Tamilnet பலகணி: விழித்தெழவேண்டும் விவாதிப்போர்!

 

விடுதலை விவாதம், விழித்தெழவேண்டும் விவாதிப்போர்!

 

பலகணி: 3 Palaka'ni with Sasi, Andy & Karthick

பலகணி: 2 Interview with Frances Harrison

`வெட்டொன்று, துண்டு இரண்டு`: அரசியலமைப்பிற்கு முரணான கூட்டமைப்பின் கோரிக்கைகளை அரசாங்கம் ஏற்காது!

அரசியலமைப்பிற்கு முரணான த.தே.கூட்டமைப்பின் கோரிக்கைகளை அரசாங்கம் ஏற்காது

வீரகேசரி By General  2012-10-13 12:50:15

அரசியலமைப்பிற்கு முரணான வகையில் தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பினால் முன்வைக்கப்படும் கோரிக்கைகளை அரசாங்கம் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளாது என சகோதரமொழிப் பத்திரிகையொன்று செய்தி
வெளியிட்டுள்ளது.

அரசியலமைப்பிற்கு முரணானதும், தேசிய பாதுகாப்பிற்கு அச்சுறுத்தல் ஏற்படுத்தும் வகையிலுமான கோரிக்கைகளை அரசாங்கம் எந்த வகையிலும் ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளாது.

தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பினர், இந்திய பிரதமர் மன் மோகன் சிங்கிடம் இலங்கையின் தேசியப் பாதுகாப்பு பற்றி கலந்துரையாடியுள்ளனர். வன்னிப் போரின் போது உருவாக்கப்பட்ட இராணுவ முகாம்களை அகற்றுதல் மற்றும் புதிதாக இராணுவ முகாம்களை உருவாக்கக் கூடாது என கூட்டமைப்பினர் கோரியுள்ளனர்.

தேசிய பாதுகாப்பு விவகாரங்கள் தொடர்பில் தீர்மானம் எடுக்கும் அதிகாரம் தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பிற்கு கிடையாது என அரசாங்கம் சுட்டிக்காட்டியுள்ளது.

பாரிய குற்றச் செயல்களுடன் தொடர்புடைய 259 விடுதலைப் புலி உறுப்பினர்களுக்கு மன்னிப்பு வழங்குமாறு தமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பு விடுத்த கோரிக்கையையும்* அரசாங்கம் நிராகரித்துள்ளதாக திவயின செய்தி வெளியிட்டுள்ளது.
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( குறிப்பு* ``பாரிய குற்றச் செயல்களுடன் தொடர்புடைய  விடுதலைப் புலி உறுப்பினர்களுக்கு மன்னிப்பு வழங்குமாறு`` - கூட்டமைப்பினர் கடந்த 40 மாதங்களில் எங்கேயும் எவரையும் கோரவில்லை.நிச்சயமாக இலங்கை அரசாங்கத்தைக் கோரியதற்கு எந்த ஆதாரமும் இல்லை. ENB Admin)

வடக்கில் கஜூ பயிர்ச்செய்கை மேற்கொள்ள விஷேட திட்டம்

வடக்கில் கஜூ பயிர்ச்செய்கை மேற்கொள்ள விஷேட திட்டம்
By S.Raguthees
2012-10-15 18:40:46

வடக்கு, கிழக்கில் கஜூ - மரமுந்திரிகை- மற்றும் கரும்பு பயிற்செய்கையினை பாரிய அளவில் மேற்கொள்வதற்கான இடங்கள் பலவற்றை அடையாளம் கண்டுள்ளதாகவும், வெகு விரைவில் அவ்விடங்களில் இப் பயிர்ச் செய்கையினை மேற்கொள்ளவுள்ளதாக சிறு ஏற்றுமதிப் பயிர் அபிவிருத்தி அமைச்சு தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

கிளிநொச்சி , முல்லைத்தீவு, மாங்கேணி, மட்டக்களப்பு, சிலாபம் உள்ளிட்ட பல பகுதிகளில் கஜூ மற்றும் கரும்பு பயிர் செய்கையினை மேற்கொள்ளவுள்ளதுடன் அதனூடாக அப்பகுதி மக்களின் வாழ்வாதாரத்தை கட்டியெழுப்பவுள்ளதாகவும் சிறு ஏற்றுமதிப் பயிர் அபிவிருத்தி அமைச்சர் ரெஜினோல்ட் குரே தெரிவித்தார்.

சிறு ஏற்றுமதி பயிர்ச் செய்கையினை மேம்படுத்துவதற்காகவே இவ்வாறான விஷேட வேலைத்திட்டங்கள் மேகொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகிறது. கஜூ, மிளகு, கறுவாப் பட்டை உள்ளிட்ட பல பொருட்களுக்கு உலக சந்தையில் நல்ல கிராக்கி உள்ளது. இருந்தும் அந்த நாடுகளில் கேள்விக்கு ஏற்ப எம்மால் இந்தப் பொருட்களை வழங்கமுடிந்தால் பெருந்தொகையான அன்னியச் செலாவணியை நாம் பெற்றுக்கொள்ளலாம்.

தற்போது நாம் இவ்வாறான சிறு ஏற்றுமதி பயிர்ச் செய்கை மூலம் பெற்றுக் கொள்கின்ற வருமானத்தை மேலும் பன்மடங்கு அதிகரித்துக் கொள்வதுடன் அதனூடாக மக்களின் வாழ்வாதரத்தை மேம்படுத்துவதே தமது நேக்கமெனவும் அவர் தெரிவித்தார்.

இந்திய உளவுத்துறையில் சிங்களம் தெரிந்தவர்களுக்கு வேலை!

இந்திய உளவுத்துறையில் சிங்களம் தெரிந்தவர்களுக்கு வேலை
திங்கட்கிழமை, 15, அக்டோபர் 2012 (19:8 IST) நக்கீரன்

இந்திய மத்திய உளவுத்துறையான ‘ரா’ இந்தியாவின் அயல்நாடுகளில் பேசப்படும் சிங்களம் உட்பட்ட மொழிகள் தெரிந்தவர்களை உளவுத்துறையில் இணைத்துக்கொள்ளும் நடவடிக்கைகளில் ஈடுபட்டுள்ளது.

தற்போது, அயல்நாட்டு மொழி அறிவுடைய மிக சிலரே 'ரா' RAW - உளவுத்துறையில் உள்ளனர் என தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. 

சிங்களம் (இலங்கை), பாஸ்தோ ( ஆப்கான் ), தாரி ( ஆப்கான் மற்றும் ஈரானில் சில பகுதிகள்), மியான்மாரி ( மியான்மார்), மான்டரின், கான்டனீஸ் ( சீனா) ஆகிய மொழிகளை அறிந்தவர்கள் ரா அமைப்பில் இணைத்துக் கொள்ளப்படவுள்ளார்கள் என தெரியவருகிறது.

இவர்களில் சிங்களம் தெரிந்தவர்கள் தமிழகம் மற்றும் கேரளாவிலும், மற்றைய மொழி அறிந்த வர்கள் வடக்கு மற்றும் கிழக்கு மாநிலங்களிலும் நியமனம் செய்யப்படவுள்ளனர் என அறிய வந்துள்ளது.

Sri Lanka discover many agrarian products using Cobalt 60 radiation sources

Return to sender
Date:2012-10-16 02:07:00
By Gagani Weerakoon

Sri Lanka intends sending two Cobalt 60 radiation sources to India within a fortnight at a cost of  Rs. 10 million. The sources are currently installed at the Gannoruwa Horticulture Agrarian Centre. 

According to the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA), these two sources had been used for purposes of agrarian research for nearly 30 years and are now considered outdated.

‘Even though these sources are outdated, their nuclear impact has not reduced. Sri Lanka does not have the technology or facilities to dispose nuclear equipment. It needs lots of expertise and care for these sources to be removed and to be transported. Thus, a team of Indian nuclear experts are currently here and are working on it. It requires careful handling as even the slightest mistake may cause a major environmental impact and also affect the people”, Senior Deputy Director of AEA, Anil Ranjith, said.

He also noted that these sources cannot be transported in a normal shipment, thus needing the facilitation of a special shipment.

“The US government has extended its assistance in financing the removal and transportation of the two sources while India extends technical assistance. Since India is heavily engaged in civil nuclear projects they have all the facilities and technologies needed for nuclear disposal,” he added.

According to Ranjith, one of these sources had been installed some 30 years ago and the other 25 years ago.

“We were able to discover many agrarian products using these sources. Apart from different kinds of paddy seeds, one of the popular products we discover is the Sri Lankan cherry tomato. This is very popular among hotels and airlines,” he added.

சிங்கள விவசாயிகள் மீது பக்ச பாசிஸ்டுக்களின் தாக்குதல்!

கோப்புப் படம்:எருமை அபிவிருத்தி

விருந்தினர்  விடுதிக்கும், படகோட்டத்துக்கும், 15000 ஏக்கர்  நெற்பயிர்ச்செய்கைக்கு பாசனம் வளங்கும் குளத்தை, திட்டமிட்டு வற்றவைத்த கொடுமை!

இதுதான் பக்ச பாசிஸ்டுக்களின் தேசபக்தி! அபிவிருத்தி!!

* Paddy farmers in the Kurunegala district, who lost their cultivation due to the prolonged dry weather conditions, blame irrigation officers for not managing water carefully.

* This is a known secret as to how the irrigation officers released water on the request of those who are connected to ruling political parties.

* Piyathilake also levelled accusations against every government that came into power for not developing the Bathalagoda tank which was built 118 years ago by a British Engineer Mr. Parker.

* Since the entire tank has gone dry, this is the best time for them to mine sand and earn money. In the guise of dredging the tank, not only politicians but also their henchmen are busy mining sand illegally.

 * Thilakaratne, another paddy farmer, who too had lost his entire crop said that he had to spend nearly Rs.20,000 for one acre before it was destroyed completely.

 * “Now we have to buy rice from the boutique. I am in debt to the bank and there is no way to settle the loan and the loan interest is accumulating. No sooner the house in which I live will be auctioned by the bank,” he said.

* The sluice gates were opened to dry the tank to help Buddhima mudalali – enabling him to lay the foundation to his hotel by the tank!

=========================

Hotel, Seaplanes Land Kurunegala Paddy Farmers In Dire Straits!
By Nirmala Kannangara in Bathalagoda & Nikaweratiya

The Buddhima mudalali’s hotel, according to the Irrigation Dept. officials,is an illegal construction

Paddy farmers in the Kurunegala district, who lost their cultivation due to the prolonged dry weather conditions, blame irrigation officers for not managing water carefully.

 Farmers in Bathalagoda and Nikaweratiya – two badly affected areas in the district – accused their respective Irrigation Engineers and their staff for wasting water in the tanks to please political stooges.

 “If not for this wastage, at least we could have saved 10% of the crop,” they said.

 Chairman, Thambagalle Farmers’ Organization, Piyathilake says there are many farmer organizations in Bathalagoda that received ample stocks of water through their canals although his organization and few others did not get water for three weeks after ploughing their fields.

 “More than 15,000 acres of paddy is cultivated from the water we get from Bathalagoda. There was a time when we had to meet the irrigation officers to ask for water. Although we were told that water level has gone down considerably and water could not be distributed, there were instances, the ruling party supporters were given enough of water,” said Piyathilake.

 Not wanting to name these officials and the politicians who pressurize these irrigation officers to carry out their instructions, in fear of his life, Piyathilake said farmers will have to support the ruling party in future to get enough of water to grow paddy during the dry season.

“This is a known secret as to how the irrigation officers released water on the request of those who are connected to ruling political parties. These are paddy farming colonies and we all depend on the water we get from the Bathalagoda tank. All these years there was no issue in water management, but little by little Bathalagoda irrigation office too became politicized and during a crisis situation like now, water was released only to the farmer organizations affiliated to the government and the rest of the organizations that do not back the government could not get enough water for their cultivation,” said Piyathilake .

 Piyathilake also levelled accusations against every government that came into power for not developing the Bathalagoda tank which was built 118 years ago by a British Engineer Mr. Parker.
 “After the first construction, although this tank was not rehabilitated by any government that came into power, they did not forget to erect a plaque, but nothing beyond that. The same happened under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well,” he added.

 Piyathilaka meanwhile queried as to why the government hurriedly wanted to begin dredging in the tank.  “Since the entire tank has gone dry, this is the best time for them to mine sand and earn money. In the guise of dredging the tank, not only politicians but also their henchmen are busy mining sand illegally. We have seen as to how this happened in some other small tanks around Bathalagoda earlier. It was said that the tanks would be dredged to hold more water but instead after sand mining, the soil that were dredged was not taken out but made into heaps within the tank. They now form small islands within the tank. We are scared whether the same would happen to Bathalagoda tank as well,” said Piyathilake.

 Thilakaratne, another paddy farmer, who too had lost his entire crop said that he had to spend nearly Rs.20,000 for one acre before it was destroyed completely.

 “Now we have to buy rice from the boutique. I am in debt to the bank and there is no way to settle the loan and the loan interest is accumulating. No sooner the house in which I live will be auctioned by the bank,” he said.

 He further accused the government for the dredging project claiming that the farmers would not benefit by that exercise.  “This is being done to land seaplanes to promote inland tourism. Up to now till the water level decreased up to the tank bed, we were still able to fight and get even a little water for our cultivations but in future when this sea plane project is implemented, and once the water level goes down by a few feet, water distribution for paddy lands would be stopped to maintain the water level for the sea plane landing,” said Thilakaratne.

 In Nikaweratiya the farmers accused the Irrigation Engineer for not filling the Magalle tank from Deduru Oya when the water level was going down.  “In addition, being well aware that the water level is very low, the Irrigation Engineer opened all sluice gates to send out the remaining water. When we inquired as to why this was done as a lot of water was wasted, we were told that on a request from some farmers, they had to open the gates. This was not true. The sluice gates were opened to dry the tank to help Buddhima mudalali – enabling him to lay the foundation to his hotel by the tank,” said E. M. Jayathilake, a JVP member of the Nikaweratiya Pradeshiya Sabha.
 According to him, had the Irrigation Engineer maintained the water level, the mudalali wouldn’t have been able to lay the foundation to his hotel.

 “Although it is said that the hotel is owned by Buddhima mudalali, we know who the real owner of this project is. It is none other than Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade and Kurunegala District parliamentarian Johnston Fernando. Since the foundation cannot be laid when the tank is full, they started work during the dry season as it was easy for them to dry the tank by opening the sluice gates,” alleged the JVP Pradeshiya Sabha member.

 Meanwhile, Ranjith Bandara, another farmer said that Minister Johnston Fernando foiled all protests against the hotel by farmer organizations.  “When we opposed to this construction we got the support of our Divisional Secretary and he used his powers to stop that. At the end this Divisional Secretary was transferred to Puttalam and now they are carrying out the work to their whims and fancies,” said Bandara.  According to Bandara, the government recently called for tenders for a boat service in the Magalle tank, and published a paper advertisement.  “The owner of this hotel would have now got the tender and once the hotel is opened he will start the boat service as well to boost tourism. Although Buddhima mudalali claims that he owns the hotel, we know for certain that this is owned by Johnston Fernando,” said Bandara.  Thilakawathi too is a paddy farmer who has lost her entire crop and blamed the irrigation engineer for wasting the water unnecessarily which could have helped the people to get at least 25% of the crop.  “When the water was released from morning till evening we knew that there would be a reason behind that move. Now we know as to why the sluice gates were opened as if the Magalle Tank was overflowing. We are the losers and have to suffer now. I have spent over Rs. 20,000 but how can I recover the money. How can I settle my debts,” said Thilakawathi.
 
When this reporter and the photographer visited Magalle tank in Nikaweratiya on Wednesday to get a clear idea about the allegations, a group of over 40 people including the said owner of the hotel J. M. Jayathilake alias Buddhima mudalali who is also a Director at the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), surrounded the vehicle and insisted the reporter’s official identity card.

 Shouting at us for taking photographs of his hotel, which is under construction between the Magalle tank and its bund, Jayathilake wanted his group of thugs to be vigilant where the photographer was as he was not in the vehicle at that time but had gone to the middle of the tank to capture photographs of the dry tank bed.

 However, in a threatening voice Jayathilake shouted at the reporter to be careful claiming that no one has the authority to photograph his hotel, which is under construction on the request of politicians.

 “This is being constructed on the request of our politicians. I am not sacred of anyone as I am working hand in glove with a powerful politician in the district. Where is the man that took photographs of my hotel from the main road side and also from the tank side,” Jayathilake shouted.

 This reporter meanwhile overheard Jayathilake calling OIC Nikaweratiya over the phone asking to send a police team to the scene.

 Meanwhile Thusitha  – our staff photographer who was far away in the middle of the tank, seeing a crowd near our vehicle called and asked what it was all about and whether his presence was needed. Since there was a possibility to grab his camera and the thugs could delete the pictures taken, I pretended that there was no issue but asked him to be where he was until I called him.

 Realizing that the vehicle could come under attack, this reporter immediately telephoned Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade and Kurunegala District parliamentarian Johnston Fernando to keep him informed of the thuggery that was taking place at his electorate.

 Although Minister Fernando wanted the reporter to give the phone to Jayathilake, not realizing that it was Minister Fernando who was on line, Jayathilake once again shouted claiming that he was not scared of any one and that he did not want to answer calls.

 “I am not scared of anyone and I don’t want to answer any calls of your contacts. I know how to tackle this,” he said.  Realizing that the situation was getting worse, Fernando after getting the description of the trouble maker said that he knew who the man was and promised to call him on his mobile.

 No sooner Minister Fernando called, Jayathilake began pleading with the journalist.

 “Thousand apologies madam for shouting at you all the time, please forgive me for my misbehavior in such a manner. Had I known that you are known to our minister I wouldn’t have acted like this,” he said.

 Jayathilake then wanted his group of thugs to move away from the vehicle. It was then that two police constables rushed to the scene in support of Jayathilake.

 Their expressions too changed immediately when Jayathilake said that there was no issue with the reporter, as the Minister knew her.
 

Sri Lanka, India hold first talks on nuclear cooperation

Sri Lanka, India hold first talks on nuclear cooperation
English.news.cn   2012-10-16 07:12:42

COLOMBO, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka and India have agreed to work on a comprehensive agreement on nuclear cooperation, the Indian High Commission said here on Monday.

The first round of talks between India and Sri Lanka on comprehensive civil nuclear cooperation was held last Friday in New Delhi, the statement said.

"Discussions were held in a warm, friendly and cordial manner. Both sides exchanged views on all aspects of civil nuclear cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes to mutual benefit of the people of the two countries," the statement added.

During the meeting it was agreed that the two sides would work towards a comprehensive agreement on bilateral civil nuclear cooperation.

Discussions included, inter alia, training of officials, nuclear safety and response to nuclear accidents.

It was also decided that the next meeting would be held in Sri Lanka in the first half of 2013.

The talks were held after local environmentalists raised concerns over India's Kundankulam nuclear plant, which is being constructed in southern India.

During the latest talks India has offered Sri Lanka an early warning system as part of safety measures in the event of a leak at the Kudankulam nuclear plant but safety concerns persist among locals.

Editor: Yamei Wang

Geithner welcomes India's market-opening reforms

Geithner welcomes India's market-opening reforms
09 October 2012 - 13H43  

 

Geithner has welcomed a string of economic reforms in India that open up large sectors of the economy to foreign companies.

AFP - US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner welcomed Tuesday a string of economic

reforms in India that open up large sectors of the economy to foreign companies.

 

'' Washington, which is keen to forge a closer diplomatic and commercial relationship with India as an ally in Asia, has been pushing for better access for its companies in the vast and largely untapped South Asian market'' .
-  US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

 The reforms are "obviously very promising. They will be welcomed around the world", Geithner
told a news conference in New Delhi following talks with his Indian counterpart, P. Chidambaram.

இந்தியாவை ஏலம்போடும் மன்மோகன் சிதம்பரம் கும்பல்.

The measures "will help provide stronger economic growth and stronger growth in private
sector", he added.

Geithner, who is accompanied by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke, said his visit to India
was to demonstrate his commitment to a "very promising economic relationship."

Since mid-September, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress-led government has opened
the retail, broadcasting and aviation sectors to foreign companies and proposed overseas
investment in the insurance and pension industries.

US supermarket giant Walmart intends to be one of the first companies to benefit, saying it will
open its first store for consumers in the next 18-24 months. It already operates as a wholesaler in
India.

In April, Geithner criticised proposed legislation to chase overseas firms for taxes on mergers
involving Indian assets, saying the move had "dampened enthusiasm about India's investment
climate".

Chidambaram, who took over in July, has since said the proposed law will be reviewed.

Washington is still pushing for business in the fast-growing Indian atomic energy sector after
being disappointed that a landmark 2008 nuclear deal failed to yield contracts for its reactor
manufacturers such as Westinghouse Electric.
---------------------------

Geithner's kudos for India's reforms
Says United States may issue more visas to Indians

BS Reporter / New Delhi Oct 10, 2012, 00:43 IST

Visiting US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday called the recent reform measures
initiated by India very promising and said it would push up investors’ confidence.

He sought to allay the impression that the US had lobbied for these steps. “The reforms outlined
by the government of India offer a very promising path to improving growth outcomes for the
Indian economy,” he said at a joint news conference with Finance Minister P Chidambaram. At a
function organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) later, Geithner said it was
entirely India’s choice to choose the reforms it wants to pursue.

When asked what reform he would like to see next, the US treasury secretary said, “Really, not
my place. We have our hands full in the United States. (It is ) not for us to know where India’s
interests lie.” Geithner was accompanied by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, to
participate in the third Cabinet-level meeting of the Indo-US Economic and Financial Partnership.
The meeting was also attended by Reserve Bank of India Governor D Subbarao.

Geithner and Bernanke are scheduled to visit Mumbai tomorrow and then leave for Tokyo to
attend the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings. Chidambaram left for Tokyo
tonight. Geithner said he expected an increase in the number of visas granted to Indians. He did
not give the details but said this might provide relief to Indian information technology companies
demanding more H-1B work visas.

Chidambaram told the visiting treasury secretary that supply of excess liquidity by the US Fed
through the third quantitative easing could increase commodity prices.

The US side, however, pointed out that prices might rise in dollars terms, but not in rupee terms
if the Indian currency continued to appreciate.

The rupee had depreciated 9.36 per cent to Rs 55.64 against the dollar at the end of the quarter
ending June from Rs 50.88 at the end of March quarter. It appreciated by 4.99 per cent to 52.86
against the dollar at the end of the July-September quarter.

When asked if India-US relations are facing any problems, Geithner said, “Sometimes the absence
of drama is considered as signs of strain. We don’t have any major issues or problems in bilateral
relations.”

Top of the Agenda: State Department Reveals New Details of Benghazi Attack

Top of the Agenda: State Department Reveals New Details of Benghazi Attack
U.S. State Department officials will testify before a congressional panel today on the events in Benghazi that led to the death of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Department officials on Tuesday offered their most detailed description yet of the events in the Libyan city last month, backing away from earlier assertions (AP) that the violence was triggered by protests against an anti-Islam video that insulted the prophet Mohammed. Republicans have accused the State Department of ignoring pleas from diplomats in Libya to increase security in the months before the attack in Benghazi.

Analysis

"If the Benghazi tragedy traces the same journey we made from the rubble in Nairobi, heartfelt pronouncements will be made; the dead will be given due homage and then they will be buried. The press will alight on other stories. A Congressionally mandated accountability review board will determine what happened and what needs to be done to avoid such tragedies in the future. Easy fixes—changes to emergency action plans, minor security upgrades—will be made; expensive and hard ones will not," writes Prudence Bushnell for the New York Times.

"Ambassador Stevens died a hero. Whether or not he took an unnecessary risk, he knew he couldn't do his job while isolating himself from Libyans. The same holds true for American spies. If the contagion in the Middle East continues to spread, the one thing Americans can count on is going blind — and it won't be the fault of U.S. intelligence or anyone in Washington but just another sign of Americans' declining position in the region," writes Robert Baer for TIME.

"The Obama administration may want to wait until after the election to respond, but each day of inaction makes him look weaker to the American public and our allies and enemies abroad. Thursday, the day Vice President Biden debates Paul Ryan, will mark one month since the consulate attack. Obama won't be able to put off a response—or at least an explanation for the delay—for much longer," writes Alana Goodman for Commentary Magazine.

Council on Foreign Affairs Daily News Brief October 10, 2012
 

சுரங்கத் தொழிலாளர்களைச் சுட்டுப் பொசுக்கும் மண்டேலாவின் ``சுதந்திரம்``!

 

 

சுரங்கத் தொழிலாளர்களைச் சுட்டுப் பொசுக்கும் மண்டேலாவின் ``சுதந்திரம்``

* தம் நாட்டு மூலவளம் மீது தன்னுரிமையற்ற தென்னாபிரிக்க மக்கள்.

* அந்நிய ஏகபோக கம்பெனிகளுக்கு கட்டற்ற அதிகாரம்.

* தொழிலாளர் மீது பாயும் `நிற வெறி` ஆதிக்க கறுப்புச் சட்டங்கள்.

* வேலை நிறுத்தம் சட்டவிரோதம் எனப் பிரகடனம்.

* போராடிய பல்லாயிரக்கணக்கான தொழிலாளர்கள் வேலை நீக்கம்.

* தொழிற்சங்கத் தலைவர் படுகொலை.

* அந்நிய ஏகாதிபத்திய நலன்காக்க, சொந்த நாட்டு தொழிலாளர் மீது அடக்குமுறையை ஏவும், `கறுப்பின அரசு`, `கறுப்பதிகார பொலிஸ்`.

 

Massacre at Marikana: the fight continues in South Africa

 

Mineworkers of the Marikana diamond mine in South Africa are continuing their strike. Their perseverence comes after violent police efforts to suppress the strike, efforts culminating in a horrendous bloodbath on 16 August, when police machinegunned protesting miners, killing 34 and arresting at least 250 of them.

 

[Note: this is the article I wrote for the September issue of Freedom; of course, it's best to buy the issue itself. Here, I publish the version I sent in, with footnotes that did not make it into the printed version. ofcourse, the article is dated because so much has happened since.Author]

 

On 10 August, 3.000 of the 28.000 Marikana miners went on strike to support a wage demand. The strikers belonged to a category of very low-paid miners doing arduous, risky work deep down below. The National Union of Miners (NUM), belonging tot the mainstream union federation COSATU, neglected these workers and their needs. Another union, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) took a more militant pose and tried to make itself into the voice of the angry miners. Soon the strike was accompanied by violence between strikers on the one hand, police, security, and NUM supporters being attacked by strikers on the other.

 

But it would be very wrong to blame it all on 'inter-union rivalry'. AMCU sounds more militant and is more in touch. But the battle line is not AMCU versus NUM; the frontline is angry workers pressing a wage demand against management that refuses. A violent impasse followed. Then, police – encouraged by NUM and COSATU – moved into action.

 

They attacked the strikers who had assembled on a nearby hill , some of them armed with nives and the likes, encircled them, tied to disperse them by teargas. A group of strikers refused to disperse and, according to the police version, attack their attackers. Police opened fire with machine guns and shot 34 miners dead in the most ferocious repression against protesting workers in post-Apartheid South Africa. It reminded people of the violence the apartheid regime meted out against protests, for instance in Sharpeville, 1961 and Soweto, 1976. The skin colour of the state-funded murderers had changed, but no much more.

Since the massacre, government-linked progressives like the South African Communist Party (SACP) have supported the police repression, calling the event “not a massacre”, but “a battle”, and the police operation “admirable” (1). Defending capital, the state and the police is more important to these so-called leftists than defending workers in struggle. Different reactions are coming from opoor people in struggle against the authorities, as a solidarity declaration of a slum dwellers organisation shows (2). Meanwhile, Lomnin, the mine owning company, tried to force the miners back to work with an ultimatum that they later softened. However, at the moment of writing – 28 August - the strike is still continuing, while reports of arrested workers having been mistreated by police are now surfacing (3). The angry miners have not been defeated by the massacre. There is more resistance to come.

(1): “The Marikana Massacre: a premeditated killing?”, Benjamin Fogel,, on Libcom.org, 24 August
 (3): “Solidarity with mine workers at Marikana Platinum”,on Libcom.org, 17 August.
 (3): “Tensions as S. African miners continue strikes”, Aljazeera, 27 August.
---------------

 

South African union leader shot dead near Lonmin mine - NUM

Striking platinum miners wait behind a police cordon at the site where violent clashes overnight left one person dead near the Anglo American Platinum (AMPLATS) mine in Rustenburg in South Africa's North West Province, October 5, 2012.

 

Credit: Reuters/Mike Hutchings

JOHANNESBURG | Fri Oct 5, 2012 9:29pm BST

 

 

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A branch leader of South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) was shot dead on Friday near a mine run by platinum producer Lonmin as labour unrest sweeps the mining sector.

 

NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka told Reuters the union leader had been killed "execution style" in the evening hours but gave no further details.

 

Earlier on Friday Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) fired 12,000 wildcat strikers, a high-stakes attempt by the world's biggest platinum producer to push back at the illegal stoppages in Africa's biggest economy.
-----------
S.Africa's Amplats fires 12,000 strikers, union leader shot

 

* Amplats fires 12,000 wildcat strikers

* Local NUM leader shot dead near Lonmin

* "Platinum belt" death toll nears 50

* Rand falls as labour unrest spreads

* Shell declares "force majeure"

 

By Agnieszka Flak

 

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 5 (Reuters) - South Africa's Amplats fired 12,000 wildcat strikers on Friday, a high-stakes attempt by the world's biggest platinum producer to push back at a wave of illegal stoppages sweeping through the country's mining sector and beyond.

 

Later on, a trade union leader was shot dead near a mine run by platinum producer Lonmin in a potentially explosive escalation of the two-month-old violent labour unrest that took the death toll to 49.

 

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said the NUM branch leader had been killed "execution style" in the evening but gave no further details.

 

A six-week stoppage at Lonmin in August and September erupted out of a turf war between the NUM and the more militant Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), which accuses the NUM of acting for its government allies rather than its members.

 

The hefty hikes won by workers from that saga has been a red rag to others while anger has been stoked by the killing of 34 miners in a hail of police bullets outside Lonmin's Marikana mine in an incident that evoked apartheid-era shootings.

 

 

The sackings at Amplats (Anglo American Platinum) on Friday triggered a sharp fall in South Africa's rand as investors dumped the country's assets.

 

The rand fell as much as 4 percent to 3-1/2 year lows after Johannesburg markets closed, adding to the mounting toll inflicted on Africa's biggest economy.

 

Strikes have spread beyond the mining sector, with Shell saying on Friday it would not be able to honour contracts to deliver fuel near Johannesburg because of a trucking strike.

 

The unrest is causing political trouble for President Jacob Zuma and his ruling African National Congress (ANC), the veteran liberation movement with long-standing ties to labour unions.

 

"You fire 12,000 people, and it's like 'Oh my god, what happens now?'" one Johannesburg-based currency strategist said.

 

When rival Impala Platinum fired 17,000 workers on an illegal strike rooted in the NUM/AMCU struggle, it led to a violent six week stoppage in which the company lost 80,000 ounces in output and platinum prices jumped 21 percent.

 

The wage deal that followed the killings at the Marikana mine in August triggered copycat demands in gold and iron ore.

 

"Amplats had been giving signals that it was going to hold the line after Lonmin had folded - but it's a huge gamble," said Nic Borain, an independent political analyst.

 

"Someone had to take it on the chin or this would have kept on unravelling and spread through the economy. It's difficult to know whether this causes the unrest to spread or whether it takes some of the sting out of it. It could go either way."

 

Speaking to South Africa's e-News television channel, one dismissed worker said Amplats was "starting a war".

ZUMA UNDER PRESSURE

The ANC Youth League, a fierce critic of Zuma, lashed out at Amplats, which it said "has made astronomical profits on the blood, sweat and tears of the very same workers that today the company can just fire with impunity".

 

"Amplats is a disgrace and a disappointment to the country at large, a representation of white monopoly capital out of touch and uncaring of the plight of the poor," it said.

 

Zuma tried to put a positive spin on the situation in a speech to business leaders late on Thursday, stressing that since the end of white-minority rule South Africans have shown "the capacity to overcome difficulties when we work together".

 

"We should not seek to portray ourselves as a nation that is perpetually fighting," he said.

However, with an ANC leadership run-off looming in December, Nelson Mandela's 100-year-old liberation movement is preoccupied with its own divisions. Zuma is seen as unlikely to take any action that could upset his political allies in the unions.

 

"In the build-up to the election, the government is unlikely to come out with any clear policy directives," said Simon Freemantle, an analyst at Standard Bank in Johannesburg.

 

Reflecting such concerns, Moody's cut South Africa's credit rating last week. Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has already said he will have to cut his 2.7 percent growth forecast for 2012 when he delivers an interim budget on Oct. 24.

 

MINER SHOT

 

More than 75,000 miners, or 15 percent of the workforce in a sector that accounts for 6 percent of output, have been out on unofficial strikes, and tensions with security forces and mining bosses were running high even before the mass Amplats sackings.

 

Near the "platinum belt" city of Rustenburg, 120 km (70 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, workers said a miner was killed by a rubber bullet fired by police on Thursday night.

 

Police would not confirm the cause of the death, although the ground nearby was strewn with spent rubber-bullet shell casings and teargas canisters after clashes the previous night.

 

On Friday, protesters in a shanty town near the Amplats mine barricaded streets with rocks and burning tyres as more than 30 riot police backed by armoured vehicles stood nearby.

 

AngloGold Ashanti, South Africa's biggest bullion producer, has lost virtually all local production due to wildcat strikes, while rivals Gold Fields and Harmony Gold have also taken a hit. Around 300 strikers at Kumba Iron Ore have also blockaded the company's giant Sishen mine in the remote Northern Cape province.

 

Apart from the mining sector, a strike with more potential to damage the wider economy is brewing in transport, with 20,000 truckers on a two-week authorised stoppage to demand higher pay.

 

Shell said on Friday it could not honour fuel delivery contracts around Johannesburg, declaring "force majeure" to free itself and customers from existing obligations.

 

"There is fuel available across the country, so the issue is not fuel supply, but the challenge is delivering it safely to our retail sites," the oil major said. Other petrol companies are holding their breath, especially around the commercial hub Johannesburg, but have not yet followed Shell's move.

Raising the stakes, transport union SATAWU said it wanted workers at railways and ports to strike next week, a development that would affect coal and other mineral shipments.