Columns

Kanimozhi here for Hakeem wedding, fishes in troubled waters

For most South Indian politicians, the Indo-Lanka fishing disputes are a political tool when there is an election around the corner.

As thousands of war affected Tamil fishermen are trying to make a living from the Northern sea after decades of war, they face many difficulties due to Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing methods used by Indian fishermen.

The worst practice the Indians carried out in the Palk Strait is bottom trawling which means ploughing the sea bed with heavy machinery. None of the Indian politicians is talking about stopping this or urging Indian fishermen to take up alternative fishing methods such as deep sea fishing.

Taking up the ‘humanitarian issue’ of Indian fishermen this week was Kanimozhi, a Member of Indian Parliament and daughter of the late M. Karunanidhi, founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).

She was in Sri Lanka to attend the wedding of Minister Rauff Hakeem’s daughter. It was held at Water’s Edge in Battaramulla. She was accompanied by regional politicians, particularly from Kerala.

After the wedding, she took part in two meetings with government leaders, including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and a State Minister to take up the ‘humanitarian issue’ of Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait. She alleged the Sri Lankan Navy was attacking Indian fishermen at mid sea around Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Navy says those who trespass into Lankan territorial waters are being arrested and handed over to the authorities for legal action.

The meetings were inconclusive as both parties decided to discuss the matter further later this year. When Ms Kanimozhi was asked to comment on the outcome of the meetings, she simply refused to comment, saying her visit was private.

SLFP begins district conventions

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held its first district convention in Ratnapura yesterday.

This is ahead of this year’s presidential election. More such conventions are being planned, a party source said.

SLFP Chief Minister talks shop over dialogue with SLPP

Uva Province Chief Minister Chamara Sampath Dasanayake has been trying to explain the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s relations with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in view of the talks taking place between the two sides.

Mr Dassanayake has been trying to explain to the voters about the position of  SLFP members who may try to join the SLPP.

He compared the SLFP members to customers trying to buy items from a shop owned by the SLPP.

“Both the owner and the manager of the shop are from the SLPP.  The SLFP is only a customer that goes to the shop. But when we go to the shop we ask for discounts.

“We do not buy goods at the price quoted by the shop owner. However the shop owner is also not ready to sell the good at our prices. We can also go to another shop.”

Mr. Dassanayake went on to elaborate on the fate of two SLFP members who recently obtained SLPP membership. He was making an obvious reference to S.B. Dissanayake and Dilan Perera.

“Two of our members expected that they will be recruited at least as cooks, but instead they have been deployed in the cleaning service,” he remarked.

Pakistan minister says India threatened Lankan cricketers

Pakistan’s Science and Technology Minister Chaudhury Fawad Hussein is being roasted by the Indian media after he tweeted that Sri Lankan cricketers opted out of the tour of Pakistan at India’s behest.

A member of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Teherik-e-Isthiklal party and former Information Minister, Mr. Hussain said, “Sports commentators told me that India threatened Sri Lankan players that they will be ousted from the IPL if they do not refuse to go” to Pakistan.

According to reports, the Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) is reassessing the security situation in Pakistan ahead of the team’s scheduled limited-overs tour to the country later this month.

Sri Lanka are scheduled to play three ODIs in Karachi, and as many T20 matches in Lahore between September 27 and October 9.

The decision was taken following a warning, the SLC received from the Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Office, sent via the Sports Ministry.

The warning said the PM’s Office had received reliable information of a possible terrorist threat on the Sri Lankan team, while touring Pakistan.

Hence, SLC has been advised to take extreme care, and reassess’ the situation, before embarking on the tour.

Earlier Sri Lanka announced it was sending a second string ODI and T20I squads for the tour of Pakistan after 10 players pulled out citing security fears.

Niroshan Dickwella, Kusal Janith Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Thisara Perera, Akila Dhananjaya, Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Suranga Lakmal, Dinesh Chandimal and Dimuth Karunaratne were the player who opted out of tour while Kusal Mendis was not available for selection due to an injury.

Politico accused of illegally amassing wealth

In the North, a top government official lodged a confidential complaint to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

It was against a northern politician who was allegedly involved in illegal sand mining and forcibly occupying lands belong to innocent people.

According to the complaint, his associates have been continuously depositing funds to his personal account. The money had been earned illegally through such activities locally and abroad.

The complainant also provided details of a private bank account, alleging there were many similar bank accounts overseas with movable and immovable assets.

The top official also noted that he had informed the CIABOC in the past about such illegal activities of a former minister but, the anti-corruption body failed to take adequate action.

The official has asked for a full probe on the allegations.

Election chief’s polls jokes go over the fence

National Election Commission (NEC) Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya is well known for his sense of humour though to some, like a batsman hitting a six, the jokes go over their head.

One case in point was his oft repeated remarks about tying the Gordian Knot. He used the word during a meeting of political party representatives. When the session ended, a member of the leftist party asked another who took part in the meeting what Deshapriya meant. Funny enough, he could not explain it either. He replied apita geta gahaganna kiyanawa or he is asking us to tie ourselves.

Now comes another story about Provincial Council elections. Commenting on delays in a humorous way, the polls chief used cricketing parlance to say “the pitch is not ready.”

Manoj Gamage of the National Alliance of Lawyers held a news conference. He declared, “Often we have heard the NEC Chairman saying the pitch is not ready for the match or the batsman or the bowlers are not ready.”

“This time the Chairman has got the pitch, the bat and the ball, but we have doubts whether he may try to delay the match saying it’s bad weather.”