Italy support Sri Lanka. regain GSP Plus facility

Italy supporting Sri Lanka's bid to regain GSP Plus facility
July 10, 2016, 9:28 pm

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

"Italy is keen on promoting bilateral trade and investment with Sri Lanka; the reason being Sri Lanka is a main emerging market in the Asian region. Therefore, Italy is supporting Sri Lanka in its efforts to regain the European Union's GSP Plus trade facility, Charge D' Affairs at the Italian embassy in Sri Lanka Dr Giandomenico Milano said.

"At present both countries' total value of trade is around US $ 600 million and the balance of trade is overwhelmingly in Sri Lanka's favour. Therefore, we are looking at the possibilities to enter Sri Lanka to promote Italian automobiles and other high tech machinery, Dr. Milano told The Island Financial Review at the 17th Annual General Meeting of Sri Lanka-Italy Business Council held last Wednesday at Hilton Colombo Residencies.

He said that Italy, being a European Union country, is carefully looking at the EU decision on granting the GSP Plus to Sri Lanka, which would enhance trade and investment many fold. Today, if the trade and investment improved in both countries, the total value of trade of both countries could touch the US $ one billion mark within a short span of time, he said.

Milano said Italy's automobile industry is highly developed in the EU region. It manufactures top vehicle brands like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini and many more. "Therefore, Sri Lanka, being an emerging market in the region, could be an ideal market for Italian luxury automobile companies, Milano said.

"There was a significant increase from 2005 in exports between Sri Lanka and Italy, recording an impressive growth, mainly thanks to the GSP Plus concession. A steady growth of exports could be seen and we hope that such growth in bilateral trade will continue, with industrial and consumer retail customers in Italy, he said.

The leading markets for merchandise exports of Sri Lanka during 2015 continued to be the USA, UK, India, Germany and Italy, accounting for about 51 percent of total exports, while the main source of imports continued to be India, China, Japan, UAE and Singapore. They accounted for about 60 percent of total imports, Central Bank sources said.

Pakistan JF-17 Fighter Jet deal going through

The JF -17 is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. The JF-17 can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception. Its designation 'JF-17' by Pakistan is the acronym for 'Joint Fighter-17'

Pakistan JF-17 Fighter Jet deal going through
By Gagani Weerakoon
2016-07-10

Sri Lanka will be shortly concluding the purchase deal with Pakistan for supply of 10 JF -17 Thunder multi-role Fighter Jets, developed in a joint Sino-Pakistan venture, with delivery expected early 2017.
Pakistan has stationed Brigadier Muhammad Bashir in Colombo to work out the details of the deal. That will include finance arrangements, sources confirmed.

The deal to purchase this stunning new multi-role fighter from the Pakistan Air Force was held in abeyance under mounting pressure from the highest levels in the Indian Government.

When the deal was first mooted it was expected to be inked in Colombo during Pakistani Premier Nawaz Shariff's visit in early January this year. The deal included the sale of 10 JF -17 s, each priced around US$ 35million through a special Line of Credit (LoC). But Shariff's visit ended with eight Pakistan-Sri Lanka agreements being signed in Colombo during the visit. None were related to defence cooperation or to the JF-17 deal.

SLAF Commander Gagan Bulathsinhala visited Pakistan last year for a reality check on the aircraft at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, where the PAC and China's Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) co-manufacture the fighters.
Ceylon Today last December revealed that the Sri Lankan Government was facing mounting pressure from its powerful neighbour India over this specific deal with Pakistan.

A highly placed source in the diplomatic corps said India came out strongly against the deal with the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to purchase 10 JF-17 combat aircraft.

Indian National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, had personally expressed India's concerns in connection with the deal to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Doval had personally telephoned President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and told them outright that New Delhi was against the deal, warning that Sri Lanka will have to face serious repercussions if the deal was sealed with Pakistan.

Sri Lanka made a compromise offer to purchase three naval ships from India as suasion for India to desist from objecting to the deal with Pakistan. This, however, was not favoured by India, and New Delhi maintained the pressure instead.

The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry then asked India for 10 JF-17 aircraft or a similar fighter jet. India came up with a counter deal offering the SL Government a credit line to purchase alternative combat aircraft subject to the condition that Sri Lanka could buy the aircraft from any country other than Pakistan.

Pakistan however maintained a low profile and renewed their offer stating that they would give 10 F-7 combat craft free if Sri Lanka makes an outright purchase on the initial deal.

The finalisation of the deal was gradually put off following the low key visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Dr.Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to Colombo ahead of the Pakistan Premier's visit in January 2016.

The deal was apparently opened when former Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakkody was serving as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan.

The JF -17 is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. The JF-17 can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception. Its designation 'JF-17' by Pakistan is the acronym for 'Joint Fighter-17'

GSP Plus – EC shortens list of conditions

GSP Plus – EC shortens list of conditions

The European Commission has imposed upon Sri Lanka fifteen conditions in return for granting the GSP Plus trade concession — considerably whittled down from the list of 58 strictures it had originally slapped on.

The shorter list — which was first communicated to the Sri Lanka Government in June 2010 and to which the European Commission (EC) has now reverted — calls upon the Government to carry out such reforms as reducing the number of derogations to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Sources close to the European Union said the shift from the longer list of 58 conditions to the revised one was “due to concerns about Sri Lanka’s economic health and about the legality and fairness of imposing new, more stringent, criteria on the new Government than what was required of the Rajapaksa Government”.

The shorter list was sent to the Government in June 2010, six months after the GSP Plus was withdrawn, stating that the preferences could be extended for a limited additional period subject to a clear commitment by Sri Lanka to fulfill all 15 conditions spelt out.

But in an official response to the European Commission sent that same month, the Sri Lanka Government contended that “the position taken up by the Commission involves the imposition of a series of conditions, the cumulative effect of which is clearly inconsistent with Sri Lanka’s sovereignty”.

When President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed power, however, they started fresh negotiations through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And, in a marked departure from earlier policy, the current regime has already implemented several of the demands made by the EC in exchange for the GSP Plus concession. The Government has gone far enough in the process to be able to lodge its application for the GSP Plus, which it recently did.

The EC list urges the Government to ensure that the key objective of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, namely to provide for independent and impartial appointments to key public positions, is fully safeguarded; and to repeal those sections of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which are incompatible with the ICCPR or amending them so as to make them clearly compatible with ICCPR.

It wishes the Government to respond to a significant number of individual cases currently pending before the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances; and to ensure journalists can exercise their professional duties without harassment. It calls upon the Government to take the legislative steps necessary to allow individuals to submit complaints to the UN Human Rights Committee under the First Optional Protocol to the ICCPR and to the UN Committee against Torture (UNCAT) under Article 22.

The Optional Protocol establishes an individual complaints mechanism for the ICCPR; Article 22 allows State parties to recognise the competence of the Committee against Torture to hear complaints from individuals about violations of the Convention against Torture by a State party.

Additionally, the EU wants Government to repeal the remaining part of the 2005 Emergency Regulations — notably those concerning detention without trial, restrictions on freedom of movement, ouster of jurisdiction and immunity — and to repeal the 2006 Emergency Regulations. If the Government considers it essential to retain certain provisions which are compatible with the ICCPR or UNCAT, such as provisions concerning possession of weapons, “such provisions should be transferred to the Criminal Code”.

Among the EC’s conditions which the incumbent Government has announced its intention to comply with is the adoption of amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure. These provide for the right of a suspect to see a lawyer immediately following his or her arrest. The Government has already provided for the visits of several UN Special Rapporteurs. This was another stipulation. It is also finalising the first draft of the new counter-terrorism legislation to replace the PTA. Several other measures remain to be adopted.

However, the shorter list is considerably more lenient than the earlier one which the EU had conveyed to the Government. This had imposed more detailed and specific requirements complete with timelines for implementation.

They included revoking the PTA; expediting cases of remaining detainees; introducing a new Human Rights Action Plan (also in the shorter list); reviewing the status of Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals on the terrorist list; devolving power under a new Constitution; returning all private lands to owners in the North; adopting a policy of National Reconciliation and on National Resettlement; finalising the resettlement of all displaced persons; ratifying the Convention on Enforced Disappearances with accompanying legislation; and issuing certificates of absence.

They also comprised rehabilitation of all ex-combatants; amending the Code of Criminal Procedure to include the rights of detainees (also in shorter list); adopting new regulations for public disorder management by police; reviewing the Public Security Ordinance; and establishing an Office of Missing Persons. The Government is now implementing a mixture of both lists.

ஈழக்கடலில் இந்திய ஆதிக்கத்துக்கு சிங்களம் அநுமதி

ஈழக்கடல் தொழிலாளர் எதிர்ப்பு

Northern Fishermen’s Unity Alliance, which consists of fishermen cooperative societies across five districts, is scheduled to stage a protest on Tuesday outside the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) building to oppose the proposal.

Compromise on fishing dispute: Northern fishermen vow to overturn boats

Northern fishermen leaders have sought a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to protest over proposals to grant fishing licences to a limited number of Indian fishermen to fish in Lankan waters.

Indian fishermen arrested this week for poaching

The Sunday Times last week exclusively reported that a proposal to grant fishing licences to a limited number of Indian fishermen was under consideration. Jaffna Fishermen Association leader Naganathy Ponnambalam said this proposal came from the Indian side and Sri Lanka’s fishermen would oppose it strongly. He said they would not allow anyone to impose a proposal on them.

He said the fishermen would seek a clear decision by the Government before the proposed visit of Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to New Delhi soon.

Meanwhile, the Northern Fishermen’s Unity Alliance, which consists of fishermen cooperative societies across five districts, is scheduled to stage a protest on Tuesday outside the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) building to oppose the proposal.

“We will not allow Indian fishermen to fish under any circumstances or special arrangements,”said V. Sumbramuniyam, President of the Jaffna Fishermen’s Cooperative Societies Union.

This week alone, at least 39 Indian fishermen were arrested for poaching in the northern seas and have been remanded. At present, 73 Indian fishermen and 101 fishing trawlers are in custody.

21 ஆம் ஆண்டு நவாலி நரபலி

சந்திரிக்காவின் இனப்படுகொலை!

நவாலி நரபலி ENB Poster 2016

இரண்டே நாள்களில் இருநூறுக்கும் அதிக அப்பாவிப் பொதுமக்களை பலி கொண்ட அரச படைகளின் `முன்னேறிப் பாய்ச்சல்` இராணுவ நடவடிக்கை..1995.07.09 ஆம் திகதியன்று ஆரம்பித்தது.  பலாலி இராணுவ முகாமில் நிலைகொண்டிருந்த இராணுவத்தினர் தாம் ஏற்கனவே திட்டமிட்டிருந்த முன்னேறிப் பாய்ச்சல் இராணுவ நடவடிக்கையை வலிகாமம் மேற்கு மற்றும் வடக்கு பகுதிகள் ஊடாக ஆரம்பித்தனர்.

இராணுவத்தினரின் இந்த நடவடிக்கைக்கு உதவும் விதத்தில் இராணுவத்தினர் முன்னேற முயன்ற மக்கள் குடியிருப்புப் பகுதிகளில் விமானப்  படையினர் விமானக்குண்டு வீச்சுக்களை மேற்கொண்டனர். 

மக்கள் தேவாலயங்கள்,கோவில்கள் போன்ற பாதுகாப்பான இடங்களில் தஞ்சமடையுமாறு படையினர் அறிவித்தனர்.

நவாலி நரபலி பலியான மக்கள்

 இதற்கமைய இராணுவம் தமது குடியிருப்புப் பகுதிகளை நோக்கி முன்னேற முயற்சிப்பதைக் கண்டு பயந்த அப்பகுதிகளிலிருந்த மக்கள் தமது சொந்த இடங்களை விட்டு வெளியேறி பாதுகாப்பான பிரதேசங்களுக்கு நகரத் தொடங்கினர்.

அந்த விதத்தில் தமது சொந்த இடங்களை விட்டு வெளியேறிய மக்களில் ஒரு பெரும் தொகையினர் நவாலி சென்.பீற்றேர்ஸ் தேவாலயத்தில் தஞ்சம் புகுந்தனர்.

அன்று மாலை வேளையில் குறிப்பிட்ட அந்தத் தேவாலயத்தை இலக்கு வைத்து விமானப் படையினரின் புக்காறா விமானங்கள் மேற்கொண்ட விமானக்குண்டுத் தாக்குதலில் அங்கு தங்கியிருந்த 153 பொதுமக்கள் அந்த இடத்திலேயே உடல் சிதறி பலியாகினர்.150 பேருக்கு மேலானோர் காயங்களுக்கு உள்ளாகினர்.

நவாலி நரபலி பலியான மக்கள்

குறிப்பிட்ட தினத்தன்று அதிகாலையிலிருந்து பலாலி இராணுவ முகாமிலிருந்தும் அளவெட்டி, சண்டிலிப்பாய் பகுதிகளிலிருந்தும் ஊர்மனை நோக்கி நாலாபுறமும் ஷெல் பீரங்கி தாக்குதல்கள் மேற் கொள்ளப்பட்டன.

திடீரென வலிகாமம் தென்மேற்கு, வலி. மேற்கு, வலி.தெற்கு பகுதிகளில் உள்ள மக்கள் குடியிருப்புகளை நோக்கி காலை 5.40 மணியளவில் இருந்து மும் முனைத்தாக்குதல் படையினரால் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டன. அன்றைய தினம் காலை வலிகாமம் பகுதியில் உள்ள மக்கள் உடுத்த உடைகளுடனும் கையில் அகப்பட்ட உடைகளுடனும் கண்ணீரும் கம்பலையுமாக இடம் பெயர்ந்து கொண்டிருந்தனர்.

நவாலி நரபலி பலியான குழந்தைகள்

மாட்டுவண்டிகளிலும் சைக்கிள்களிலும் கால்நடையாகவும் லான்ட்மாஸ்ரர்களிலும் வட்டுக்கோட்டை, சங்கரத்தை, வளுக்கையாற்றுவெளி, நவாலி வீதி, நவாலி ஆனைக்கோட்டை பிரதான வீதி, சங்குவேலி, கட்டுடை மானிப்பாய் பிர தான வீதி வழியாக அவர்கள் சென்றனர்.

அவ்வேளையில் சகல வீதிகளிலும் எறி கணை தாக்குதல், ஹெலி தாக்குதல்கள் நடந்த வண்ணம் இருந்தன. வீதிக்கு வீதி சடலங்கள்,
காயமடைந்த வர்களை எடுத்துச்செல்லக்கூடிய அளவிற்கு வாகன வசதிகளோ, மருந்தகங்களோ, வைத்தியசாலைகளோ இருக்கவில்லை.

யாவும் செயலிழந்துவிட்ட அவலநிலை.

காயமடைந்தவர்கள் சிகிச்சையின்றி, முதலுதவிச்சிகிச்சையின்றி, இரத்தம் வெளியேறிய நிலையில் உயிரிழந்த அந்த நாளைய நிலைமையை இலேசில் மறந்து விடமுடியாது.

நவாலி நரபலி ஓவியம்

அன்றைய தினம் தமது சொந்த இடங்களைவிட்டு வெளியேறி குடாநாட்டின் பல்வேறு வீதிகளினூடாக மக்கள் திரள் திரளாக நவாலி சென்.பீற்றர் தேவாலயத் திலும், நவாலி ஸ்ரீ கதிர்காம முருகன் ஆலயத்திலும்களைப் படைந்த  நிலையில் தஞ்சமடைந்தனர்.

அவ்வேளையில் விமானம் மூலம் 13 குண்டுகள் தொடர்ச்சியாக மக்கள் குவிந்திருந்த இரு ஆலயங்கள் மீதும் வீசப்பட்டன. சில கணங்களில் எங்கும் “ஐயோ’ என்ற அவலக் குரல்கள் அப்பகுதியை அதிர வைத்தன. விமானக் குண்டு வீச்சுக் காரணமாக 153 பேர் உடல் சிதறி கையிழந்து கால் இழந்து தலையிழந்து குற்றுயிராக கிடந்த கொடூரக்காட்சி இன்றும் மறக்க முடியாததாகும். இந்தக் கொடூர சம்பவத்தில் 153 பேர் உடல் சிதறி பலியானதுடன் பெரும் எண் ணிக்கையானோர் ஊனமானார்கள்.

இத்தாக்குதல் சம்பவத்தின் நினைவாக நவாலி வடக்கு புலவர் வீதியிலும், நவாலி புனித பேதுறுவானவர் வீதியிலும் நினைவு சின்னங்கள் உருவாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

நவாலி நரபலி பலியான மக்கள் நினைவுச் சின்னம்

நவாலி சென்.பீற்றர்ஸ் தேவாலயம் மீதான தாக்குதலின் 21ஆம் ஆண்டு நினைவு தினம் (09.07.2016) இன்றாகும். வரலாற்றில் அந்த இரத்தக்கறை படிந்த நாளின் துன்ப, துயரங்களை இலகுவில் மறந்துவிட முடியாது. அன்றைய வேளையில் (09.07.1995) ஆட்சிப் பொறுப்பில் இருந்த ஆட்சியாளர்களாலும் பாதுகாப்புப் பிரிவினராலும் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட படுகொலை இதுவாகும். மூன்று குண்டு வீச்சு விமானங்கள் ஒரே நேரத்தில் இந்த கோர தாக்குதலை மேற்கெண்டன.

தமிழர் தாயக வரலாற்றில் என்றுமே மறக்க முடியாத இரத்தக்கறை படிந்த கோரமான கொடூரநாள் 09.07.1995 ஆகும்.

                                                    நவாலி நரபலி பலியான மக்கள் நினைவுச் சுடர்

Iraq Inquiry Full Report Down Load

இணைப்பைப் பெற உருவப்படத்தில் இரட்டை அழுத்தம் செய்க.

UN உள்விவகாரங்களில் தலையீடு செய்ய முடியாது – கூட்டு எதிர்க்கட்சி

அல் ஹூசெயின் உள்விவகாரங்களில் தலையீடு செய்ய முடியாது – கூட்டு எதிர்க்கட்சி:

06 ஜூலை 2016

ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமைப் பேரவையின் ஆணையாளர் சயிட் அல் ஹூசெய்ன் உள்நாட்டு விவகாரங்களில் தலையீடு செய்ய முடியாது என கூட்டு எதிர்க்கட்சியின் பாராளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் நிரோசன் பிரேமரட்ன தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.


யுத்தக் குற்றச் செயல்கள் தொடர்பில் சர்வதேச நீதி விசாரணைப் பொறிமுறைமை உருவாக்கப்பட வேண்டுமென்றோ அல்லது வெளிநாட்டு நீதவான்களின் பங்களிப்பு அவசியம் என்றோ அல் ஹூசெய்ன் வலியுறுத்த முடியாது என அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.


ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் மனித உரிமைப் பேரவையின் 32ம் அமர்வுகளில் அல் ஹூசெய்ன் வெளியிட்ட கருத்து தொடர்பில்  அவர் இதனைக் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.


அல் ஹூசெய்னின் நடவடிக்கைகள் வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கப்பட வேண்டுமென அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.


மேற்குல சக்திகளின் தேவைகளை பூர்த்தி செய்து கொள்வதற்கு நாம் இடமளிக்கப் போவதில்லை என அவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார்.


அரசியல் சாசனத் திருத்தம் தொடர்பில் சர்வஜன வாக்கெடுப்பு நடத்தப்பட வேண்டுமென எவ்வாறு அல் ஹூசெய்ன் கோரிக்கை விடுக்க முடியும் என அவர் கேள்வி எழுப்பியுள்ளார்.

GTF welcomes Zeid's oral update

GTF welcomes Zeid's oral update 

Hussein earns GTF praise for pushing for full implementation of Geneva Resolution

Int’l participation in war crimes probe

July 5, 2016, 9:42 pm The Island

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) has issued a statement appreciating UN human rights chief Prince Al Hussein’s call for meaningful international participation in the proposed judicial mechanism to probe war crimes. The following is the full text of GTF statement: "The GTF welcomes the oral update provided by High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Al Ra’ad Al Hussein to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 29 June in Geneva. We commend the High Commissioner and his office for their forthright assessment and concur with their observation that the promise of governance reform and transitional justice are yet to be fully delivered, and risks stalling or dissipating.

 While acknowledging the Sri Lankan Government’s progressive initiatives on constitutional reforms and the ‘symbolic steps’ it has taken to promote reconciliation, and its vastly improved cooperation with United Nations, High Commissioner Zeid was categorical that the Government has not moved fast enough with other tangible measures, viz. – returning army occupied lands to rightful owners; charging or releasing the remaining detainees; reducing the military presence in the North and East; repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act; formulating effective victims and witness protection arrangements; embarking upon meaningful consultations with victims and their families; and implementing security sector reform – that would help build confidence among victims and minority communities.

 On the key question of justice seeking process, the report was emphatic: "The High Commissioner remains convinced that international participation in the accountability mechanisms would be a necessary guarantee for the independence and impartiality of the process in the eyes of victims, as Sri Lanka’s judicial institutions currently lack the credibility needed to gain their trust." The High Commissioner’s report also stressed the crucial importance of the close engagement by the Council "in underpinning this process and giving assurance and confidence to all stakeholders, particularly the victim community."

 The observations made by several country representatives following Zeid’s oral update – including by US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan and Ghana – clearly reflect the prevalent view within the International community. The recurring theme in notable responses was, while welcoming some of the positive developments in Sri Lanka, much more needed to be done to build the confidence of communities and normalize life in the North and East, and to take tangible steps to establish independent and credible justice, accountability and reconciliation mechanisms, with meaningful international participation.

GTF appreciates the commitment shown by the High Commissioner’s Office and the member countries of the Council, as reflected in the content and tone set during the session, both in the oral update and in the ensuing statements.

''Undoubtedly, this gives us hope that the International Community will continue to engage and contribute to make Sri Lanka’s transition a long term reality of peace, justice, political power-sharing and prosperity for all its peoples."

Iraq Inquiry: Sir John Chilcot

Iraq Inquiry: Sir John Chilcot says that 'careful analysis needed in future before war

The long-awaited report into the 2003 Iraq war will be published on Wednesday 6 July, 2016.

By William Watkinson
July 6, 2016 00:28 BST


Sir John Chilcot has said that the main lesson that should be learned from the UK's role in the 2003 Iraq war is that "careful analysis and collective political judgement" is needed before any future military action can be sanctioned.

On Wednesday (6 July), the Iraq Inquiry is set to be published seven years after former prime minister Gordon Brown launched the probe. The report is said to be comprised of 12 volumes amounting to 2.6m words.

The inquiry will investigate the UK's decision to go into war in Iraq in 2003 as an ally of the United States. Chaired by the retired senior civil servant, the report is estimated to have cost over £10m with the families of 179 Britons who died in Iraq between 2003 and 2009 hoping for answers.

Chilcot has examined the political decisions made by many such as former prime minister Tony Blair, who was in power from 2001 to 2009 and led the UK to war.

It will look at whether British troops were sufficiently prepared, what the military action was and whether there was adequate planning for the aftermath.

The key point of the report is to identify "lessons that can be learned", so governments can act accordingly in future. When speaking to the BBC on the eve of its release, Chilcot told the BBC that individuals and institutions would be criticised.

Chilcot said: "The main expectation that I have is that it will not be possible in future to engage in a military or indeed a diplomatic endeavour on such a scale and of such gravity without really careful challenge analysis and assessment and collective political judgement being applied to it.

"There are many lessons in the report but that probably is the central one for the future."

The UK's participation in the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, eventually toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein. The decision to begin the war has proved to be one of the most controversial in recent British history.

At the time, an anti-war motion was defeated in the Commons by 396 to 217, a majority of 179, despite a Labour rebellion. Military action was launched in Iraq without explicit authorisation from the United Nations – posing the question was the invasion legal?

Most controversially though, was the reasons that Blair gave to the nation for going to war. He had said that it was to remove chemical and biological Weapons of Mass Destruction that were never found in Iraq.

The report was due to have taken one year but after more than 100 witnesses, including Blair, it took longer than the whole duration of World War Two. Chilcot defended the timing saying that it had been a "massive undertaking".

Ahead of the verdict, Valerie O'Neill, whose son Kris, a British medic was killed in Basra in 2007 in an IED attack, said that Blair should be put on trial in the Hague over his decision to send British troops into Iraq.

O'Neill told the IBTimes UK: "Tony Blair has to answer for his actions, whether it is in a court of war here or in The Hague. He can't just walk away and say sorry [...] and go off to his merry life and all his millions. No. In my opinion he should be in the Hague, on war crimes [charges]."

Brexit:Sri Lanka deals with Britain

Brexit fallout: Lanka moving fast to strike deals with Britain
By Sandun Jayawardana
View(s): 948

Sri Lanka, facing the fallout of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, is set to negotiate a new trade agreement with Britain.

Deputy Foreign Minister Harsha de Silva, who played a prominent role in the Government’s ultimately failed campaign to persuade Sri Lankans in Britain to vote to remain in the EU, told the Sunday Times Sri Lanka would now look to finalise a new trade agreement with Britain soon.

Accordingly, a committee of experts would meet in the coming days to study the implications of Britain’s decision and what Sri Lanka could do to minimise the impact, he revealed.

The main problem for Sri Lanka was that about 40% of the country’s exports to the EU went to Britain. The deputy minister said the Government was finalising the application for resumption of the GSP+ facility for about 100 Sri Lankan export items to the EU.

Now, however, this facility would apply only to the rest of Europe and not Britain. “The loss will be significant,” Dr. de Silva said. Sri Lanka would move quickly to get this facility from Britain also, he said. “Britain will want to reach agreements with many other countries as well, so we’ll have to really focus on this now.”

Public Enterprise Development Minister Kabir Hashim, meanwhile, claimed that the Government had sent ministers, deputies and others to Britain to campaign for the ‘Remain’ camp on a request by the British Government.

Mr. Hashim said Sri Lanka respected the decision of British voters, but move quickly to renegotiate its trade deals with the non-EU partners

Joint Opposition Leader Dinesh Gunawardena, however, said Government acted in haste in getting involved in the UK referendum because of the United National Parties links with Britain’s Conservative Party rather than any concern over trade links with Britain.

He said such issues should be closely studied. “Rushing into the situation will not help Sri Lanka as this country itself is in economic crisis. 

We need to be careful and come to a consensus after properly studying these issues,” he added.

Minister Harin Fernando who also went to Britain said they spoke to Sri Lankans there on the need to vote to remain in the EU but he stressed that he went to Britain to take part in a Telecommunication conference while Deputy Foreign Minister se Silva went their mainly for a GSP + related issue.

Brexit: Victory for xenophobia, nationalism, exclusivity - EDITORIAL
2016-06-26 23:12:11
   
The referendum in the UK on whether the country should remain in the European Union (EU) or leave it –‘Brexit’ is over.

For better or for worse, the majority of UK’s voters opted to leave the EU. The campaign to leave the EU was not based on economics. The Bank of England had warned that leaving the union would have an adverse effect on the UK. The campaign to ‘leave’ initially led by Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom Independent Party (UKIP) based itself on populist issues and roused anti-immigrant fears, disguised as a bid for independence from the EU.

In 2004 the EU began making efforts to rope in nations of the former communist bloc in an effort to isolate Russia. But the move backfired as citizens of the communist bloc, who were poor, began to move to richer countries like the UK, France and Germany, in search of employment.

They also began using the welfare-state facilities of these countries.

 The large numbers of people claiming welfare facilities soon brought the facilities to a breaking point. These events led to the growth of anti immigrant sentiments and hatred, which in turn, saw the birth of xenophobia among sections of the population in those countries. An example of this rise in migrant increase and parallel rise the rise in anti Immigrant political parties is best exemplified in the rising fortunes of the UKIP.

Between 1993 and 2014 the foreign-born population in the UK more than doubled from 3.8 million to around 8.3 million. In the past 10 years, UKIP’s poll numbers have soared: It got 4 million votes in the 2015 election, the third-largest national vote total in the country.

While The EU represented a coming- together of people open borders and an opportunity for the integration of people and a widening of horizons beyond parochial country and nationalistic boundaries, ‘Brexit’ is a victory for xenophobia, narrow nationalism and exclusivity among the British people.

Britain’s vote to leave the EU in fact only exposes the xenophobia, racism and exclusivity of the proponents of Brexit who do not see the role their own country played in creating the migrant crisis within Europe, nor do they recognise the role NATO and US played in their regime change schemes to control the mineral and petroleum resources of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria which led to a mass exodus of humanity from those countries.

Britain’s decision to leave the EU is also a leap into the unknown - with no plan to face the consequences of the breakaway. Brexit in fact appears to have triggered an impending implosion of the UK itself.

Scotland and Northern Ireland voted by almost a two-third majority to remain in the EU. In the aftermath of the vote to leave the EU,

Scotland’s First Minister said she would be calling for a new independence referendum to secede from the United Kingdom, within “...the next few months...”.

Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin Mc Guinness has called for a vote on Irish unity because Northern Ireland also voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU.

Sadly the seeds of similar patterns of behaviour can be seen in other strong economies in Europe as well from PEGIDA in Germany to Marine

Le Penn’s National Front (NF) in France and the Freedom Party in Austria.

Sri Lanka too came close to falling prey to xenophobia during the regime of President Rajapaksa, who began making out that Muslims,

Tamils, Christians et al, as enemies, who were attempting to make the Sinhala-Buddhists second class citizens in their own land.

Mobs of opportunistic Sinhala-Buddhists in tow with Rajapaksa attacked minority communities with total impunity. Fortunately the Sri Lankan electorate proved more enlightened and at the presidential polls in 2015 cast Rajapaksa and his hangers-on into the dustbins of history  The Donald Trump phenomenon in the US today too is based on this same xenophobia, and promotion of a white supremacist agenda.

Trump’s call to build a wall along the Mexico-US border to prevent immigrants coming into the US from Mexico, a total ban of Muslim immigrants entering the US, and his sabre-rattling against China are but symptoms of the disease. Given the recent events of the June 24, 2016 in Britain, it is not difficult to see Trump being elected President of the US.  But, as the saying goes, in a democracy people get the government they deserve and perhaps the Americans deserve Trump.

Meanwhile the political editor of our sister paper the ‘Sunday Times’ emphasises that a fallout of ‘Brexit’ which will affect the country negatively is a possible rise in interest rates which could affect  the bond issue of US $2.5 billion due today (Monday). The funds are needed to repay outstanding loans and prevent “further deterioration of the balance of payments situation.