• ELECTION NEWS
• He was true to his people, he was true to his friends
• End of an unforgettable political act
• Land deals with death traps
• Ampara villagers say 'we didn't start the war'
• Aluthgama trial-at-bar in Colombo
• Blood bank: It is all bloody tender rivalry
• Jayalath seeks Wanni signal
• Underworld active despite round-up
• Deepavali peace appeal
• VOA dump: US explains position
• Business group here next month
• Rumble behind roulette
• Kadawata's fatal attraction
• Anti-filaria campaign underway
• Operations put off, but director says all's well
• Telcom CEO leaving
• IBA observer for case against CJ
• UN group sees slow progress on disappearance probe
• Burns unit for Lanka with German aid
• Population control affected by dwindling funds, says UN
• O/L students cross over elections
• Get rid of the rot that has come to stay - POLICE PROBLEMS
• An ill deserved pat on the back - Focus on Rights
• Tele-war to defeat Prabha's Eelam

Appreciations: Saumyamoorthy Thondaman

He was true to his people, he was true to his friends

By Malinga H. Gunaratne

Saumyamoorthy Thondaman, messiah of the Plantation Workers is no more. He came to Sri Lanka along with his father Karuppiah Head Kangany on that long arduous route by train from India.

He was at the Grand Hotel when I spoke to him on Friday night. He was taken ill last morning, and was flown by helicopter from Nuwara Eliya to Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital. This symbolizes the life of Thondaman.

The son of a migrant plantation worker who came to Sri Lanka in search of a better life, became in more ways than one this Island nation's supreme kingmaker.

For over six decades he dominated the political life of this island nation. He took centre stage almost three decades ago and never seemed to leave the spotlight. "It is not the heights to which you rise but the depths from which you climb" perhaps illustrates the long journey of this remarkable man.

He was my friend. Almost twenty-five years ago I came to know him in that mist laden Kotmale Valley. Thondaman was on Wavendon Estate in Ramboda. I was on Dunsinane Estate, Punduloya. He launched a massive strike asking for my removal. He not only brought Dunsinane out on strike but the entire sub district and later ........ district. All this while playing tennis with me at the Punduloya Planters Club.

Sir John Arbuthnot was the Chairman of the Dunsinane Company. Since the strike was spinning out of control he came to Sri Lanka - the first person he met at the Galle Face Hotel was Saumyamoorthy Thondaman. Thondaman told him I must go. Sir John Arbuthnot after this meeting met the agents George Steuarts and Company and told them, "I think young Gunaratne needs a change of scenery," and I went.

Ten years later I was offered the job as the Manager of Dunsinane. I was reluctant to accept the job, as the labour had gone out on strike wanting my removal. However, I told Gamini Salgado, my director, that I would decide to accept this job after talking to Thondaman.

Thondaman told me "You take the job, on the first day you go to take over I will come with you." This was Thondaman. He played hard, he taught hard, but never did he bear a grudge.

Many years later I was held in Police detention as a detenue at the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station. When I phoned Thondaman he told me "I am going to see President Jayewardene now. I will see that you are released tomorrow morning." I went home the next morning.

He was true to his people, he was true to his friends.

A man who did the long trek from India to Sri Lanka went to his final resting place from Nuwara Eliya to Colombo by helicopter. He would have liked that. To come down to Mother Earth from the High Heavens. Thondaman might have been a king maker - but he had his feet planted firmly in the plantations.

To the plantation worker he was the messiah. To me he was a friend.

He leaves behind Rama his only son. He can make kings no more. But you have done enough for many lifetimes.

But what of the future of the Plantation Raj. Thondaman is mortal. He has lived his life. He leaves behind a Plantation Raj that he has dexterously managed to keep away from the clutches of the LTTE.

Those who come after him may think they are the heirs to a dynasty or legacy. There lies the danger. They will have the responsibilities of a community, without Thondaman's ability, without his guile, his perception, his skill, and most of all without his commitment to his people

* The writer, Malinga H. Gunaratne, The Sunday Times Plantation Correspondent and the author of "The Plantation Raj" a former Director of the JEDB was a close personal friend of the late S. Thondaman.

End of an unforgettable political act

By Rajpal Abeynayake

If Saumyamoorthy Thondaman's passing necessarily has to be described in the same epochal terms that the deaths of J. R Jayewardene or Colvin R de Silva were recorded, the first reason is that Saumyamoorthy Thondaman physically spanned an era in Sri Lankan politics, having entered parliament in the pre independence age of 1947. But, more compelling is the reason that his name was connoted with a time in which he, almost single-handedly, managed the emancipation of an extreme underclass, the estate Indian Tamils, to a point where they not only enjoyed universal franchise but were almost in a position to be kingmakers in the Sri Lankan state.

That may have made Saumyamoorthi Thondaman controversial to the last, but, that controversy is a measure of the immensity of the work he accomplished for the constituency he represented. Thondaman's particular accomplishment was that he was at heart a unionist even though he eventually ended up in Colombo's rarefied political climate as a Minister in every Sinhala led government since J R Jayewardene awarded him a portfolio in the 1977 Cabinet.

Politically, the man was so adroit that Sinhala led governments eventually took his presence in their Cabinet's as granted and given, even though his unionism most often was so fierce ( others would say manipulative ) that he didn't hesitate to lead strikes against his own government.

Indubitably, such fierce trenchant leadership endeared him first to his community and constituency which reciprocated by elevating him to the status of the political demi-god. Fissures in the CWC began to show as he advanced in age, and eventually began to plan for his succession by grooming an heir apparent in the form of his grandson Arumugam Thondaman.

But those weaknesses never really broke the CWC even though they may have made the union seem vulnerable at times.

Now, the legacy he planned may be eventually the CWC's undoing , because his plan to oust longtime confidante and heir apparent Sellasamy in favour of his grandson may leave a power vacuum in the organization that may leave it split dangerously right in the middle as it faces elections.

The merits of his political power broking maybe the stuff for history, but whatever the historians have to say about his political comeuppance from champion underclass unionist to king - making minister , this image of Thondaman as a minority power broker with decisive clout in the formation of Sinhala led governments is a measure of the fact that he over-achieved.

The estate Tamils won enormous concessions under his leadership that took them from being the indigenous version of the untouchable class, to being the envy of the Sinhala landless peasantry in the highlands.

Obviously, he was an achiever in their eyes, but perhaps an over achiever in the eyes of the majority community who could scarcely hide their collective anxiety in the face of his rise.

The rise and rise of Thondaman eventually will be the stuff of political legend, even though there will always be a footnote about the strikes and campaigns he led against Sri Lankan government's, which would not often be looked at kindly especially by Sinhala historians.

But, his political act was one that hardly had any parallels; he earned for his tenacity doubtlessly a healthy respect from Sinhala government's from all sides of the political divide, which is best signified by the fact that they eventually had him join their ranks, even though that may have been for sheer political survival in most cases.

But it means that he never placed himself beyond the pale, and for all the rhetoric that Thondaman was used to prattling on about regarding the LTTE and even his own estate workers, he in the grain, had a certain political benignity about him which was essentially establishmentist.

Thondaman therefore was a unionist, Minister and in a strange way a statesman wrapped in one, a colourful political act that for the post independence half century of Sri Lanka's politics was one of the most potent and unforgettable — until his passing with a crucial election staring the last Sinhala government he was part of, in the face.

Land deals with death traps

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

A land distribution drive by the government to provide land for more than 40 farmer families within the Lunugamvehera National Park area has run into protest from environmentalists.

The programme initiated by a deputy minister from the Moneragala district seeks to distribute more than 1,500 acres of land among farmers. According to Deputy Minister Jagath Pushpakumara, the farmers have lost their original lands to various development projects and required to be relocated.

The proposed area surrounding the Wilamba Tank, falls within the park boundaries and the proposed distribution of lands among farmers is expected to sow seeds of future problems. Sources confirmed that orders have been already issued to erect the electric fence to keep elephants at bay.

The newly demarcated area which is yet to be gazetted has also not been subjected to an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) as required by the law.

Considering the unique problems the proposed distribution would give rise to, stets environmentalists have proposed a low cost alternative which would not cut across the elephant corridor.

The move to distribute lands within the park has come amidst criticism over attempts to clear the teak forest of the same park to raise Rs. 300 million for the Treasury.

According to the National Environment Act, clearing of more than four hectares of wetlands or one hectare of forest land necessitates the conducting of an Environment Impact Assessment after which a gazette notification should be issued expressing the intention.

Legal sources said that before issuing notice, it was mandatory to survey the proposed land and then to notify through a gazette notification after which the de-regularisation should be approved in Parliament. While concerned groups and environmentalists have protested to the Wild Life Department , several organizations have made verbal and written representations to authorities to implement the second alternative if the government was keen to distribute land among peasants, as it was 'the most viable and acceptable'.

The original plan they claim would be a costly affair as the electric fence would have to be extended by 8 km whereas the second alternative would only seek an extension of 1.8 km which would also avoid the elephant corridor.

Several environmentalists in a protest letter to the authorities have claimed that such massive clearance would lead to deforestation, illicit felling of trees and open the floodgates for poachers.

The fears are acute that cultivated lands within the park boundaries would be an open invitation to rogue elephants. A new food source within would intensify crop damaging possibilities and the nearby villages would also become threatened by possible elephant attacks, environmental lawyer Jagath Gunewardene said.

"It is this imprudent kind of action which invited conflicts. If you cultivate land within the elephant corridor, there won't be any peace for villagers and crop damage would increase. The second alternative is far more sensible in every way as it would not go into the park but remains outside the Park boundaries" He also warned of destruction of wetlands and water contamination with the use of pesticides and said the maintenance of the project would also be more expensive than the second alternative. "In any case, this will be a bad precedent and therefore should be avoided," Mr. Gunewardene said.

Under the proposed program, more than 1,500-1,800 acres are to be cleared and the electric fence itself, according to estimates, would cost Rs. 1.5 million.

Ampara villagers say 'we didn't start the war'

By Saman Dissanayake, our Ampara Correspondent

More than thousand villagers from Uhana, Bakkiella, Central Camp and other villages in Ampara town on Friday carried out a two-hour demonstration demanding adequate security for their villages.

The demonstrators called for a speedy end to the brutal terrorist attacks and the war. They demanded lasting security as well as a lasting peace.

"While various political groups and NGOs are selling "peace" cheap in the open market, it is we in the threatened villages who are battered by this cruel war," said villager A.U. Palis.

Ven. Ransegoda Mettasiri Thera, chief incumbent of the Gonagala Temple said politicians and high officials come and console us after terrorist attacks, but little was done to improve security.

N.G.V. Samarawic-krema of Galapitagala said: "It is as if the people in the border villages created this war. We have to put up bunkers and defend the village.

"We do not have the time to do our chena cultivations."

Among the banners and posters on display were "Today Gonagala. Tomorrow?" and "For the children in the centre of the country, it's cricket, for our children it's bunkers".

Aluthgama trial-at-bar in Colombo

By Ayesha R. Rafiq

The horrifying Aluthgama case where a child was allegedly kidnapped and brutally killed by a teenage relative is to be taken up in a Colombo high court for a trial-at-bar, Additional Solicitor General C.R. de Silva said.

He said the Attorney General's Department had called for the files in the case and preparations for a trial-at-bar would begin next week.

Eight-year-old Sadeepa Lakshan was allegedly kidnapped by his 17-year-old relative and held to ransom for Rs. two million. The suspects were nabbed soon after the payment of the ransom by plain-clothes policemen. Lakshan's body was later found dumped in a toilet pit two doors away from his house.

When the case came up in the Kalutara courts this week, a huge public gathering demanded that no lawyer should appear for the suspects in the gruesome killing and blocked the way of a President's Counsel who was defending one of the suspects.

Meanwhile, the main suspect in the case allegedly gave a confession to the Kalutara Magistrate, describing the manner in which the boy was killed.

The trial-at-bar method is now being employed more often to expedite murder cases especially where there is a public outcry. Some of the recent cases that have been put to a trial-at-bar are the Rita John and the Hokandara cases.

Blood bank: It is all bloody tender rivalry

By Faraza Farook

The Blood Bank has denied allegations by the GMOA that blood packs containing bacteria were sent to the Palaly and Lady Ridgeway hospitals.

Blood Bank Director Dr. M. Bindusara told The Sunday Times that with tenders to be called soon for the supply of blood bags, some people were trying create problems in an attempt to get the tenders for themselves.

Dr. Bindusara dismissed allegations by the GMOA that the blood contamination might be due to a possible fungus in the blood pack. She said investigations revealed that the bacteria had entered during sampling and not from the pack. The blood, which was taken for testing, had been taken from a tube used while taking blood from the donor, and this she said shouldn't have been done. Though there is speculation that the blood pack sent to the Palaly Army Hospital contains the bacteria klebsiella which can result even in the death of a patient, Dr. Bindusara said the blood packs sent out were safe.

If the blood was contaminated, she said, consultants would have complained to her of its repercussions on patients. "I have not received any complaints.

Consultants are not going to keep quiet if the patient developed any complications due to the transfusion from this blood pack, "she said.

However the GMOA suspects that the blood might have been contaminated owing to the use of unhygienic bags. A spokesman for the GMOA said the company that was supplying bags to the Blood Bank was blacklisted five years ago because the bags contained fungi. Therefore, the GMOA is of the view that the same problem has arisen again.

Meanwhile the Director General of Health responding to the GMOA complaint had said that the germ might have entered during testing or when blood was being collected from the bag and not due to any deficiency in the bag.

He also said that they would stop purchasing bags from that particular company in the future though the Food and Drugs Authority in the US has approved the company issuing the bags.

Jayalath seeks Wanni signal

UNP parliamentarian Jayalath Jayawardena has requested President Kumaratunga, to grant him permission to visit the Wanni to look into the basic needs of thousands of people who are living in pathetic conditions.

In a letter dated October 27, he requests the President to send a government MP, in case she refuses to grant him permission.

He has also stated that media personnel have been banned from the Wanni, preventing true situation there from reaching the people of Sri Lanka as well as the international community.

Underworld active despite round-up

By Leon Berenger

Barely a day after a massive joint Army-Police anti-crime operation in Maligawatte, the guns of the underworld were firing once again as suspected gangsters shot and critically wounded a three-wheel driver, indicating a major gang war was hotting up in the area.

The unidentified driver who took seven bullets into his belly and upper chest is in a critical condition at the National Hospital.

Police believe the taxi driver was a victim of the ongoing gang warfare that has continued to rock the city and suburbs in recent months.

In a surprise move earlier this week the police assisted by heavily armed troops rounded up some 500 underworld suspects in what was seen as a move to isolate the bad hats prior to the December 21 presidential elections.

However police sources yesterday revealed that all but six were released after questioning. The reasons for their release was not given. Those who are in custody would also be freed if there was no evidence to link them with the underworld, the sources said.

The Maligawatte operation was carried out only hours after the private bodyguard to the son of Minister A. H. M. Fowzie was fatally shot by an unidentified gang.

The bodyguard was identified only as Rumi. Police are yet to trace the persons behind the killing.

Late last week, the police top brass in the metropolis vowed to come down hard on the underworld ahead of the upcoming elections, fearing that some of these goons could be hired by politicians to get at their opponents.

A senior DIG stressed that these elements would be even kept in protective custody until the elections were over, purely as a precautionary move.

More than a dozen underworld operatives have been killed in the past one month or so in shoot-outs between rivals.

Police sources privately admit that many of these gangsters were linked to various political interests and did not rule out backing from high officials.

Deepavali peace appeal

The All Ceylon Hindu Congress in a Deepavali appeal to all Hindus said "Deepavali, the day on which injustice and evil forces were destroyed and divine attitudes were restored, is a day dedicated for worshipping".

It also said that "the government and all other political parties should rise above party politics and come forward without further delay to find a permanent end to the ongoing war which has been going on for the last two decades, and to find a permanent solution to the ethnic problem, paving the way for every citizen in this island to live peacefully with equal dignity and self-respect without discrimination".

VOA dump: US explains position

Responding to the current controversy over the dumping of debris from the VOA station, the United States Information Service has said the Manager of the site at Iranawila had contacted the North Western Provincial Environmental Authority to clarify matters.

The manager was informed that Marconi Communications, Inc., the construction contractor, had neglected to apply for a formal licence to dispose of the construction debris which had been tested and found to be non-hazardous, the USIS said in a statement.

It said the VOA had reiterated earlier instructions to Marconi to comply fully with all NWP environmental regulations.

"We understand that the Environmental Authority has directed Marconi to remove the garbage from the dumpsite in Madampe and store it at the VOA transmitter site at Iranawila, while the Environmental Authority carries out additional tests to determine where the garbage will finally be disposed," the statement said.

It remains the official and expressed policy of the U.S. Government "to conserve and protect the environment through responsible management and control of operational activities," the statement added.

Business group here next month

A London Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegation with representatives of some 26 companies will visit Sri Lanka next week to strengthen business contacts and promote and expand opportunities as members of a world-wide business network.

The mission which will be based at the Taj Samudra will be here from November 8 to 12, the British High Commission said.

The companies that come to Colombo will cover a wide range of goods and services. Some of them include high speed diesel engines, electrical and mechanical equipment, fabric and curtain manufacturers, overseas trading, information technology and related products, metal fabricators, solicitors, management consultants, corporate finance advisers, police training, telecommunications equipment, publishing and exhibition management and hotel refurbishment.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry are visiting Sri Lanka following their successful visits in March and December 1997.

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