India Needs to Urgently Engage With Tamil Diaspora : Global Tamil Forum

India Needs to Urgently Engage With Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora Groups: Global Tamil Forum

By Devirupa Mitra Published: 06th February 2016 

NEW DELHI: India has so far, kept powerful Diaspora groups at an arms length, preferring to deal with the main Tamil political party Tamil National Alliance for engagement with the community.

In an interview with The New Indian Express, spokesperson of the London-based Global Tamil Forum, Suren Surendiran said that India should urgently open a formal dialogue with Lankan Tamil diaspora groups to strengthen moderate voices at this critical juncture in the reconciliation process.

Full transcript of interview with Suren Surendiran, Spokesperson and Director of Strategic Initiatives, Global Tamil Forum, London

Q: What are your views about India’s Sri Lanka policy in recent years? Do you see any difference between the approaches by UPA and Modi government?

A: Indian foreign policy has course corrected from being subdued and reactionary to being proactively taking the regional leadership role. The Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has made two separate visits to Sri Lanka within the past 12 months and Prime Minister Modi has visited once, which was the first bilateral visit to the country by an Indian premier in over 25 years. These facts show that the diplomatic engagement with Sri Lanka is now at a different scale than before.

India, quite rightly so, has taken a different approach also due to the changes in administration in Sri Lanka.

Q: Did you have any hopes about any change in India’s policy after Modi took over as PM? If yes, have those hopes been met or are you disappointed?

A: On the day after taking charge as PM, Mr Modi had met former President Rajapaksa, who was an invited guest at his inauguration event. A few weeks later, he met the then Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). However, before meeting any formal Sri Lanka’s government delegation or the then official opposition party in Sri Lankan Parliament, PM Modi choosing to meet the Parliamentarians of TNA, underscored the significance. PM, Modi was the second Prime Minister of another country to pay a visit to the Tamil dominated northern Sri Lanka to see for himself the destructions of the war, to hear first-hand from people and their representatives of their needs and conditions on the ground.

I believe PM, Modi had been firm with President Rajapaksa in emphasising the need for a negotiated political settlement for the Tamil national question. Since President Sirisena has taken over with a mandate to resolve the Tamil issue, India has been encouraging Sri Lanka to progress.

Although progress has been very slow during the past 12 months of President Sirisena’s reign, progress there have been, nevertheless.

Q: Do you think it is time that India is more assertive in speaking its mind about the need for Sirisena government to show progress in key issues like resettlement, release of land, demilitarisation and release of political prisoners?

A: India is the regional super power and the closest neighbour. India has a Tamil constituency of over seventy million people. India still houses tens of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Therefore, India has legitimate reasons why she should encourage progress with all those issues that you have highlighted in your question and more

Q:  What has been GTF’s relationship been with the Indian government, described as the key external actor in Sri Lanka?

A: Although members of GTF have met with BJP Leadership in Tamil Nadu and in Delhi, reality compared to GTF’s aspirational relationship with the Indian Government has been minimal, unfortunately.

Q:  Do you think that Indian government should formally reach out to GTF? Would GTF be interested in talking with India at this juncture?

A: Yes and yes. As a strategy, GTF believes that India should and must play an active role in resolving the Tamil national question in Sri Lanka not just as the regional super power but as the closest neighbour who also has a large Tamil constituency. Historically, India has played an active role in attempting to resolve the Tamil national question.

The new Government of Sri Lanka has unlisted GTF and other member organisations that were listed as proscribed organisations by the Rajapaksa Regime. The new President of Sri Lanka has met the President and members of the GTF. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka has met members of GTF at several meetings last year. The new government of Sri Lanka acknowledges the Diaspora as an important stakeholder. GTF has constructively engaged with the various stakeholders in Sri Lanka including the new government. GTF believes that formal engagement and acknowledgement by the Indian Government is essential and an urgent need to strengthen the moderate voices within the Diaspora. This, we believe in turn will strengthen the collective moderate stands within and outside Sri Lanka.

Q: Before the presidential elections, GTF urged the Tamils in Sri Lanka to exercise their vote and then again asked for the new dispensation to be victorious before parliamentary elections. Why did GTF take this stance, when it had previously been critical of the Sri Lankan polity?

A: The presidential election of 8th January 2015 was a turning point in the recent political history of Sri Lanka where the voters overwhelmingly rejected the undemocratic, corrupt, intolerant and violent political culture practiced at that time. Undoubtedly that election outcome brought welcome changes that included the adoption of the progressive 19th amendment to the constitution, the expansion of the democratic space available for freedom of expression and rule of law, and the reduced fear for the minority communities from ethno-religious extremism. We also recognised positive steps the government has taken to address certain immediate concerns of the Tamil people. These included removing of military Governors and appointing civilians as Governors for the Northern and Eastern Provinces, transferring of small sections of land back to the rightful owners, releasing of a few Tamil 

political detainees and the review of the proscription of Tamil diaspora individuals and entities. Though limited in scope, collectively, they are still significant.

Prior to 8 January 2015, these would have been unimaginable. Hence, GTF dealt with the previous regime differently and was critical.

Q:  When GTF met with the Sri Lankan government – both president and FM earlier this year – there had been some commitments made by Colombo. What is you assessment about progress, if at all, made in any of those three key areas that Mr Samaraweera outlined in his parliament speech?

A: I have described above, some of the positives that have been delivered by this new President and the new government.

However, large swathes of private land are still illegally occupied by the military, disproportionate number of military personnel still remain in the North and East, intimidation and arbitrary arrests still continue, military remains engaged in day to day life of Tamils in North and East, sexual violence continue against the tens of thousands of war widows and others, Over two hundred political prisoners still remain in custody without being charged, the Prevention of Terrorism Act is still not repealed, above all the Tamil National Question remains unresolved, although a new constitution drafting process has been discussed recently but formal processes haven’t begun.Although Sri Lanka co-sponsored the UNHRC resolution in October 2015, recently leaders have started to send mixed messages on implementing the resolution in full. These have caused serious concerns in the victims’ minds.   

Q. How united is the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in supporting GTF’s stance on the Sirisena government? Are there still extremists in diaspora who assert that GTF has gone too far in talking with the government and do you feel a lot of pressure?

When so many of the key concerns of the Tamil people remain unresolved and when progress has been unbelievably slow, growing of suspicion, anxiety, despair and disbelief are inevitable.

When absolute democratic space exists in adopted countries without any constitutional or other restrictions or limitations, espousing different views and aspirations are part of democratic rights of people.

Politically active and vociferous, Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora is relatively a minority community around the world compared to the large silent majority that seeks a just, reasonable and durable political resolution to problems faced by their brethren in Sri Lanka. GTF stands with that large majority and the overwhelmingly democratically elected representatives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

Q: If so, do you think that Sri Lankan government should at least take action for some quick deliverables? How long are you willing to wait?

A: Indeed, Government of Sri Lanka must up the game and deliver faster.

When someone is imprisoned under draconian laws and kept for many years without being charged in a court of law, when private land where people have lived for many generations are taken and held illegally by the military, when military and military families enjoy privileges at the expense of historic habitants of a particular area, when a large and intimidating presence of a military who do not speak the inhabitants’ language exists in one’s neighbourhood where there are disproportionate number of war widows in thousands live, when a peoples do not feel being treated equal and feel being treated as second class citizens, when families do not know what happened to their disappeared loved ones, when citizens feel that some members of their own government and military targeted them in various ways putting their lives at risk and due to those actions they lost their loved ones and don’t feel justice will ever be served in an acceptable manner – these are genuine grievances of human beings.

Above all, these are the same people who also voted overwhelmingly to install this new president and government.

The president and the government represent all of the people of Sri Lanka.

Therefore, if these genuine grievances of one community being resolved in an equitable way will displease another community, be it from the majority community or religion or party members, cannot be accepted as reasons for delays and dithering.

Q: What is your view on National Anthem being sung in Tamil at the Independence Day celebrations?

A: A very progressive step indeed towards reconciliation, especially after over nine years of extreme Sinhala nationalistic rhetoric of the Rajapaksa regime! However, I also do not understand the reasons for this hullabaloo regarding the National Anthem being sung in Tamil, as when I went to school, we always sang the National Anthem in Tamil even when Prime Ministers and Presidents of the time have been chief guests at school events.

      

Source: Indian Express     

அரசியல் கைதிகளுக்கு பொது மன்னிப்பு கொடுப்பது தவறு - ஐ.நா

அரசியல் கைதிகளுக்கு பொது மன்னிப்பு கொடுப்பது தவறு 

விக்கியிடம் அல் ஹூசெய்ன் தெரிவிப்பு:
07 February 2016

அரசியல் கைதிகளுக்கு பொது மன்னிப்பு கொடுப்பது தவறு. அரசியல் கைதிகளை வழக்கு விசாரணையின் பின்னரே விடுதலை செய்ய வேண்டும் என ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமை பேரவையின் ஆணையாளர் சயிட் அல் ஹூசெய்ன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

 யாழ்ப்பாணத்திற்கு ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை காலை விஜயம் மேற்கொண்ட ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமை பேரவையின் ஆணையாளர் வடமாகாண முதலமைச்சர் சி.வி.விக்னேஸ்வரனை சந்தித்து கலந்துரையாடினார்.

அக் கலந்துரையாடலின் பின்னர் அது குறித்து,  வடமாகாண முதலமைச்சர் கருத்து தெரிவிக்கையில் ,

கடந்த வருடம் ஜெனீவாவில் எடுத்துக்கொள்ளப்பட்ட தீர்மானம் எந்த வகையில் நடைமுறைப்படுத்தப்பட்டு வருகின்றது என்பது சம்பந்தமாக அறிந்து கொள்வதற்காகவும், அதனால் ஏற்படும் நன்மை தீமைகளை அறிந்து கொள்ளவும் , பாதிக்கப்பட்ட மக்களின் பிரச்சனைகளை நேரில் கேட்டு அறிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டும் என்ற எண்ணத்துடன் வந்திருந்தார்.

அதன் போது சிறையில் இருப்பவர்கள் சம்பந்தமாகவும், காணாமல் போனோர் சம்பந்தமாகவும், காணிகளை பறிகொடுத்தவர்கள் சம்பந்தமாகவும், கவனம் செலுத்தி இருப்பதாக தெரிவித்தார்.

நாம் பலவிதமான பிரச்சனைகளை அவரிடம் எடுத்துக் கூறினோம். அவற்றை அவர் கேட்டு அறிந்து கொண்டார்.

அத்துடன் சிறையில் உள்ள அரசியல் கைதிகளுக்கு  தற்காலத்தில் பொது மன்னிப்பு கொடுப்பது சம்பந்தமாக சர்வதேச சமூகம் சரி என்று ஏற்றுக் கொள்ளவில்லை எனவும்,  சிரியாவில் பொது மன்னிப்பு கொடுப்பது தவறு என தான் கூறியதாகவும் கூறினார்.

பொது மன்னிப்பை விடவும், அவர்களுடைய வழக்குகளை துரிதகதியில் விசாரணை செய்து விடுதலை செய்வதே முறை என குறிப்பிட்டார்

அதன் போது அவரிடம் நான், வழக்கை விரைந்து நடத்தி முடிக்க அரசாங்கத்திற்கு அழுத்தம் கொடுக்க வேண்டும் என கூறினேன். அது சமபந்தமாக நடவடிக்கை எடுப்பதாக கூறினார்.

காணமல் போனோர் தொடர்பான தரவுகள் ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமை பேரவையின் ஆணையாளர் சயிட் அல் ஹூசெய்னிடம் வடமாகாண முதலமைச்சர் சி.வி.விக்னேஸ்வரன் கையளித்து உள்ளார்.

சுஸ்மாவுக்கு விளக்கம் கூறும் மனோ கணேசன்

'புதிய அரசியலமைப்புத் தொடர்பில் சுஷ்மாவுக்கு விளக்கிக் கூறுவோம்'
05-02-2016

இலங்கைக்கு வந்துள்ள இந்திய வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் சுஷ்மா சுவராஜை, தமிழ் முற்போக்கு கூட்டணி நாளை சனிக்கிழமை கொழும்பில் சந்தித்து உரையாட உள்ளது. இன்று இலங்கையில் நடைபெற்று வரும் புதிய அரசியலமைப்பு தொடர்பான செயன்முறைகள் பற்றி நாம் அவருக்கு விரிவாக விளக்கி கூறவுள்ளோம் என தேசிய சகவாழ்வு கலந்துரையாடல் மற்றும் அரசகரும மொழிகள் அமைச்சரும், தமிழ் முற்போக்கு கூட்டணி தலைவருமான மனோ கணேசன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

அவர் ஊடகங்களுக்கு இன்று வெள்ளிக்கிழமை(05) அனுப்பியுள்ள அறிக்கையிலேயே மேற்கண்டவாறு தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதில் மேலும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாவது,

இந்நாட்டில் வாழும் இந்திய வம்சாவளி மலையக மக்களை பிரதானப்படுத்தி, வடக்கு கிழக்கு மாகாணங்களுக்கு வெளியே அமைந்துள்ள ஏழு மாகாணங்களில் வாழும் தமிழ் மக்களின்அபிலாஷைகள் தொடர்பாக*

(* ENB குறிப்பு: இது மனோ கணேசன் வாக்குப் பொறுக்கும் பிராந்தியம்)

 நாம் நியமித்துள்ள அரசியலமைப்பு யோசனை வரைவு நிபுணர் குழுபற்றியும், நமது யோசனை திட்டங்களை நாம் அரசியலமைப்பு பேரவைக்கு விரைவில் முன்வைக்க உள்ளதையும் வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சருக்கு முறைப்படி அறிவிக்க உள்ளோம்.

கடந்த காலங்களை போலல்லாமல் இன்று இந்த நாட்டின் ஒவ்வொரு தேசிய நீரோட்ட திருப்பத்திலும் நமது மக்களின் அபிலாஷகளும் உள்வாங்கப்படும் திடமான சூழலை தமிழ் முற்போக்கு கூட்டணி உருவாக்கியுள்ளது.

நமது கூட்டணியின் யோசனைகள், அரசியலமைப்பு பேரவைக்கு வழங்கப்படுவதற்கு முன்னர், தமிழ் தேசிய கூட்டமைப்பு, தமிழ் மக்கள் பேரவை மற்றும் முஸ்லிம் கட்சிகள், தென்னிலங்கை முற்போக்கு சிங்கள அமைப்புகள் ஆகியவற்றுக்கும் வழங்கப்பட்டு அவர்களின் ஆதரவுகளும், கருத்துகளும் உள்வாங்கப்படும் நடைமுறையையும் நாம் முன்னெடுக்க உள்ளோம்.

அதன்பின்னர் எமது யோசனைகள் வடக்கு கிழக்கு தமிழ் மற்றும் முஸ்லிம் மக்களினது யோசனை திட்டங்களுக்கு சமாந்திரமாக  தேசிய அரசியலமைப்பு பேரவைக்கு வழங்கப்படும்.

இதற்கான முயற்சிகளை நிதானமாகவும், காத்திரமாகவும் தமிழ் முற்போக்கு கூட்டணி செய்து வருகின்றது. இந்த முயற்சிகளுக்கு இந்திய அரசின் தார்மீக ஆதரவை மேன்மேலும் அதிகரிக்கும்படி நாம் இந்திய வெளிவிவகார அமைச்சர் சுஷ்மா சுவராஜை கோருவோம் என அவ்வறிக்கையில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இந்தியா ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்க வேண்டும் - GTF

தமிழ் மக்களின் பிரச்சினைகளுக்கு தீர்வு காண இந்தியா ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்க வேண்டும் - GTF:

GTN 06 பெப்ரவரி 2016

தமிழ் மக்களின் தேசியப் பிரச்சினைக்கு தீர்வு காண இந்தியா ஒத்துழைப்பு வழங்க வேண்டுமென குளோபல் தமிழ் போரம் அமைப்பு தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

பிராந்திய வலயத்தின் முக்கிய நாடு மட்டுமன்றி, அண்டை நாடு என்ற ரீதியில் இலங்கைத் தமிழர் பிரச்சினைக்கு காத்திரமான தீர்வினை பெற்றுக்கொடுக்க இந்தியா செயற்பாட்டு ரீதியான பங்களிப்பினை வழங்க வேண்டுமென அமைப்பின் பேச்சாளர் சுரேன் சுரேந்திரன் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.

``புலம்பெயர்ந்து வாழும் தமிழ் மக்கள் நிலையான அரசியல் தீர்வுத் திட்டமொன்றின் மூலம் பிரச்சினைக்கு தீர்வு வழங்கப்பட வேண்டுமென்றே விரும்புகின்றார்கள்``

 என அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.

இதேவேளை,
இந்தியா புலம்பெயர் தமிழ் சமூகத்துடனான தொடர்புகளை வலுப்படுத்திக்கொள்ள வேண்டுமெனவும் கோரிக்கை விடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Sri Lanka's killing fields: Here shoes still lie on the ground

Greek Farmers Intensify Blockades

Greek Farmers Intensify Blockades
By Philip Chrysopoulos -  Feb 5, 2016

The Greek farmers unions have decided to intensify blockades during the weekend and for an indefinite period of time, while tractors filled the main roads of Thessaloniki stopping traffic.

Several key points of Greece’s main thoroughfares will be blocked for several hours during the weekend as farmers continue to protest the new tax and security fund measures. On Friday, the national highway is blocked at Tempi — a key point in the center of the country connecting northern and southern Greece —  from 10 am to 10 pm. On Saturday, Tempi will be completely blocked of farmers from noon until 10 pm.

Other key points along national highways that will be closed indefinitely are Kerdyllia, Niseli, Chrysoupolis, Nikaia and Isthmus. Also, checkpoints at Promahonas and Kipi on the border with Bulgaria will remain closed indefinitely. Farmers allow only a few trucks to cross on special occasions.

On Saturday, blockades in crucial points will be in effect from noon until noon on Sunday. At the moment there are 62 roadblocks across Greece.

Farmers will keep the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway at Kastro closed on Saturday from noon until midnight.

Moreover, farmers from the region of Fthiotida will block the Athens-Thessaloniki motorway as well as the regional roads at Atalanti and Anthili from noon to 2 pm and on Saturday from noon until midnight. They will also close the old national highway from noon to 2 pm and from 7 pm to 10 pm on Friday and on Saturday from noon to until midnight.

In Peloponnese, farmers remain along the main roads without interrupting traffic. However, the farmers said they will escalate their mobilizations and will close the Corinth-Tripolis motorway at Nestani on Friday at midnight.

- See more at: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2016/02/05/greek-farmers-intensify-blockades/#sthash.08fIdo8C.dpuf

Sri Lanka has to trim budget deficit urgently: IMF



Sri Lanka has to trim budget deficit urgently: IMF
Feb 05, 2016

ECONOMYNEXT - Sri Lanka has to trim its runaway budget deficit "urgently" to and raise more taxes, the International Monetary Fund said, as the central bank continued to print money to accommodate state spending, driving credit up and pressuring the currency.

An IMF mission that ended a visit to Colombo on February 05 said the budget deficit is likely to overshoot the target and the economy was at risk from the gap and the need to borrow from domestic and foreign markets.
"The mission has advised the government to urgently make a stronger effort to narrow the fiscal deficit and put the public finances on a sustainable path," a statement said.

In 2015 the budget deficit is estimated to have topped 7 percent of gross domestic product.

Sri Lanka has to focus on broadening the tax base and simplifying and making an equitable tax system and improve tax administration.

The budget for 2016 raised personal income threshold taking many rich people out of the tax net but has started raising protectionist taxes.

Sri Lanka has said it is seeking a loan from the IMF this year.

"Despite the narrowing of the current account, capital outflows have intensified and the overall balance of payments deteriorated," the IMF mission said.

"These outflows were accompanied by downward pressure on the rupee and a decline in central bank gross foreign exchange reserves mainly due to short-term capital outflows as experienced in many emerging markets."

Analysts using classical economic approach had already forecasted that capital outflows or a reduction in net inflows on the financial account will lead to a contraction of the current account deficit.

But money printing by the Central Bank (purchase of domestic assets to extend central bank credit to the banking system) will lead to reserve losses and also currency depreciation if the printed money is not mopped up through currency defence, they warned early last year.

No benefit also could be expected to come from falling oil price of retail prices were cut, as the increase in disposable income will lead to non-oil imports either through direct consumption or through credit if the money is saved.

The IMF claimed that monetary policy was tightened at the end of the year (through a reserve ratio hike) but analysts have said that continued money printing would nullify any effect and the rupee would continue to come under pressure.

The rupee has fallen 9 percent over 2015 and the IMF said the central bank had allowed market forces to work more.

An attempt to float the rupee failed in September 2016, as no attempt was made to fix the deficit or raise interest rates high enough to curb consumption and allow the budget to be financed without printing money.

Data showed that in December forex reserves fell by a billion US dollars to 6.3 billion dollars.

“These imbalances are also set against an increasingly less benign external environment," the IMF said.

"Key risks for emerging market and developing economies relate to a weaker global growth environment, market volatility, declining commodity prices, and tighter external financing conditions in the context of global rebalancing''. 

"Set against such risks, the mission emphasized the urgent need for Sri Lanka to bolster its economic defenses.

Sri Lanka's current cycle of economic problems started with a revised 2015 budget in January which raised state salaries and subsidies and was worsed by a policy rate cut in April adding monetary fuel to the fiscal fire.

Sri Lanka has a so-called soft-pegged monetary arrangement - where the central bank tries to control the exchange rate while printing money - since 1951 and the country has got into balance of payments trouble form 1952. (Colombo/Feb05/2016)

புதிய ஈழம்: போலிச் சுதந்திரம் பொசுங்கியே தீரும்! ஈழப்புரட்சி வெடித்தே தீரும்!

புதிய ஈழம்: போலிச் சுதந்திரம் பொசுங்கியே தீரும்! ஈழப்புரட்சி வ...:

போலிச் சுதந்திரம் பொசுங்கியே தீரும்! ஈழப்புரட்சி வெடித்தே தீரும்! 

 (பாகம் 1)

மாணவர் உயிர் பறிப்பு, `உரிமைக்கு குரல் கொடுக்கும்` கழகம்!

 மத்திய ஆட்சியில் ஹைத்திரபாத் பல்கலைக் கழக ஆராய்ச்சிப் பட்டதாரி தலித் மாணவன்``தற்கொலை``, மாநில ஆட்சி மத்திய உறவுக்கு கை கொடுக்க, தமிழக விழுப்புர ``மருத்துவக் கல்லூரியில்`` மூன்று மாணவிகள் ``தற்கொலை``, உரிமைக்கு குரல் கொடுத்து கழகம் கண்டன முழக்கம்.

Sri Lanka faces alarming disparity in income equality: Poll

Sri Lanka faces alarming disparity in income equality: Poll

Thursday, 4 February 2016 00:00

The latest nationwide survey conducted by TNS Lanka, for business magazine LMD, reveals that a massive majority (82%) of those polled feel that wealth distribution in Sri Lanka is inequitable, while 10% dispute this claim and 8% are unsure.

Respondents say that the gap between the rich and poor continues is as wide as ever, with only 7% saying it as ‘fair’ – a whopping 86% disagree with this view and another 7% remains on the fence. However, over the need to do more to reduce and alleviate poverty, there is a greater degree of unanimity among respondents, at 92%. Slightly over half (55%) the respondents feel that those who work hard earn decent wages, while 30% say that salary levels are disproportionate.

Wealth distribution is unequal across the world, according to 86% of those polled, while a mere 2% feel otherwise.

LMD reports that citizens propose a number of ways to bridge the gap between Sri Lanka’s rich and poor: 20% suggest donating to the poor, while a somewhat similar number (18%) want people to work harder to amass wealth.

A spokesperson for the magazine also notes that “about 12% of those polled want the surety that everyone receives a decent salary, while 11% call for an increase in job opportunities. Then there’s one-in-10 who feel that the wealthy should help the poor.”

The cover story of the January edition of the pioneering business magazine features the scourge of our times: Poverty. For the full story, log onto www.LMD.lk.

Source: http://www.ft.lk/article