‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News 17-23 July 2022
Over the radio
I hear the victory bulletins of the scum of the earth. Curiously
I examine a map of the continent…
I can still see a small door.
– Bertolt Brecht, 1940
‘European ambassadors gave President GR an “ultimatum”,
a “last chance” to condemn Russia,
but Sri Lanka had refused to condemn either side…
A few days later the Aragalaya started…
When things had cooled down somewhat,
Gota arranged to talk to Putin.
Within 24 hours of talking to Putin,
Two Russian oil officials came to Colombo for discussions…
US Envoy Julie Chung endorsed the JVP.
The Aragalaya stormed President’s House and Gota resigned.’
– ee Sovereignty, Geopolitics
Speculation heightens that the US and India – with their local agents cawing like crows on a bull – are provoking chaos in the country, to enable invasion, by first deploying the United Nations as multilateral camouflage, then setting their own boots on the ground by dividing the country into ‘ethnic’ enclaves.
Nine UN ‘experts’ – never heard of before – were headlined this week expressing ‘alarm over record high inflation… as the country grapples with unprecedented political turmoil’.
It turns out these ‘rights experts’, ‘receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva. They operate in their individual capacity and are neither UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.’ Individual indeed! (see ee Economists, Immediate)
‘Nations should look at a place like Sri Lanka today
– heavily indebted to China – which has made some really dumb bets
about their economic future and are suffering pretty catastrophic,
both economic and political, consequences as a result.’
– Central Intelligence Agency (CIA, US) capo William J Burns
at Rockefeller-funded Aspen Security Forum, Wednesday
Imperialism – ranting about ‘democracy & transparency’ while blaming China with only 10% of SL debt and ignoring the 50+% US ISB trap – plans to foist an unelected NGO junta of Black-whites, with colonial roots, to govern Sri Lanka. Yes, an unelected ‘Civil Society’ above an elected Parliament:
‘The Eisenhower Fellowship in Sri Lanka
unequivocally deplores the attack on peaceful protestors,
lawyers & journalists at the dead of the night by heavily armed military personnel,
at the Galle Face Protest site in Colombo.’
This ‘Fellowship’ (EF) includes all the ‘usual suspects’ daily broadcast in the media wagging their fingers in faux NGO outrage. This ‘Fellowship’ is co-chaired by Ruwanthie de Chickera, whose father, Duleep, ex-Anglican Bishop defrauded their Sunday collections. (The head of the Anglican Church is the Queen of England who is also head of England’s war machine. She was removed as head of state of Sri Lanka, only in 1972). Chickera was recently photographed purportedly organizing the aragalaya with other such CIA-NED beneficiaries as ‘protest organizer Chameera Dedduwage’ (Reuters).
Other EFers include Ceylon Tobacco Company executive Chandra Jayaratne (who ee reported last week got the court to confiscate former CB Governor WD Lakshman’s passport), USAID-funded Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, US Assembly of God & Rockefeller-Citibank MP Eran Wickremaratne, Chevaan Daniel of Unilever-Maharaja media (whose TV station Sirasa provoked the burning of current President Ranil Wickremasinghe’s home) and more!
US President Dwight Eisenhower (in an earlier July, in 1960) demanded at a US National Security Council meeting, that the Congo’s first elected President Patrice Lumumba be ‘eliminated’. The US steals the Congo’s cobalt and uranium, etc. What a fellow was Eisenhower? Eisenhower ordered the assassination, a few weeks after Lumumba proclaimed, ‘The Congo’s independence is a decisive step towards the liberation of the whole African continent.’ (Random Notes)
‘We are committed to doing what we can to produce the most stable regional order possible.
We are not going to leave vacuums that the Chinese or Russians can seek to fill…’
– US CIA Chief William J Burns
Produce the most stable regional order possible? No, the honorable CIA Chief was not referring to the USA. That would have made more sense: since they keep their denizens under siege – fearing Hollywood aliens, Apache with memories, Mexicans, Russians & Chinese. The US spy chief was referring to their ongoing mass murder in West Asia. However, the ease with which he segued from West Asia to South and then East Asia, divulges that the white man’s burden is indeed never ending, all encompassing, and righteous, to boot! (Random Notes)
The white propaganda narrative on Sri Lanka’s current challenges grows more surreal by the day. On July 9, just as Sri Lanka’s government was changed, CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency & National Security Agency (NSA) operative Derek J Grossman portrayed events as an anti-China uprising. ‘China’s window of opportunity to one day control Sri Lanka probably just closed,’ he tweeted.
Grossman is now an analyst at the Pentagon’s main thinktank, the RAND Corporation. RAND, the US’ first thinktank combining corporations, military & academia, began as a division of Douglas Aircraft Co (now Boeing), under General Curtis LeMay, future head of the US Strategic Air Command, accused of aerial mass murder in their war on Korea.
So, the US CIA leader now feels it is time to deliver his coup de grace on Sri Lanka.
Last week we’d been told, Russia was responsible for Sri Lanka’s unrest, fuel and food shortages! These imitation pearls were dribbled out by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, their comedian in Kiev, who was addressing the Asian Leadership Conference in Seoul in US-occupied Korea. Zelensky was echoing an earlier accusation by the Canadian ambassador, who appears anxious to announce to his diasporic constituency that #ComeEelamHome draws closer on the horizon.
This week, the CIA leader ‘held China responsible for Sri Lanka’s economic collapse, saying Colombo’s ‘dumb bets’ on high-debt Chinese investment have led to ‘catastrophic’ outcomes. At the Aspen Security Forum via an interview with US’ NBC, delivered to us through India’s Asian News International (ANI) by Ada Derana.
NBC’s CIA Chief interview (ee Sovereignty) however betrayed underlying anxieties, both real and fake, while attempting to project a calm jokey demeanor. Countries covered by the CIA Chief include Sri Lanka. He started by throwing seemingly infantile mud balls of expletives at Russia’s leader, thoroughly thrilled with himself, quivering his shivery legs together like an overexcited pubescent, calling Putin ‘too healthy’, cynical, suspicious, taking advantage of ‘better angels’, intimidating, getting even, an ‘apostle of payback’, etc. His audience applauded and laughed on cue. They had to. He waxed about Iran, Turkey, China, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan (before the US supposedly fled Kabul, leaving local informants behind – Special Immigration Visa/ SIV anyone?), and even Cuba (where he seemed to finally dismiss ‘Havana Syndrome’ – Cuba ‘infecting’ white embassy personnel, as AHI – ‘anomalous health incidents’!).
Under the guise of ‘climate change’, they also spoke of the ‘weaponization’ of food security (the ‘biggest geopolitical existential threat’), drought, migration.
• ‘USAID is funding and training an online media empire in Sri Lanka’, tweeted SL’s BattlementLK (BLK) this week. US NGO IREX aka the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) features in many of these imperial efforts.
BLK reported, Roar Media is an online media organization in Sri Lanka with 1.2mn visitors to their website and 10.9mn social reach. According to Roar, some of their investors are IREX and Google news. According to IREX: funded by such organizations as USAID, US State Department, Open Society & Ford Foundations, and Millennium Challenge Corporation (supposed to counter China’s BRI in Europe, Asia & Pacific including Sri Lanka). IREX programs include Mandela Washington Fellowships for Young African Leaders.
IREX also has a journalist training program in Sri Lanka called MEND supported by USAID, which Roar, according to their own website received a grant from (see below).
Roar has published several articles criticizing China’s influence in Sri Lanka in the past, including an article falsely claiming the Hambantota Port lease was a debt/equity swap.
Roar’s editor-in-chief Roel Raymond (related to some of Sri Lanka’s famous grave robbers and morticians, as well as to decadent colonially coddled Tamil compradors?) has played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s regime-change protests, using her Twitter to support them and to rally people against SL leaders, with many tweets about the protests.
Almost 2 months after the first protests/riots broke out, Raymond was among those beckoned to meet the US ambassador (see Random Notes, ee Focus).
Contents:
A1. Reader Comments –
• Shinzo Abe • IMF controls Pakistan’s Central Bank • National Movement Needed • Media ignores ISBs
A2. Quotes of the Week
• Established Family Insiders Rule • IMF Demands Stability • IMF Opposed Industry • IMF’s Shangri-La • Canary in Coalmine • China won’t join Paris Club • Massive Capital Outflows • Crudities of Oil Monopoly • Weaponizing Woke
A3. Random Notes –
• Fake ‘Marxist’ Professors • IMF goes on Holiday • Bangladesh Refuses IMF Loan • IMF Threatens Pakistan • Battle over Pakistan Central Bank • Eisnehower’s Phallos • CIA & Verite Research • CIA’s Watchdog • Yugadhanavi, CIA, US Courts and Felling of a Ruler
B. ee Focus
B1. Taking over Sri Lanka’s Media: The US CIA’s IREX (International Research & Exchange Board)
B2. IREX, US, English Information Warfare Behind a Regime Change Drive In Belarus
B3. The Next Black Mayor of Los Angeles, CIA & National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
C. News Index
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A1. Reader Comments
ee thanks Readers who send articles of interest. Please excerpt or summarize what is important about any news sent, or your comments, and place any e-link at the end. Email: econenews@gmail.com
• ‘Got this week’s ee and appreciate it. Also wondered what ee thinks of the assassination of Japan’s Abe?’
• ‘They are inducing these debt crises in our countries to make China incur losses on their BRI projects? I think that’s their goal… Pakistan’s Central Bank is now IMF-controlled.’
• ‘At some point, the national movement must push back against these faux liberal usurpers and take back Colombo and occupy it.’
• ‘The financial media never mention BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity, and other creditors. It seems their goal is to make China accept the Paris Club conditions for restructuring.’
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A2. Quotes of the Week_
• ‘You cannot win [in politics] if you’re not from an established family. So the system is left to established insiders who can pillage the state.’ – Razeen Sally, National University of Singapore
• ‘International donors, particularly the IMF, and others are seeking conditions of stability.’ – ee Politics, Escape
• ‘The first IMF agreement came in 1965 in the face of economic crisis. The stabilization package included more cuts to subsidies, policies to encourage private investment, currency devaluation and trade liberalization. IMF prescriptions did not encourage investment in agriculture and production for local consumption, leaving the country relying on imports for essential items, including food – decisions that we are paying for today.’ ee Industry, Education & Healthcare
• ‘From experience worldwide, IMF prescription is not the panacea for economic woes plaguing the world. If it was so, then most South American countries, in the backyard of the US, would be one big Shangri-la as they have been religiously taking its medicine since its formation.’ – ee Politics, the Fall
• ‘With inflation high, the US is raising rates and the dollar is getting ever stronger, which in the past has often been a spark for economic crises in the developing world. ‘Emerging markets as an asset class are always the most sensitive to either economic or political risk. The way I look at Sri Lanka is the extent to which it is a canary in the coalmine,’ says Tina Fordham, a geopolitical strategist and adviser at consultancy Fordham Global Foresight. What Sri Lanka reveals about the risks in emerging markets: Bond yields have spiralled in a number of countries – ranging from Pakistan to Ghana, Egypt – in a sign of mounting economic stress… The IMF estimates, about 30% of emerging markets and 60% of low-income countries are now in or at high risk of debt distress.’
• ‘Some analysts say China has good reason to be cautious about signing up to a multilateral approach led by the IMF & Paris Club group of wealthy creditor nations.
Kevin Gallagher, head of the Global Development Policy Center at Boston University and an adviser to the Chinese government, says China has ‘legitimate criticisms’ of the conditions attached to IMF programs that are a prerequisite of sovereign-debt restructuring: ‘What kind of say are they going to have in something that is so driven by the French and the US? …They don’t think an austerity-led program is the way to get a country out of recession.’
Zhongxia Jin, China’s executive director at the IMF, said, while IMF conditionality made sense ‘from a purely economic and theoretical point of view, [in practice] it is very painful for low-income countries… Our position on the board is that conditionality… should be growth friendly and growth oriented.’ – ee Economists, China Reckons
• The reversal of the monetary policy by the world’s leading central banks from the beginning of the year to combat record-high inflation, which they created, further tightened the financial conditions for developing nations with high debt and shallow reserve buffers. This resulted in flight of foreign capital from these markets, while strengthening the dollar, added to their inflation and made it difficult for them to service their debt. For instance, emerging markets have so far in 2022 seen over US$50billion worth of capital outflows, undoing the entirety of the capital that came into these markets last year.’ – ee Economists, IMF Directly
• ‘During the early post-independence period, the Kenyan government had dabbled with government partnerships with foreign oil companies. Prof Colin Leys’ book Underdevelopment in Kenya observed that the benefits of these partnerships were minimal at best:
‘In the case of refineries, no outward change was apparent. The existing, mainly expatriate top management was retained. It was clear that the government was in a position to know more about the profits of oil distribution, once it controlled the source of supply, and should thus be able to influence that stage of fuel pricing. However, the distributors still owned the wells and controlled the shipping of oil to the refinery, and it is doubtful if control of the refineries really conferred on the government a significant power to determine the profitability to the oil companies of even the modest Kenya component of their total operations’.’ – ee Industry, Oil & Imperialism in Africa
• ‘The primacist, interventionist wing of the US foreign policy establishment – ’the Blob’ – has a long history of using prevailing moralist trends to serve as ideological justifications for expansionist & hawkish policies. From Presidents William McKinley and Woodrow Wilson on through the militant democracy promotion of the George W Bush administration, this process often mutated to accommodate the de jour proclivities and entrenched biases of the policymaking class. The newest iteration of this process is the adoption of social-justice causes and rhetoric as the explicit goals of the US’ foreign policy. Such use and weaponization of the language of justice to advance the foreign policy objectives of the liberal Atlanticist Blob is particularly evident against regions and countries the West believes actively challenge the Liberal International Order status quo or where it seeks to justify military and economic interventions on normative grounds.’ – ee Media, Woke Imperialism
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A3. Random Notes (‘Seeing Number in Chaos’) _
ee espied this conversation on Suckerberger’s Facebook, and tweaked it, because it represents a bittersweet morsel of the fantasies entertained by our social media-tricksters.
Accelerationism distorts Marxist theory, insisting that things will get better the worse it becomes, aka by ‘sharpening the class contradictions’. The good professor, a state-salaried anarchist, seems coy to realize that it depends on the level of worker organization as a class and the balance of forces:
Professor of Accelerationism: The next government will fail miserably in resurrecting the economy. This uprising will repeat in a few more months. At that moment you don’t want to see Sarath Fonseka as the Defence Minister.
Student of Hope Springs Eternal: Next government will fail miserably??? Why?? I thought it will get better when Gota steps down??
Prof of Accelerationism: How would it get better after Gota goes home?
Student of HSE: Well, stable government that respects human rights and things like that so IMF will give bailout??
Prof of Accelerationism: IMF won’t bailout SL like that. Even if IMF approves a bailout the package is peanuts compared to the forex requirement.
Student of Hope Springs Eternal: R u saying these fuel queues will be there for next few months??? I can’t believe this.
Student of Hope Run Dry: That’s CRAZY!!! We will go MAD… Literally mad.
Professor of Accelerationism: *Evil Grin*
• The IMF is going on ‘summer’ holiday for 2 weeks, August 1-14. Putting pressure on Pakistan to agree to IMF conditions before providing loan Pakistan urgently needs. Meanwhile Bangladesh saying, No thanks to the IMF!
After seeing the conditions attached to a $4.5billion IMF loan, which the IMF insists will ease the pressure on foreign-currency reserves, Bangladesh Finance Minister stated, ‘At this moment, we will not take it.’ An IMF delegation is in capital Dhaka for a 9-day tour, for talks. One loan condition is withdrawal of subsidies on fuel, electricity, fertilizers: IMF insists is needed for ‘fiscal balance’. The IMF mission also disagrees with the Bangladesh Central Bank method of calculating foreign-currency reserves. The BFM: ‘We will continue to calculate the reserves in the manner that we have been doing.’ IMF mission is prescribing ‘more caution while taking on more bilateral loans & providing guarantees to state-owned-enterprise loans’. –ee Economy, Cold Feet
• Pakistan’s rupee came under further attack this week, within 72 hours of a by-election rout of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in their base Punjab, with new US-toyboy PM Shehbaz Sharif seeking an urgent loan from the IMF, before the IMF goes on their summer holiday in a week.
Pakistan says it has sufficient stocks of diesel and furnace oil – enough for almost 2 months. And it’s now ready to sell its 2 LNG-fired power plants to the United Arab Emirates at a negotiated price within a few days by cutting down the competitive privatization process, taking about 1.5 years. The government is also willing to give a seat to the UAE government on its blue-chip companies for another $1billion to stop the current economic meltdown. The IMF however says Pakistan has not yet fulfilled all the prior actions they demand.
The IMF board will approve a $1.17bn loan tranche and extend the bailout package till June next year, only after all prior actions met by Pakistan. The IMF is demanding a public notification that the government will increase electricity prices and impose further levies on petrol and high-speed diesel from August 1.
Pakistan has also not yet sent the letter of intent – a document detailing the actions undertaken to qualify for the loan tranche – to the managing director of the IMF, indicating a board meeting in July might not be possible.
The document has to be co-signed by the Finance Minister and the SBP (State Bank of Pak) governor. But there has been no SBP governor since May 4, although the acting governor has the mandate to sign the document.
With the IMF going on holiday from August 1, the PM was perturbed as to why the global lender did not take Pakistan’s case to the board at the earliest despite reaching a staff-level agreement last week.
The IMF will hold the board meeting at the first available date after holidays ending on August 15, said a senior SBP official.
The Pak rupee’s free fall could increase consumer prices by 20%. The IMF has not placed any condition on exchange-rate devaluation and the CB was also working to manage inflow & outflows of foreign exchange.
The IMF is angry due to the previous Imran Khan government’s decision to give subsidies on fuel & electricity.
The central banker said, Pakistan should not be clubbed with Sri Lanka, as Islamabad had taken prompt measures to fix the economy. He added, Pakistan had also got assurances from the IMF and friendly countries, therefore there would not be any balance-of-payment crisis like in Sri Lanka.
The minister conceded that rising inflation eroded the purchasing power of the middle class and their miseries increased manifold. He said, the government protected vulnerable and poor segments but added he did not have sufficient resources to protect the middle-income earners from rising inflationary pressures.
He said there was no choice available to the government to protect the middle class if subsidies on fuel and electricity continued just like in the pattern of Sri Lanka. (ee Economy, IMF Stalling)
• State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) board was expected to become dysfunctional on Friday, amid a battle between 2 factions of the ruling Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party over the nominee for the post of SBP governor.
The rupee closed at Rs222 to $1 – one of the steepest declines in Pakistan history, amid a leadership vacuum.
The SBP said on Tuesday, the current account position, relevant news items and domestic uncertainty together determine the exchange rate. The Central Bank was choking even small amounts of dollar transactions to save declining foreign-exchange reserves. (ee Economists, Dysfunctional)
• Eisenhower Fellows of SL: Himesh Fernando – Hemas Holdings; Nayana Mawilmada – John Keells Holdings; Dulith Herath – Kapruka; Subramaniam Eassuwaren, Eswaran Brothers Exports; Chevaan Daniel –Capital Maharaja Organization; Bhavani Fonseka – Centre for Policy Alternatives, Nathan Sivagananathan – Hatch, Harsha Purasinghe, Microimage Holdings; Ruwanthie de Chickera – Stages Theatre Group; Heshma Wignaraja – Chitrasena Vajira Dance Foundation; Kanchana Weerakoon – EcoFriendly Volunteers (ECO-V); Saliya Pieris – CFPS School of Law; Anuruddha Padeniya – Lady Ridgeway Hospital; Jayantha Fernando – ICT Agency of SL, Harsha de Silva MP; Manori Gunawardena – Dilmah Conservation Trust; Susie Perera de Silva – Ministry of Health; Eran Wickramaratne MP; Chrishantha Weliamuna – Transparency International, Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu – Centre for Policy Alternatives; Kala Peiris De Costa – Siyath Foundation; Nivard Ajith Leslie Cabraal MP, Rohan Abeygunasekara MP; Nimal Samarakkody – SAPCO Group of Companies; Chandra Jayaratne – CTC Eagle Insurance Co; Dayananda Gunawardena – Prudential Holdings Group; Frank R Samaraweera; Ranepura Sumanasiri Jayaratne – Resources Development Consultants; Asoka de Lanerolle, Godfrey Goonethileka – SL Center for Development Studies; Suneetha Jayawickrama, Resources Development Consultants, Lalit Hewavitarne, Ivor H Obeyesekere, Chitra Fernando (ef-srilanka.org/fellows.html)
• National Endowment for Democracy (NED) also produces pro-IMF and anti-China propaganda content in Sri Lanka through local Youtubers, notes anti-imperialist tweeter BattlementLK:
‘18 April 2022, a prominent youtuber in Sri Lanka who usually produces comedy skits shared a video that addresses Sri Lanka’s economic crisis. The skit pulls at your heartstrings, and portrays China & India as predatorial loan sharks, despite collectively owning less than 12% of the country’s national debt, while the majority is owned by the West. The video ends hinting at the importance of an IMF program. One of the video’s sponsors, Verite Research is a local thinktank with a research team consisting of ex-employees of western financial institutions. A Verite director was recently appointed by his in-law Ranil Wickremasinghe to be an advisor to the Ministry of Finance, after Wickremasinghe was appointed PM & FM. Verite Research is funded by none other than the NED.
As disclosed by the NED in Feb 2022, NED granted Verite $75,000. The video gained over 1 million views, Sri Lanka’s population only 22mn. On May 25, after several protests and riots, and a month after the video had been published, the Youtubers in question were invited to the US embassy to meet the ambassador.
NED-funded Verite conducts research on media bias in SL. NED provided $30,000 to the Bar Association (BASL)’s ‘Building Support among Lawyers for Adherence to International Human Rights Norms’.
BattlementLK also names WatchDog as one of SL’s most popular fact-checkers. WatchDog’s CEO Yudhanjaya Wijeratne (contracted by Harper Collins to produce science-fiction novels!) has played an active role in SL’s regime-change protests through his online presence. Watchdog lists the following organizations as their partners/funders: NATO, OCCRP, IREX. Let’s find out who’s behind OCCRP & IREX. IREX lists USAID as partner for their local media training program (MEND). IREX is also supported by Open Society Foundation, Ford Foundation, and several other key organizations. OCCRP is funded by organizations including US State Department, NED, Open Society Foundations, Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Almost 2 months after the first unrest, Watchdog’s CEO Yudhanjaya met US ambassador. So who is IREX? (see ee Focus)
• Yugadhanavi, the CIA, US Courts & Felling of a Ruler
2017: The US State Department requested their ‘allied’ Sri Lanka ‘Yahapalana’ Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to waive former SL Ambassador to US Jaliya Wickramasuriya’s immunity saying he was under investigation for ‘the misappropriation, theft & embezzlement of public funds by a public official & related laundering of those funds’.
Oct: US-allied Prasad Kariyawasam, Secretary to SL Ministry of Foreign Affairs, replied through Colombo US Embassy, waiving off any immunity for Wickramasuriya (the Prime-Minister’s brother-in-law).
2018 May: A US Grand Jury indicted Wickramasuriya on 2 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of money laundering, and one count of visa fraud.
2019 Jan: Wickramasuriya was brought before a US District Court to answer criminal charges.
2020 Jan: President Rajapaksa appointed a Presidential Commission into political victimizations caused by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), Bribery Commission & Police Special Investigation Unit (SIU), between 8 Jan 2015 – 16 Nov 2019.
Nov: Wickramasuriya said, the FCID under Yahapalana rule had misled the court and obtained a warrant against him for political revenge; giving evidence from the US via Skype before the SL Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) probing into political victimization.
Dec: PCOI final report handed over to President Gota Rajapaksa. Yet the US refused to restore Wickramasuriya’s immunity, instead demanding political and economic concessions.
2021 July: After his national list MP appointment, SLPP organizer Basil Rajapaksa was made Minister of Finance. He replaced CEB Chair Vijitha Herath with retired Power Ministry Secretary MC Ferdinando, moved Dullus Ahahapperuma from Power Ministry to Media. One-time UNP Minister Gamini Lokuge, head of the notorious UNP union JSS, was brought in as Power Minister.
Sept: Former State Minister of Money & Capital Markets Nivard Cabraal appointed SL Central Bank Governor. The Yugadanavi deal was finalized at midnight , Sept 17.
Oct: India conglomerate Adani Group, SL’s John Keells Holdings & SL Ports Authority agreed to jointly develop the Colombo West International Container Terminal of the Port of Colombo.
Two relatives of President Gota Rajapaksa & PM Mahinda Rajapaksa named in the Pandora papers. Nirupama Rajapaksa, cousin of President & PM, and husband Thirukumar Nadesan were exposed by CIA-linked International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in collaboration with BBC, Washington Post, Guardian, WDR/NDR (Germany), etc.
2022 March: Supreme Court refused to grant leave to proceed with petitions against Yugadanavi deal.
April: Former SL envoy to US pleaded guilty to defrauding SL govt, attempted to embezzle $332,027. He was entrapped by US Attorney Matthew M Graves, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, DC Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Wayne A Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division. Judge Tanya S Chutkan scheduled sentencing 20 July 2022.
• The Sentencing: ‘The Ambassador, His Swanky New Embassy & the Limits of Diplomatic Immunity’ (Politico, US)
‘He was a foreign diplomat with powerful friends at home and immunity in Washington. How did he wind up in federal court for cheating his own country? The US is doing a small developing country’s dirty work in prosecuting its ex-ambassador for fraud, and it may eventually be cause for discomfort along Embassy Row.
In normal cases, for foreign diplomats with an instinct for pilfering from their own government, Washington represents a safe posting. Far from home, entertainment expenses can be padded, real estate prices exaggerated, lobbying and PR-consultant fees manipulated. The only thing the bean-counters back at the foreign ministry need to know is that the US capital is an expensive place. Thanks to diplomatic immunity, whatever workplace scams get cooked up are unlikely to interest the local authorities.
Still, an unusual proceeding that quietly concluded in a federal courtroom this week suggests there are limits, even with immunity…
But in Washington, where the proceedings drew almost no coverage, a foreign envoy facing the US judicial system for stealing from his own treasury is actually a novel phenomenon, and potentially an important one – a spectacle that’s highly unconventional both as a matter of international law & international relations. In addition to offering a rare peek behind embassy walls, the Justice Department’s case against the envoy might just represent a cautionary precedent for future would-be diplomatic chiselers.
‘It’s extremely unusual,’ says Anthony CE Quainton, retired US ambassador & former Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security. ‘Most governments are reluctant to surrender their officials to the jurisdiction of another country whose legal system they may or may not approve of. That’s certainly the case with us.’
…in 2015, there was an election in Sri Lanka. And, in a surprise upset, the Rajapaksas’ party lost.
With the ex-ambassador’s patron out of power, investigators from both countries circled. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations traveled to Sri Lanka to work with that country’s Financial Crimes Investigation Division. Based on information shared by the USA, he was arrested in Colombo, where he faced SL corruption charges. But with the charges still pending, he managed to use his green card to return to the US…
US prosecutors still believed they had the goods on wire fraud and money laundering charges. In 2017, according to diplomatic notes shared as part of the legal proceedings, the US government asked SL to waive the ex-ambassador’s immunity. The Sri Lanka government, now led by self-styled reformist opponents of his family, quickly agreed. A US federal grand jury indicted him the following year. While there has been at least one famous case of a foreign diplomat winding up in US custody after his home country waived diplomatic immunity – a Georgian diplomat who killed a woman in a DC drunk-driving accident – this case had one major difference: There was no US victim. The country the diplomat had defrauded was his own.
It’s not clear why US prosecutors were so hot to trot on what was by then an old case involving a comparatively small dollar figure & money that had already been returned. At the State Department, officials typically don’t like this sort of prosecution, which other governments could theoretically deploy against US citizens. On the other hand, for prosecutors, a highly connected envoy with family ties to a corruption-plagued government could theoretically give up information on fatter targets of more pressing interest to the feds…
Meanwhile, at sentencing at the US District Court in Washington on July 20 Wednesday morning, there were just 8 spectators on hand as Judge Tanya S Chutkan handed down Wickramasuriya’s punishment: 2 years of probation and a $5,000 fine, in recognition of his having repaid the money’ (see ee Security, Swanky).
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B. Special Focus_
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B1. Taking over Sri Lanka’s Media: CIA’s IREX (International Research & Exchange Board)
‘NED, a CIA-spin off, has been very active in SL recently, donating literally millions of dollars to activist groups. The NED’s modus operandi is to train anti-government groups over many years which are then activated when destabilization is deemed to be in the interest of the US or against the interests of US rivals. Identical game-plans were used in Hong Kong and Bangkok. The campaigns ALWAYS build on genuine grievances, and work in tandem with disinformation campaigns in which Western media downplay or completely omit any mention the presence of Western groups specializing in political interference overseas. The result: coups in China-friendly places look entirely spontaneous and references to external financing simply go unreported… Fake Debt Trap…’ – se ee Sovereignty, Sri Lanka: What you are not being told
‘Sri Lankan protestors wearing mass produced headbands written in English.’ Where have we seen this before? Hong Kong, Syria, Libya, Thailand…? Yes.[add Nury on SL like HK & Thailand in Quotes, with ref to this B1:
The salaried chatterati are outdoing themselves in calling Sri Lanka’s protests, unprecedented in our history (tho we can’t recall the Portuguese, Dutch and English taking headcounts before they massacred people in the numerous revolts against their rule). But they have surely for the first time expressed their ‘demands’ in English, let alone Yankee-English! Gotta Go! This is apparently an important requirement for obtaining funds for a rebellion, according to the CIA rulebook published by the Albert Einstein Foundation, named as being behind the recent attempt at chaos in Hong Kong (see ee Media).
2020 Oct 21: Wijeya Group Media-linked Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI)’s 17th Annual General Meeting, convened constituent partners – the Newspaper Society of SL, Editors’ Guild of SL, Free Media Movement, SL Working Journalists Association and their members. Their main domains: Media Freedom & Journalist Professionalism, Transparency & Accountability, and Peace & Reconciliation, saw them undergo a ‘self-reflection exercise on the self-regulation process of the print media’ (i.e. the state has no control over printed disinformation).
They wished to spread awareness on Right to Information (RTI), and were expanding their digital social media front through portals such as Rtisrilanka.lk and Changemaker.lk. Projects were being implemented with foreign missions such as Norway, USA and Germany with organizations like Norwegian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Soros’ Open Society Foundation (OSF), UNESCO, International Research & Exchange Board (IREX), Media in Transition & Coordination (MiCT), USAID, and the IOM.
2021 Feb: International Research & Exchange Board (IREX)’s Media Empowerment for Democratic SL project, was funded by the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions (FMETU)’ Handbook for Journalists. Editorial assistance was provided by Keshara Kottegoda Vithana of the Ceylon Bank Employees Union (CBEU), Arul Joseph of the Ceylon Mercantile Industrial & General Workers’ Union (CMU) and Suranjaya Amarasinghe of the United Federation of Labour (UFL). The FMETU is an affiliate of the SLPI and the local member of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
2021 March: IREX and the Hashtag Generation launched a Reform Charter for Media Houses in SL ‘to bring gender equality’, adding ‘Women journalists in Tamil media face extra cultural, geographic & safety challenges’.
Aug: IREX’s Media Empowerment for a Democratic Sri Lanka (MEND) Spotlight Program on Investigative Journalism, announced support for some senior journalists ‘to conduct investigative reports on issues of ethnic, religious, or regional importance, promoting reconciliation and peace’. IREX/MEND’s Spotlight hoped to create a network of Investigative Journalists in Sri Lanka.
2022 Jan: MediaInc, part of IREX’s MEND program, supported by USAID, announced ‘a cutting-edge initiative aimed at creating ‘positive disruption’ in Sri Lanka’s media space, to fund ‘3 innovative start-up media outlets’ giving them ‘intensive training and support on key aspects relating to content, commercialization and operations’.
MEND Chief of Party, Jean MacKenzie, reported: ‘The first cohort includes Heshan de Silva, who manages a widely-used platform which aggregates and disseminates English news reports on Sri Lanka; Jayantha Kovilagodage, the economist who created ‘SL Business TV’, a Sinhala-medium social media channel focusing on business; and Krishnasamy Harenthiran, the founder of Kuruvi.lk, a citizen journalism initiative, to share stories of relevance to the residents of the estate sector.
IREX’s expert trainers included David Hayward, a ‘veteran’ ex-journalist, Wendy Pilmer (BBC); and Neal Moore, an expert in content strategy and storytelling.
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B2. IREX, US, English Information Warfare Behind a Regime Change Drive in Belarus
2021 June: Nefarious IREX activity was exposed in Belarus: ‘Not a single mainstream outlet deigned to mention that for many years prior to the unrest’s eruption, London and Washington had funded, trained and promoted the very elements that took to the streets.
IREX was set up in 1968 by the US State Department, American Council of Learned Societies, the Ford Foundation, US Social Science Research Council. After the USSR was withdrawn, IREX ‘implemented projects to support democratic reforms and strengthen organizations.’ And programs to conduct educational exchanges, strengthen civil society in developing countries, increase internet access, and provide training and support to journalists…
2019 April: US government think-tank RAND Corporation report, Extending Russia: Competing from Advantageous Ground, noted, fomenting unrest in Belarus, presented ‘an opportunity to aid opposition, by ‘removing a long-standing Russian-allied dictator, and supporting liberalization’. Aid to opposition ‘could come in a variety of forms, ranging from public declarations of support by US leaders to more direct financial and organizational assistance helping the opposition parties’. Even as they found ‘78% of Belarusians believed regime change was ‘not worth people’s blood’ and 70% ‘did not want a Ukrainian-style revolution’.’
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was set up in November 1983, by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), to construct a public mechanism to support groups and individuals overseas to engage in propaganda and political action undermining ‘enemy’ governments from within – activities historically organized and paid for clandestinely by the Agency – under the bogus aegis of democracy and human rights promotion.
During the Reagan US administration’s secret war against Nicaragua’s Sandinista government during the 1980s, in which 10,000s died, NED allocated millions of dollars to ‘civic opposition’ entities – including La Prensa, the country’s primary anti-Sandinista newspaper. The CIA also trained, funded and armed the Sandinistas’ fascist opponents, the Contras.
1991: Senior NED official Allen Weinstein acknowledged, ‘a lot of what we do today was done covertly 25 years ago by the CIA,’ and NED’s work often directly complements Langley’s cloak-and-dagger work.
Sept 1991: Washington Post article on ‘spyless coups’ abroad, referred to the NED as the ‘sugar daddy of overt operations,’ and noted that throughout the late 1980s, it had ‘dispensed money to anti-communist forces behind the Iron Curtain… Covert funding for these groups would have been the kiss of death, if discovered. Overt funding, it would seem, has been a kiss of life.’
2016-20: NED funded at least 159 civil society initiatives in Belarus, costing $7.7 million…. the NED bankrolled 65 projects in Ukraine in the years prior to the March 2014 Maidan coup, in the process creating ‘a shadow political structure of media and activist groups that could be deployed to stir up unrest when the Ukrainian government didn’t act as desired.’
6 months prior, long-time NED chief Carl Gershman wrote a chilling op-ed for The Washington Post in which he documented Moscow’s growing troubles in its ‘near abroad’ – the constellation of countries that formerly comprised the Soviet Union – and how his organization was exploiting them to the full. Hailing Ukraine as ‘the biggest prize,’ he explained ‘Russian democracy’ could also ‘benefit’ from Kiev being absorbed into the Western fold.
2021 May: high-ranking NED representatives were caught bragging about their involvement in the ongoing unrest in Belarus at the start of 2020. They revealed, ‘a lot of the people’ who were ‘trained’ and ‘educated’ via the organization’s various endeavors in Minsk were pivotal to ‘the events, or the build-up to the events…’
2011: the White House stated the US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG, now US Agency for Global Media) would work with the Warsaw-based Belsat TV station ‘to develop content and programming on democracy education.’
Founded in December 2007 by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Belsat –‘reminiscent of’ US propaganda outlets Radio Free Europe and Voice of America, assets of BBG – describes its mission as ‘promoting democratization processes’ in Belarus.
Late 2017: then-English PM Theresa May allocated £5million of English funding to Polish organizations to ‘detect and counter the spread of Russian information operations,’ with some of the money specifically earmarked for Belsat. England’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) files have described the support provided by London to the station via Thomson Reuters Foundation (TRF), the internationally renowned newswire’s charitable arm.
Consultants, interpreters, and project and finance managers, among them Reuters staff, provided training to Belsat. TRF’s guidance was informed by the findings of an extensive ‘target audience analysis’ of Belarusian citizens’ perceptions and motivations conducted in January 2017, which sought to ‘identify opportunities’ to ‘appropriately communicate’ with them. The study was commissioned by the FCDO in Jan 2017, under the auspices of a £100mn Whitehall effort to weaken Russia’s influence in its ‘near abroad.’
In particular, London was interested in Belarusians’ ‘existing or potential grievances against their national government’ that could be leveraged, and ‘channels and messages’ through which the English government could ‘appropriately engage with different sub-groups.’
The FCDO’s ‘target audience analysis’ was carried out by long-time Whitehall contractor Albany Associates, central to a number of London’s covert information warfare operations aimed at Russia. Albany Associates also collaborated with NED-linked French NGO IREX Europe to ‘promote media plurality, balance and literacy in Central Asia.’
IREX had been working in Belarus since 2006 ‘with print, online and radio outlets,’ to ‘improve the quality of their coverage,’ and ‘increase their understanding of the EU and EU member states.’ IREX was said to have founded Warsaw-based Euroradio, along with online outlet 34mag.
IREX is closely connected with the NED, and created Euroradio in 2006 with funding from USAID under lost-Irish warmonger Samantha Power.
A 2015 report on backing provided by IREX to ‘independent’ media across Eastern Europe under its ‘cooperative agreement’ with USAID details Euroradio’s exponential rise following its launch. Within 4 years, it was also receiving sizable funding from the European Union and numerous foreign governments, and running elaborate promotional multimedia campaigns.
By 2008, it was sponsoring 300 events in the region annually, receiving ‘significant free exposure’ by ‘placing its banners at music and cultural events,’ including the annual Right to be Free concert in Lviv, Ukraine. Euroradio was soon Belarus’s ‘leading external radio broadcaster’…
Throughout 2020 and beyond, Euroradio almost endlessly published footage of violent crackdowns on protesters in Minsk, which in turn was routinely aired by the mainstream media. The BBC went to the extent of issuing an open call for activists on the ground to submit pictures and videos for use in its coverage, which Euroradio enthusiastically amplified…
Much of the content featured in Western news reporting on the unrest was created by individuals and organizations secretly in receipt of funding and training from Open Information Partnership (OIP), the ‘flagship’ strand of the FCDO’s propaganda assault on Russia.
OIP maintains a network of 44 partners across Central and Eastern Europe, including ‘journalists, charities, think-tanks, academics, NGOs, activists, and factcheckers.’
Internal Whitehall documents reveal one of its primary objectives is influencing ‘elections taking place in countries of particular interest’ to the FCDO. It achieves this disruption by helping organizations and individuals produce slick propaganda masquerading as independent citizen journalism, which is then amplified globally via its network…
Participants were taught to ‘make and receive international payments without being registered as external sources of funding’ and ‘develop editorial strategies to deliver key messages,’ while the consortium minimized their ‘risk of prosecution’ and managed ‘project communications’ to ensure the existence of the network, and OIP’s role, were kept ‘confidential.’
Belarus, along with Moldova and Ukraine, is referred to in the leaked files as ‘the most vital space in the entire [OIP] network,’ and a ‘high-impact priority’ country for London. The shock results of Moldova’s November 2020 presidential vote suggest OIP’s informational influence can be decisive. Two Moldovan organizations, the Association of Independent Press and Newsmaker, are fellow OIP network members, served as conduits for FCDO-funded, election promotion and attack material.
Slovakian OIP member MEMO 98, coincidentally also funded by NED, published an extensive study of the election campaign, attributing Sandu’s upset to her social media Nous. (Excerpt: USA, England Information Warfare Behind Regime Change Drive In Belarus, Kit Klarenberg, moonofalabama.org/2021/06/us-uk-information-warfare-behind-regime-change-drive-in-belarus.html)
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B2. The Next Mayor of Los Angeles, CIA & National Endowment for Democracy (NED)
(excerpt from: ‘Congresswoman Karen Bass & the Will to Intervene’, Ann Garrison, Black Agenda Report)
Congresswoman Karen Bass is running for mayor of Los Angeles. She’s also Vice Chair of the NED, the CIA’s soft power arm. She epitomizes everything that is wrong with the Black political class.
What will it mean if the Vice Chair of the board of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) becomes the Mayor of LA? Meaning, of course, Karen Bass, the current Vice Chair of that soft-power tool, also Chair of House Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on Africa. Come November, the Black Congresswoman representing parts of LA will most likely become its mayor…
….Before considering what a Mayor Karen Bass might do, let’s consider what the National Endowment for Democracy, whose board she vice-chairs, does. Founded by Ronald Reagan and his CIA Director William Casey in 1983 – after Church Committee hearings exposed the covert misdeeds of the CIA, FBI, IRS, NSA – NED is a bipartisan organization that works to co-opt rather than coerce targets of US imperialism. ‘Each year,’ says their website, ‘NED makes more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 100 countries.’ A map of ‘Where NED Works’ indicates that they manifest on all continents but North America and Australia, and not in Western Europe. Apparently, the assumption is that we and the rest of the West have such a surplus of democracy that we’re compelled to offload it on the world through 2,000 or so NGOs a year!
NED does impose its ideals in Central and Eastern Europe, including of course Ukraine and Belarus.
In 2017, the late Robert Parry reviewed documents just then declassified by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Archives for MintPress News and wrote: ‘In intelligence circles, ‘political action’ refers to a wide range of activities to influence the policies and behaviors of foreign nations, from slanting their media coverage, to organizing and training opposition activists, even to setting the stage for ‘regime change.’
‘The newly declassified memos from the latter half of 1982 marked an ad hoc period of transition between the CIA scandals, which peaked in the 1970s, and the creation of more permanent institutions to carry out these semi-secretive functions, particularly the NED, which was created in 1983.’
In a document comically titled, ‘The Backlash Against Democracy Assistance,’ NED researchers wrote, ‘Foreign governments’ efforts to impede democracy assistance – from legal constraints on NGOs to extra-legal forms of harassment – have recently intensified and now seriously impede democracy assistance in a number of states. This backlash is particularly pronounced in the former Soviet states of Eurasia, as well as in China, Venezuela, Egypt, and Zimbabwe. Representatives of democracy-assistance NGOs have been harassed, offices closed, and staff expelled.’ (Ingrates!) What happened?
I’ve spoken to several people who knew Karen Bass when she was young and still marvel that she’s come to this. In the 1970s she went to Cuba more than once with the Venceremos Brigade to work construction. That was enough to knock her off Biden’s shortlist for 2020 running mates in favor of Kamala Harris, after considerable press. ‘I’m not a socialist. I’m not a communist. I’ve belonged to one party my entire life and that’s the Democratic Party, and I’m a Christian,’ she told NBC News, but it wasn’t enough.
Chair of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health & Human Rights – House Foreign Relations Subcommittees are named for regions, and the Africa committee seems to mean primarily Sub-Saharan Africa. Their names also indicate what the government’s primary concerns in that region are, even if those concerns are also globalized, as in ‘Africa, Global Health & Global Human Rights.’ Hence the other subcommittees are ‘Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia & Nonproliferation,’ ‘Europe, Energy, the Environment & Cyber,’ ‘Middle East, North Africa & Global Counterterrorism,’ ‘International Development, International Organizations & Global Corporate Social Impact,’ and ‘Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration & International Economic Policy.’
What do Africans do, in the Western mind? They get sick, they die, they suffer famines, they huddle in refugee camps, and of course they kill each other. These tragedies are commonly caused by unacknowledged Western manipulations for agendas having to do with resource control and strategic positioning, but only a small number of elite and deeply sinister minds know that. Hence ‘Africa, Global Health & Global Human Rights.’
In 2014, President Obama sent Karen Bass to Rwanda for the 20-year commemoration of the 1994 genocide in a delegation led by Africa’s Problem from Hell, arch interventionist Samantha Power. Power was there to confirm the historically inaccurate, decontextualized, and grossly oversimplified misinterpretation of the Rwandan Genocide that she built her career on, first in Bystanders to Genocide and then in A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. The world ‘stood by’ and let the Rwandan Genocide happen, she wails, so it must never stand by again. We must be ‘upstanders,’ as in Libya and Syria, not bystanders, as in Rwanda, where we failed in our moral duty to stop the world’s dark-skinned, backward peoples from massacring one another over ethnic difference.
And Karen Bass, as Chair of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, was along for the ride. Throughout her career on the committee, she has supported Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s totalitarian president and world-class war criminal, who has justified 28 years of dictatorial, faux democratic rule on the false claim that he stopped the genocide, lifted Rwanda from the ashes, and must never let anything like the genocide happen again. Many well-researched books have now deconstructed this false narrative, eg, Robin Philpot’s Rwanda & the New Scramble for Africa, from Tragedy to Useful Imperial Fiction, Judi Rever’s In Praise of Blood: Crimes of the Rwandan Patriotic Front, Masako Yonekawa’s Post-Genocide Rwandan Refugees: Why They Refuse to Return ‘Home’: Myths & Realities, and Anjan Sundaram’s Bad News, Last Journalists in a Dictatorship…
In keeping with her support for Rwanda, Bass has supported the fundamentals of the paternalistic, interventionist agenda. On March 29, 2011, she issued ‘A Humanitarian Crisis, An International Response’, a press release expressing her wholehearted support for Obama’s war on Libya: ‘Already NATO has taken full command of the Libyan campaign and scores of nations have contributed to the mission including France, Britain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. A Canadian Lieutenant General is taking control of all NATO military operations and with this hand off, additional nations have pledged to help enforce the No Fly Zone… Try as they might, President Obama’s detractors want to find every opportunity to attack the Commander in Chief. At first, the naysayers charged that the White House was too slow to respond, too deferential to other nations and world bodies. Then the complaints from the usual chorus morphed into an attack on the President for involving the US in this international fight. This was pure criticism for the sake of criticism.’
In 2018, after popular uprisings forced the US-backed Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front from power, PM Abiy Ahmed came to power in Ethiopia and, within a matter of months, signed a peace agreement with Eritrea to end a decades-long conflict between Eritrea and the TPLF-led government, which hoped to expand Ethiopia’s borders into Eritrea. Abiy Ahmed won the Nobel Peace Prize, and Karen Bass and Ilhan Omar, the Vice Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa, traveled to Ethiopia and Eritrea to congratulate Abiy and see the new Ethiopia. Karen Bass, however, reported scolding the Eritrean government about human rights, freedom of the press and all the usual Western complaints against ‘the Cuba of Africa.’
After the TPLF attacked Ethiopia’s Northern Command Base, starting a civil war, Bass and Ilhan Omar both turned against Ethiopia in threatening, interventionist tones.
April 27, both voted to pass HR 7311 – Countering Malign Russian Activities in Africa Act, along with all the rest of House Democrats and all but 9 Republicans. HR 7311 directs the executive branch to bully African nations with sanctions and withdrawal of foreign aid if they get too close to Russia, and to ‘invest in, engage, or otherwise control strategic sectors in Africa, such as mining and other forms of natural resource exploitation.’
In a meeting with members of the Ethiopian diaspora, many concentrated in LA’s ‘Little Ethiopia,’ some queried her about 7311. She responded, ‘Is that the Russian one?’ and said she didn’t know much about it. She is, however, one of the bill’s original co-sponsors, having signed on, along with Michael T McCaul, R-TX, and Christopher Smith, R-NJ, on March 31.
Mayor Karen Bass? As I said at the beginning, there’s little doubt that Karen Bass will be LA’s next mayor, but what sort of mayor will she be? Both she and Caruso are running on homelessness – a crisis in LA – first and foremost. Bass has said she’s returning home because the house is on fire, and homelessness has become ‘a full-blown humanitarian emergency’ see, blackagendareport.com/congresswoman-karen-bass-and-will-intervene
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C. News Index______________________________________________
• ee News Index provides headlines & links to make sense of the weekly focus of published English ‘business news’ to expose the backwardness of multinational, corporate controlled ‘local media’:
C1. Sovereignty
(ee is pro-politics, pro-politician, pro-nation-state, anti-corporatist, anti-expert, anti-NGO)
ee Sovereignty news emphasizes sovereignty as economic sovereignty – a strong nation is built on modern (machine-making) industrialization fueled by a producer culture.
• Sri Lanka: What you are not being told – Nury Vittachi
– http://www.fridayeveryday.com/sri-lanka-what-youre-not-being-told/
• Geopolitics – Julie Chung endorsed JVP and Aragalaya stormed President’s House
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/22/geopolitcs/
• Desist all forms of violence, Eisenhower Fellowship Sri Lanka tells President and Government
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/22/desist-all-forms-of-violence-eisenhower-fellowship-sri-lanka-tells-president-and-government/
• DEW alleges US must have approved removal of Galle Face protesters
‘the US Ambassador had opposed a move by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to have protesters removed. The President called off the planned operation after the US Ambassador warned of serious consequences of such a course of action’
– island.lk/dew-alleges-us-must-have-approved-removal-of-galle-face-protesters/
• Economic meltdown: Prez takes refuge overseas, ‘advisors’ face legal action
‘what made the Indian External Affairs Ministry to categorically deny facilitating the first family’s departure’
– island.lk/economic-meltdown-2/
• Who is National Endowment for Democracy (NED) & what is its role in Sri Lanka – Waduge
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/21/who-is-ned-what-is-its-role-in-sri-lanka/
• White envoys meet Speaker ahead of vote on new Prez
– island.lk/western-envoys-meet-speaker-ahead-of-vote-on-new-prez/
• Foreign envoys in SL raise concern over military raid at Galle Face
– themorning.lk/foreign-envoys-in-sl-raise-concern-over-military-raid-at-galle-face/
• US Ambassador Chung interfered in government efforts to control growing Galle Face protest.
– island.lk/western-envoys-meet-speaker-ahead-of-vote-on-new-prez/
• US ambassador meets Sri Lanka president over military raid of protest site
– economynext.com/us-ambassador-meets-sri-lanka-president-over-military-raid-of-protest-site-97821/
• “This is not the time to crack down on citizens’’: Julie Chung tells Ranil
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/This-is-not-the-time-to-crack-down-on-citizens-Julie-Chung-tells-Ranil/108-241612
• US Ambassador calls for restraint after midnight operation to clear protesters at Galle Face
– island.lk/us-ambassador-calls-for-restraint-after-midnight-operation-to-clear-protesters-at-galle-face/
• US ambassador meets Sri Lanka president over military raid of protest site
– economynext.com/us-ambassador-meets-sri-lanka-president-over-military-raid-of-protest-site-97821/
• #GalleFaceRaid: ‘Human rights must be protected above all’ – US Senate Commitee
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/23/gallefaceraid-human-rights-must-be-protected-above-all-us-senate-commitee/
• Sri Lanka Bar Association, opposition, EU slam assault on protestors, England, US concerned
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-bar-association-opposition-eu-slam-assault-on-protestors-uk-us-concerned-97783/
– ft.lk/news/BASL-slams-use-of-violence-by-security-forces-against-peaceful-protestors/56-737821
• HRCSL condemns ‘brutal and despicable attack’ on peaceful protesters
– adaderana.lk/news/83810/hrcsl-condemns-brutal-and-despicable-attack-on-peaceful-protesters
• BASL, Cardinal, HRCSL, etc., condemn attack on protesters
– island.lk/basl-cardinal-hrcsl-etc-condemn-attack-on-protesters/
• Karu Jayasuriya condemns attack on Galle Face protesters
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Karu-Jayasuriya-condemns-attack-on-Galle-Face-protesters/342-241607
• UN envoy ‘deeply concerned’ by use of force to disperse protesters
– adaderana.lk/news/83809/un-envoy-deeply-concerned-by-use-of-force-to-disperse-protesters
• Foreign envoys in SL raise concern over military raid at Galle Face
– adaderana.lk/news/83805/foreign-envoys-in-sl-raise-concern-over-military-raid-at-galle-face
• EU stresses need of individual rights after Sri Lanka military attack on peaceful protesters
– economynext.com/eu-stresses-need-of-individual-rights-after-sri-lanka-military-attack-on-peaceful-protesters-97828/
• Work in full compliance with GSP+ commitments: EU urges new SL govt
– adaderana.lk/news/83825/work-in-full-compliance-with-gsp-commitments-eu-urges-new-sl-govt
• EU takes Hard-Line with Lankan Govt, After Attack on Peaceful Protestors
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/23/eu-takes-hard-line-with-lankan-govt-after-attack-on-peaceful-protestors/
• World raps SL Govt. for brutal attack on peaceful protesters
– ft.lk/top-story/World-raps-SL-Govt-for-brutal-attack-on-peaceful-protesters/26-737837
• President Wickremesinghe should have initiated dialogue with protesters – Mano Ganesan
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Aragalaya-President-Wickremesinghe-should-have-initiated-dialogue-with-protesters-Mano-Ganesan/108-241616
• President raises unofficial concerns with Colombo based diplomats over statements
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/President-raises-unofficial-concerns-with-Colombo-based-diplomats-over-statements/342-241660
• Fascists and democrats
‘Colombo-based western diplomats..would have called for a special session of the UNHRC in Geneva and threatened to halt IMF assistance if such an incident had taken place during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency. …Is it that they couldn’t care less because their intention is to manipulate the current regime to further their geo-political interests?’
– island.lk/fascists-and-democrats/
• Sri Lanka made ‘dumb bets’ on Chinese investment: CIA chief
– jara.news/cia-chief-chaos-hit-sri-lanka-made-dumb-bets-on-china
– aninews.in/news/world/asia/sri-lanka-made-dumb-bets-on-chinese-investment-cia-chief20220721105306/
– adaderana.lk/news/83795/sri-lanka-made-dumb-bets-on-chinese-investment-cia-chief
• Fireside Chat with CIA Director William J. Burns
‘with Andrea Mitchell, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News’
– youtube.com/watch?v=Gv1kSoRtEmw
• CIA Vet portrays unrest as an anti-China uprising
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/real-debt-trap-sri-lanka-owes-vast-majority-to-west-not-to-china/
• US, UN recognise new Sri Lanka president, call for united, democratic approach to crisis
– economynext.com/us-un-recognise-new-sri-lanka-president-call-for-united-democratic-approach-to-crisis-97761/
• State of Emergency declared in Sri Lanka
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/state-of-emergency-declared-in-sri-lanka/
• NGO cries halt to Aragalaya: Institute of Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES)
– island.lk/ngo-cries-halt-to-aragalaya/
• Global Tamil Forum (GTF) believes political changes should lead to empowerment of parliament
– island.lk/gtf-believes-political-changes-should-lead-to-empowerment-of-parliament/
• LTTE and Expats Regrouping to launch action to separate out and reenact their failed bid
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/a-very-credible-news-item-the-sri-lanka-administration-needs-to-look-at-seriously/
• India rejects “baseless reports” on attempts to influence elections
– adaderana.lk/news/83769/india-rejects-baseless-reports-on-attempts-to-influence-elections
• India denies influencing Sri Lanka President vote
– economynext.com/india-denies-influencing-sri-lanka-president-vote-97714/
• India says no poll interference: ‘Back Sri Lanka quest for stability’
– island.lk/india-says-no-poll-interference-back-sri-lanka-quest-for-stability/
• India to invest more in Sri Lanka after US$ 3.8bn crisis support
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/India-to-invest-more-in-Sri-Lanka-after-US-3-8bn-crisis-support/273-241431
• MoU on July 21 between India and Sri Lanka for KKS Harbour in North
– dailymirror.lk/business/Benefits-of-India-Sri-Lanka-partnership-in-harbor-linking-and-port-connectivity/215-241540
• India extended Line of Credit worth USD 1.85 bn to SL in 10 years: Jaishankar
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/India-extended-Line-of-Credit-worth-USD-1-85-bn-to-SL-in-10-years-Jaishankar/342-241611
• Tamil Nadu sends INR74 crore worth rice, medicines to Sri Lanka
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Tamil-Nadu-sends-INR74-crore-worth-rice-medicines-to-Sri-Lanka/108-241667
• Navy seizes poaching trawler in Mannar seas
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Navy-seizes-poaching-trawler-in-Mannar-seas/2-1138141
• Another Indian trawler with six fishermen arrested by Navy for poaching
– island.lk/another-indian-trawler-with-six-fishermen-arrested-by-navy-for-poaching/
• US Human Rights Watch: Emergency orders facilitate security force abuses
– island.lk/hrw-emergency-orders-facilitate-security-force-abuses-2/
• US HRW urges President to cease unlawful use of force against protestors
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/23/hrw-urges-president-to-cease-unlawful-use-of-force-against-protestors/
• Rule of Law in SL must be upheld – US Ambassador (July 17)
– island.lk/rule-of-law-in-sl-must-be-upheld-us-ambassador/
• BASL asks govt. to respect people’s fundamental rights
– island.lk/basl-asks-govt-to-respect-peoples-fundamental-rights/
• India focusing on ways it can help Lanka: Jaishankar
– island.lk/india-focusing-on-ways-it-can-help-lanka-jaishankar/
• US ambassador Chung: If Capitol Hill rioters are to face sedition charges – what about July 9 in Sri Lanka? – Waduge
– gammiris.lk/us-ambassador-chung-if-capitol-hill-rioters-are-to-face-sedition-charges-what-about-july9-in-sri-lanka/
• Universal jurisdiction: Manohara asks whether US visa refusal aimed at Gotabaya’s arrest
– island.lk/universal-jurisdiction-manohara-asks-whether-us-visa-refusal-aimed-at-gotabayas-arrest/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/universal-jurisdiction-manohara-asks-whether-us-visa-refusal-aimed-at-gotabayas-arrest/
• US Office of the Defence Cooperation Sea Vision third phase training concludes successfully
– ceylontoday.lk/2022/07/04/odcs-sea-vision-third-phase-training-concludes-successfully/
• Is there News, Air, Sea and Cyber Embargo on Sri Lanka to Prevent Russia / Iran Oil?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/16/news-air-sea-and-cyber-embargo-on-sri-lanka/
• The Elephant in the Room: Geopolitics and the ‘Great Reset’ in Sri Lanka – Rajasingham
– indepthnews.net/index.php/opinion/5466-the-elephant-in-the-room-geopolitics-and-the-great-reset-in-sri-lanka
• US fingerprints found behind Sri Lanka unrest
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/19/us-fingerprints-found-behind-sri-lanka-unrest-2/
• HC Moragoda interacts with S. American and Caribbean envoys in Delhi accredited to SL
– island.lk/hc-moragoda-interacts-with-s-american-and-caribbean-envoys-in-delhi-accredited-to-sri-lanka/
• England should lead international aid effort for Sri Lanka
– ft.lk/news/Britain-should-lead-international-aid-effort-for-Sri-Lanka/56-737695
• Sri Lanka concludes bilateral consultation with Japan
‘Foreign Affairs Secretary Aruni Wijewardane led bilateral consultations with Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan delegation led by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan Southwest and Southeast Asia Affairs Division Assistant Minister Kano Takehiro’
– ft.lk/news/Sri-Lanka-concludes-bilateral-consultation-with-Japan/56-737605
• Will China Subdue the United States without a Fight to Dominate the Indian Ocean? – Mendis
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/17/will-china-subdue-the-united-states-without-a-fight-to-dominate-the-indian-ocean/
• China’s Xi offers Sri Lanka’s new president support amid crisis
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Chinas-Xi-offers-Sri-Lankas-new-president-support-amid-crisis/273-241643
• US drops sanctions against India over Russian missile imports
– rfi.fr/en/international/20220723-us-drops-sanctions-against-india-over-russian-missile-imports
• Why did Indian Army Chief go to Bangladesh?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/22/why-did-indian-army-chief-go-to-bangladesh/
• Imran Khan rewrites Pakistan’s political history – Bhadrakumar
‘In South Asian politics, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives have been chronic cases where foreign interference in their domestic politics has become endemic. But they are either small countries or weak states, vulnerable to external pressure.’
– thecradle.co/Article/Columns/13176
• Australia Finally Recognizes That The AUKUS Deal Makes No Sense At All
‘The real reason for the deal might well have been the U.S. wish for a port and base in Australia from where it can send its own nuclear submarines to harass China.’
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/australia-finally-recognizes-that-the-aukus-deal-makes-no-sense-at-all.html
• Iran says UN Security Council must end Israel’s constant crimes against Syria
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/294343-iran-says-un-security-council-must-end-israels-constant-crimes-against-syria
• What’s in Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy wish list – Tarek Osman
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/sunday-times-2/whats-in-saudi-arabias-foreign-policy-wish-list-488895.html
• Russia-Iran relations take a quantum leap
– indianpunchline.com/russia-iran-relations-take-a-quantum-leap/
• EU to keep sanctions if peace in Ukraine signed on Russia’s terms — Germany’s Scholz
– tass.com/world/1481153
• Ukraine’s ‘Great Game’ surfaces in Transcaucasia – Bhadrakumar
‘Presidents of Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran and Kazakhstan (clockwise from left) took part in the 6th Caspian Summit, Ashgabat, June 29, 2022.. in the geopolitics of the entire Eurasian landmass, the liberation of Mariupol by Russian forces was a pivotal event in the great game, since the Kerch Strait ensures maritime transit from the Black Sea all the way to Moscow and St Petersburg, not to mention the strategic maritime route between the Caspian Sea (via the Volga-Don Canal) to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.’
– indianpunchline.com/ukraines-great-game-surfaces-in-transcaucasia/
• Russia teaches Europe ABC of gas trade – Bhadrakumar
‘Russian gas giant Gazprom writes to German gas companies announcing force majeure effective from June 14, exonerating it from any compensation for shortfalls since then’
– indianpunchline.com/russia-teaches-europe-abc-of-gas-trade/
• Lavrov – Extended Range Weapons In Ukraine Will Lead To More Loss Of Its Land
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/lavrov-extended-range-weapons-in-ukraine-will-lead-to-more-loss-of-its-land.html
• Russia to set tougher conditions in case of resumption of talks with Kiev — lawmaker
– tass.com/politics/1481797
• In The Multipolar World Iran Will No Longer Fear U.S. Sanctions
‘the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) reached the Sarkhas railway station in Iran on July 13…It is a 7,200 km-long transportation network offering the shortest connectivity route to its member states. It was established on September 12, 2000, by Iran, Russia and India. The corridor encompasses sea, road and rail route’
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/in-the-multipolar-world-iran-will-no-longer-fear-us-sanctions.html
• A big step to make a leap in bilateral relations between Tehran and Baku
– nournews.ir/En/News/100576/A-big-step-to-make-a-leap-in-bilateral-relations-between-Tehran-and-Baku
• Lavrov & Bayramov discuss normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
– news.am/eng/news/712788.html
• Why Nord Stream II Must Be Opened Immediately
‘Next winter Germany, and other European countries, will have an energy crisis. This crisis, we are told, is caused by the proxy war between the U.S. and Russia in Europe. They say that Russia has cut us off from its natural gas deliveries. That is a lie’
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/why-nord-stream-ii-must-be-opened-immediately
• Can the US win the new Cold War? – Minxin Pei
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/sunday-times-2/can-the-us-win-the-new-cold-war-488903.html
• Black Alliance for Peace Condemns Renewal of the UN Mission to Haiti (BINUH)
– blackagendareport.com/black-alliance-peace-condemns-renewal-un-mission-haiti-binuh
• Negro Revolutionary Hero: Toussaint L’Ouverture, Cyril Briggs, 1929
– blackagendareport.com/essay-negro-revolutionary-hero-toussaint-louverture-cyril-briggs-1929
• Study shows nearly half of USA believes civil war will happen soon
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/294367-study-shows-nearly-half-of-americans-believe-civil-war-will-happen-soon
• Biden’s War Propaganda
‘administration antagonism of Russia and China and the war propaganda apparatus’
– blackagendareport.com/bidens-war-propaganda
• The US Empire Has No Clothes
– blackagendareport.com/american-empire-has-no-clothes
• Implementing New World Order: Politics do Not Rule the World, Corporations, Financial Institutions and Bankers do
– gospanews.net/en/2022/07/20/implementing-a-new-world-order-politics-do-not-rule-the-world-corporations-financial-institutions-and-bankers-do/
________________________________________________________________
C2. Security (the state beyond ‘a pair of handcuffs’, monopolies of legitimate violence)
ee Security section focuses on the state (a pair of handcuffs, which sposedly has the monopoly of legitimate violence), and how the ‘national security’ doctrine is undermined by private interests, with no interest in divulging or fighting the real enemy, whose chief aim is to prevent an industrial renaissance as the basis of a truly independent nation.
• The Ambassador, His Swanky New Embassy and the Limits of Diplomatic Immunity
– politico.com/news/magazine/2022/07/22/sri-lanka-ambassador-jaliya-wickramasuriya-conviction-00047017
• President visits Defence Headquarters Complex
‘Minister Tiran Alles, the Attorney General, Secretary to the President, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Tri-Forces, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of National Intelligence, Director of the State Intelligence Service and Senior Ministry Officials were also present at the occasion.
– adaderana.lk/news/83794/president-visits-defence-headquarters-complex-
• President-elect Ranil Wickremesinghe thanks forces to ensure security of Parliament
– timesonline.lk/news-online/President-elect-Ranil-Wickremesinghe-thanks-forces-to-ensure-security-of-Parliament/2-1138138
• Sri Lanka police probe into key protest leaders receiving overseas money
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-police-probe-into-key-protest-leaders-receiving-overseas-money-97597/
• Speaker hints but does not name VIPs who caused political-economic-social crisis
– island.lk/the-fall-of-pohottuwa-govt/
• BASL endorsed the takeover by the Aragalaya to occupy state buildings
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/17/let-sanity-prevail/
• BASL asks govt. to respect people’s fundamental rights
– island.lk/basl-asks-govt-to-respect-peoples-fundamental-rights/
• Colombo police thirsting for teargas
‘police had also used a huge amount of water to disperse protests in recent weeks and the Police had not yet paid the National Water Supply and Drainage Board’
– island.lk/colombo-police-thirsting-for-teargas/
• Act responsibly, Blood Bank can’t cope with emergency
‘1100 units of blood are used daily to treat patients suffering from thalassemia, kidney, liver, and spleen ailments’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/act-responsibly-blood-bank-cant-cope-with-emergency-489008.html
• Attack on two soldiers and seizure of assault rifles outside the official residence of the Speaker.
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/columns/the-story-behind-gotabayas-dramatic-escape-from-lanka-489043.html
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/protest-wednesday-forays-the-conquest-and-the-clashes-489064.html
• At least 50 identified for vandalism and violence in this week’s protests; one flees overseas
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/at-least-50-identified-for-vandalism-and-violence-in-this-weeks-protests-one-flees-overseas-489093.html
• Police obtain overseas travel ban against Pathum Kerner
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Police-obtain-overseas-travel-ban-against-Pathum-Kerner/2-1138118
• Sri Lanka to seek English assistance to probe Easter Sunday attacks
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/sri-lanka-to-seek-uk-assistance-to-probe-easter-sunday-attacks/
– timesonline.lk/news-online/UKs-assistance-to-probe-Easter-Sunday-attacks-Acting-President/2-1138120
– island.lk/lanka-to-seek-uk-assistance-to-probe-easter-sunday-attacks/
• Court issues arrest warrant on two including IUSF convenor
– adaderana.lk/news/83787/court-issues-arrest-warrant-on-two-including-iusf-convenor
– ft.lk/news/Court-issues-warrants-for-two-protest-leaders/56-737766
• (VIDEO) Tense situation at Galle Face protest site as military sweeps in
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/22/video-tense-situation-at-galle-face-protest-site-as-military-sweeps-in/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/21/tense-situation-at-galle-face-protest-site-as-security-forces-move-in/
• Security forces smash Sri Lanka’s main protest camp
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/21/security-forces-smash-sri-lankas-main-protest-camp/
• Sri Lankan soldiers ‘raid’ main protest site in Colombo
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/21/sri-lankan-soldiers-raid-main-protest-site-in-colombo/
• Nine arrested during Galle Face military raid granted bail
– adaderana.lk/news/83814/nine-arrested-during-galle-face-military-raid-granted-bail
• Sri Lankan security troops raid protest camp, 50 injured
– news.cgtn.com/news/2022-07-22/Sri-Lankan-security-troops-raid-protest-camp-media-reports-1bRMsw80kpy/index.html
• Nine protesters released on bail
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Nine-protesters-released-on-bail/342-241610
• Kamal Gunaratne re-appointed Defence Secretary
– adaderana.lk/news/83807/kamal-gunaratne-re-appointed-defence-secretary
• Navy denies two officers stepped down after seeing attack on Galle Face protesters
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Navy-denies-two-officers-stepped-down-after-seeing-attack-on-Galle-Face-protesters/108-241663
• How Kumar Gunaratnam alias “Gemunu” Fought against the Indian Army – Jeyaraj
– dailymirror.lk/dbs-jeyaraj-column/How-Kumar-Gunaratnam-alias-Gemunu-Fought-against-the-Indian-Army/192-241652
• Incarcerations on the rise – Prisons Dept.
‘As of 21st of July, 2022, nearly 20,500 prisoners and suspects remain detained at all prisons’
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/incarcerations-on-the-rise-prisons-dept/
• Tear Gas: What you need to know
– island.lk/tear-gas-what-you-need-to-know/
• Gazette to maintain public order published
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/22/gazette-to-maintain-public-order-published/
• Is Paul Mason’s parliamentary run a Trojan Horse for English intelligence?
‘From 2016-19, Pryce managed the Foreign Office’s secretive Counter Disinformation and Media Development (CDMD) unit, which funded a number of dubious information warfare efforts. The CDMD’s most notorious venture was the Integrity Initiative, a covert information warfare effort staffed by military and intelligence veterans consisting of secret “clusters” of journalists, academics, pundits, politicians and security officials throughout Europe and North America…‘…The Initiative’s parent charity, the Institute for Statecraft’…’
– thegrayzone.com/2022/07/16/paul-masons-parliamentary-trojan-horse-british-intelligence/
• Zelensky Fires Top Officials in Ukraine over “Russia Collaboration”
– greekreporter.com/2022/07/18/zelensky-fires-officials-russia-treason/
• Putin Thinks He’s Winning – New York Times
– nytimes.com/2022/07/18/opinion/putin-russia-ukraine-winning.html
• As Questions of Evidence Destruction Hit the Secret Service, a Book Reveals that Secret Service Agents Spread the Big Lie of a Stolen Election on Social Media
– wallstreetonparade.com/2022/07/as-questions-of-evidence-destruction-hit-the-secret-service-a-book-reveals-that-secret-service-agents-spread-the-big-lie-of-a-stolen-election-on-social-media/
• Secret Service Bio for Tony Ornato Responsible for “All Aspects of” “Military Operations” to Support Trump
– wallstreetonparade.com/2022/07/secret-service-bio-for-tony-ornato-says-he-was-responsible-for-all-aspects-of-military-operations-that-supported-trump/
• From US Secret Service to Fed, Inspectors General Enable Corruption at Agencies they Oversee
– wallstreetonparade.com/2022/07/from-the-secret-service-to-the-fed-inspectors-general-are-enablers-to-corruption-at-the-agencies-they-oversee/
_____________________________________________________________
C3. Economists (Study the Economists before you study the Economics)
ee Economists shows how paid capitalist/academic ‘professionals’ confuse (misdefinitions, etc) and divert (with false indices, etc) from the steps needed to achieve a modern industrial country.
• Central Bank, its independence and us – Maliyadde
‘the entire crisis cannot be explained by policy errors made by recent CBSL Governors alone. It has happened over a considerable period.’
– ft.lk/columns/Central-Bank-its-independence-and-us/4-737683
– dailymirror.lk/businessopinion/Central-Bank-of-Sri-Lanka-its-independence-and-us/306-241423
• Confidential files on IMF bailout loan missing from PM’s office
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Confidential-files-on-IMF-bailout-loan-missing-from-PMs-office/2-1138115
• Facilitating talks with IMF, creditors, my priority – Foreign Minister Ali Sabry
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Facilitating-talks-with-IMF-creditors-my-priority-Foreign-Minister/108-241624
• SL a warning sign to world: IMF Chief
– island.lk/sl-a-warning-sign-to-worldimf-chief/
• Sri Lanka: UN experts sound alarm on economic crisis
– ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/07/sri-lanka-un-experts-sound-alarm-economic-crisis
– adaderana.lk/news/83781/sri-lanka-economic-crisis-requires-immediate-global-attention-rights-experts
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Sri-Lanka-economic-crisis-requires-immediate-global-attention-Rights-experts/2-1138142
• Top United Nations Official in SL Calls for Inclusive Consultations to Resolve Economic Crisis
– island.lk/top-united-nations-official-in-sri-lanka-calls-for-inclusive-consultations-to-resolve-economic-crisis/
• Top economists urged that market confidence needs to be restored immediately
‘a banker reiterated, “I am not very convinced by the contention that the removal of the Rajapaksas will result in money flowing into the country on its own accord.”’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/market-confidence-needs-to-be-restored-immediately-488736.html
• Former President blames COVID-19 for worsening economic woes brewing for many years
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/former-president-blames-covid-19-for-worsening-economic-woes-489091.html
• Gotabaya Govt. got early warnings about economic crisis
‘From early 2020… warned it would worsen to at least a 50 percent decline in both exports and remittances’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/gotabaya-govt-got-early-warnings-about-economic-crisis-489111.html
• Previous govt was ‘covering up facts’ about financial crisis – Acting President
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/previous-govt-was-covering-up-facts-about-financial-crisis-acting-president/
• Top-level talks with the IMF had stalled – Economy to contract by 6% – CBSL governor
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/17/top-level-talks-with-the-imf-had-stalled-economy-to-contract-by-6-cbsl-governor/
• IMF agreement, other aid programmes pushed back due to political uncertainty
– timesonline.lk/news-online/IMF-agreement-other-aid-programmes-pushed-back-due-to-political-uncertainty/2-1138130
• Sri Lanka says IMF talks near end after declaring state of emergency
– swissinfo.ch/eng/sri-lanka-says-imf-talks-near-end-after-declaring-state-of-emergency/47760450
• Negotiations with IMF nearing conclusion: Act. Prez
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Negotiations-with-IMF-nearing-conclusion-Act-Prez/342-241307
• IMF hopes to complete Sri Lanka aid talks ‘as quickly as possible’: Kristalina
– dailymirror.lk/top_story/IMF-hopes-to-complete-Sri-Lanka-aid-talks-as-quickly-as-possible-Kristalina/155-241451
– island.lk/imf-hopes-to-complete-sri-lanka-aid-talks-as-quickly-as-possible/
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/IMF-hopes-to-complete-Sri-Lanka-aid-talks-as-quickly-as-possible-Georgieva-tells-Nikkei/273-241474
• Sri Lanka will have to manage with available dollar inflows, not bridging finance: CB Governor
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-will-have-to-manage-with-available-dollar-inflows-not-bridging-finance-cb-governor-97484/
• New Government responsible for securing bridge financing: Dr. Nandalal
‘Says bridge financing required for essential imports over next 3-5 months. Notes reserves completely drained, IMF bailout probably by December’
– themorning.lk/new-government-responsible-for-securing-bridge-financing-dr-nandalal/
• CB Governor is major stakeholder in today’s economic crisis – Chairman of National Front of Professionals Engineers
– lankaweb.com
• CB Chief expresses confidence in overcoming economic crisis by December
– ft.lk/financial-services/CB-Chief-expresses-confidence-in-overcoming-economic-crisis-by-December/42-737724
• IMF would need commitment from administration – CBSL Chief
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/imf-would-need-commitment-from-administration-cbsl-chief/
• Sri Lanka will not get a bailout from IMF until chaos ends, Johns Hopkins’ Brautigam
– ft.lk/front-page/Sri-Lanka-will-not-get-a-bailout-from-IMF-until-chaos-ends-Johns-Hopkins-professor-says/44-737831
• Overcoming Economic Crisis & Rebuilding Economy: A clarion call – National Science Foundation
‘Sri Lanka has around two million farmers comprising mainly small holders who contribute about 80% of the food production. Agriculture accounts for 25% of the workforce of the country, yet contributes only about 6% of the GDP due to its low productivity and poor value addition.’
– island.lk/overcoming-economic-crisis-and-rebuilding-economy-a-clarion-call-2/
• Ranil should know economic liberalization was cause for youth uprising in late-1980s: Hettige
– bizenglish.adaderana.lk/president-ranil-should-ensure-a-basically-well-off-society/
• How Can Sri Lanka Recover From Economic Collapse? Kadirgamar & Bhowmick
– newsclick.in/how-can-sri-lanka-recover-economic-collapse
• The Hope and Fear of the Sri Lankan Protest Movement – Kadirgamar
– newyorker.com/news/q-and-a/the-hope-and-fear-of-the-sri-lankan-protest-movement
• Sri Lanka’s Crisis Of Legitimacy – Analysis: Dushni Weerakoon
‘Forcing a recession through tight monetary policy is necessary to tame the rampant inflation’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/16/sri-lankas-crisis-of-legitimacy-analysis/
• The Plight of the Poor – Sri Lanka’s Deepening Economic Crisis: Lakshila Wanigasinghe
– island.lk/the-plight-of-the-poor/
• IMF engagement, debt restructuring ‘critical’: Duminda Hulangamuwa
– themorning.lk/imf-engagement-debt-restructuring-critical-duminda-hulangamuwa/
• No reform programme to address “foreign exchange crisis” directly – Abeyratne
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/humanitarian-issues-in-a-crisis-economy-488709.html
• What next? How do we proceed to rebuild Sri Lanka? – Amerasinghe
‘The Government has to seriously consider retraining programs for all displaced employees.’
– ft.lk/columns/What-next-How-do-we-proceed-to-rebuild-Sri-Lanka/4-737623
• Crisis-struck SL need not wait for IMF agreement to get fiscal act straight: Advocata
– dailymirror.lk/business__main/Crisis-struck-SL-need-not-wait-for-IMF-agreement-to-get-fiscal-act-straight/245-241586
– themorning.lk/fiscal-reforms-do-not-have-to-wait-for-imf-programme/
• Sri Lanka needs export-driven, private sector-led economy now – Asita De Silva
– island.lk/economic-reforms-sri-lanka-needs-now/
• Real Debt Trap: Sri Lanka Owes Vast Majority to West, Not to China – Norton
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/real-debt-trap-sri-lanka-owes-vast-majority-to-west-not-to-china/
• Western Debt Is Driving Sri Lanka’s Crisis
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/16/western-debt-is-driving-sri-lankas-crisis/
• What Sri Lanka reveals about the risks in emerging markets
– almendron.com/tribuna/what-sri-lanka-reveals-about-the-risks-in-emerging-markets/
• Sri Lanka ambassador to China urges ADB & World Bank take bigger role in debt restructure
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/sri-lankas-ambassador-to-china-urges-adb-and-world-bank-to-take-bigger-role-in-debt-restructure/
– island.lk/sri-lankas-ambassador-urges-adb-and-world-bank-to-take-bigger-role-in-debt-restructure/
• China reiterates its commitment to Sri Lanka’s economic recovery
– island.lk/china-reiterates-its-commitment-to-srilankaseconomic-recovery/
• US urges China debt relief for Lanka following Beijing’s Zambia role
‘China has now agreed to co-chair, along with France, the 16-nation creditor committee formed on June 16, to discuss Zambia’s debt.’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/us-urges-china-debt-relief-for-lanka-following-beijings-zambia-role-489019.html
• Will Wickremesinghe alleviate Sri Lanka’s economic woes?
‘new government needs to free the country’s supply and distribution systems from hoarders and profiteers.’
– news.cgtn.com/news/2022-07-21/Will-Wickremesinghe-alleviate-Sri-Lanka-s-economic-woes–1bQCT6Von3q/index.html
• Chinese busy looking up ‘What declaring bankruptcy means’ after Sri Lanka economic crisis
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/sunday-times-2/chinese-are-busy-looking-up-what-does-declaring-bankruptcy-mean-after-sri-lanka-economic-crisis-488898.html
• China reckons with its first overseas debt crisis
– almendron.com/tribuna/china-reckons-with-its-first-overseas-debt-crisis/
• This Is Very Very Bad… (It’s Happening Now!) – Neil McCoy-Ward
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/17/this-is-very-very-bad-its-happening-now/
• Bangladesh approach ‘not to face Sri Lanka like crisis’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/bangladesh-approach-not-to-face-sri-lanka-like-crisis/
• Lanka’s misery should be warning to us all on global food, fuel and finance crisis: UNDP
– island.lk/lankas-misery-should-be-warning-to-us-all-on-global-food-fuel-and-finance-crisis-undp/
• IMF directly reaches out to SL’s creditors to find quick resolution
– dailymirror.lk/business__main/IMF-directly-reaches-out-to-SLs-creditors-to-find-quick-resolution/245-241331
• BoP deficit shows signs of deceleration as demand destruction policies take root
‘set up operations to create better and skilled jobs and produce goods to the global markets, which can create resilient foreign inflows’
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/BoP-deficit-shows-signs-of-deceleration-as-demand-destruction-policies-take-root/273-241325
• Sri Lanka on the painful path to recovery – Mark Mobius
– ft.lk/front-page/Sri-Lanka-on-the-painful-path-to-recovery/44-737705
• State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) board may become dysfunctional
– tribune.com.pk/story/2366770/sbp-board-may-become-dysfunctional
• Could Nepal go the Sri Lanka way? – The Statesman/ANN (India)
– island.lk/could-nepal-go-the-sri-lanka-way/
• African governments owe Western private lenders three times more debt than they owe China.
– reuters.com/world/africa/african-states-private-debts-three-times-that-owed-china-2022-07-11/
• Some Misconceptions About ‘Non-Imperialist’ Scandinavian Capitalism – Prabhat Patnaik
‘The emergence of China and Russia as alternative centres of power is binding tottering Western economies together as never before, including Scandinavian countries’
– newsclick.in/Some-Misconceptions-About-Non-Imperialist-Scandinavian-Capitalism
• Is China headed for a crash? – Roberts
‘Indeed, the forecasts (and hopes) of the Western experts that China is about to melt down are clearly not agreed with by the strategists of capital in the US and NATO. They do not expect internal disintegration and so continue to try and strangle China’s economy externally.’
– thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2022/07/21/is-china-headed-for-a-crash/
• Germany, Sri Lanka, and the Perils of Precaution
‘government and economy of Sri Lanka basically collapsed because of a wicked combination of crippling debt and major food and fuel shortages.’
– cato.org/commentary/germany-sri-lanka-perils-precaution#
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C4. Economy (Usually reported in monetary terms)
ee Economy section shows how media usually measures economy by false indices like GDP, etc., in monetary terms, confusing money and capital, constantly calling for privatization, deregulation, moaning about debt & balance of payments, without stating the need for modern industrial production.
• Inflation balloons to 59% in June; food inflation tops 75%
– ft.lk/front-page/Inflation-balloons-to-59-in-June-food-inflation-tops-75/44-737762
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/inflation-hits-58-9-in-june-2022/
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-national-inflation-gallops-to-58-9-pct-to-june-2022-97766/
– bizenglish.adaderana.lk/ncpi-based-headline-inflation-recorded-at-58-9-on-year-on-year-basis-in-june-2022/
– island.lk/cb-announces-further-jump-in-inflation/
• National inflation flirts with 60% in June
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/National-inflation-flirts-with-60-in-June/273-241577
• Sri Lanka public debt surges over 127-pct of GDP as monetary instability bites
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-public-debt-surges-over-127-pct-of-gdp-as-monetary-instability-bites-97745/
• Sri Lanka’s instability has led to massive portfolio outflows: Fitch Ratings
– island.lk/sri-lankas-instability-has-led-to-massive-portfolio-outflows-fitch-ratings/
• Dealers connected to black market $$ enter commodity imports thru open account transactions
‘Essential Food Importers and Traders Association P.M Abeysekera said CB claim of open account trade fuelling grey market activities, depriving the formal banking channels of the much-needed foreign exchange was baseless.’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/dealers-connected-to-black-market-dollars-enter-commodity-imports-488706.html
• Treasury demands reduced defence spending
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/fin-min-slashes-spending-of-ministries-including-defence-488700.html
• Purchasing Managers’ Indices indicate contraction in June 2022
‘Import expenditure increased by 5.3% (Y-o-Y) to US dollars 8,802 mn during the five months ending May 2022 largely due to higher imports of fuel (38.5%), textiles and textile articles (19.6%), cereals and milling industry products (1,074.7%) and diamonds and precious stones and metals(46.9%)’
– island.lk/purchasing-managers-indices-indicate-contraction-in-june-2022/
• Road for stock market, manufacturers, leisure companies, and imports industry will be tough
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/struggling-sl-firms-hope-for-macro-stability-488742.html
• Treasury bills the best investment option
‘NSB Fund Management Co offered the highest rate followed by Acuity Securities, Wealth Trust Securities and People’s Bank…’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/treasury-bills-the-best-investment-option-488733.html
• International buyers losing confidence in SL, says National Chamber of Exporters
– timesonline.lk/news-online/International-buyers-losing-confidence-in-SL-says-NCE/2-1138116
– island.lk/nce-demands-complete-support-for-exporters/
• Special bank accounts for Colombo Port City; transactions in foreign currency only
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/special-bank-accounts-for-colombo-port-city-transactions-in-foreign-currency-only-489107.html
• Exporters to Germany likely to face more regulatory burdens from January 2023
– island.lk/exporters-to-germany-likely-to-face-more-regulatory-burdens-from-january-2023/
• Sri Lanka bond yields decline; rupee guidance peg weakens
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-bond-yields-decline-rupee-guidance-peg-weakens-97677/
• Sri Lanka continues monetary financing of imports, pegging after ‘running out’ of reserves
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-continues-monetary-financing-of-imports-pegging-after-running-out-of-reserves-97600/
• Sri Lanka bank negative net open positions (NOPs) reducing, flexibility given: CB
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-bank-negative-nops-reducing-flexibility-given-cb-97520/
• ICRA Lanka worried over move to allow banks to draw down from additional capital buffers
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/ICRA-Lanka-worried-over-move-to-allow-banks-to-draw-down-from-additional-capital-buffers/273-241429
• Sri Lanka Treasuries yields down
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-treasuries-yields-down-97722/
• Sri Lanka govt security rates fall; guidance peg strengthen
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-govt-security-rates-fall-guidance-peg-strengthen-97762/
• Sri Lanka t-bond yields further down ; rupee guidance peg up
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-t-bond-yields-further-down-rupee-guidance-peg-up-97824/
• Sri Lanka Treasuries yields down
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-treasuries-yields-down-97722/
• Concessions to Affected Borrowers of Licensed Banks amidst the Prevailing Extraordinary Macroeconomic Circumstances: CBSL
– bizenglish.adaderana.lk/concessions-to-affected-borrowers-of-licensed-banks-amidst-the-prevailing-extraordinary-macroeconomic-circumstances/
– island.lk/concessions-to-affected-borrowers-of-licensed-banks-amidst-prevailing-extraordinary-macroeconomic-circumstances/
• Sri Lanka’s central bank requests bank loan borrowers to seek relief before July 31st
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-central-bank-requests-bank-loan-borrowers-to-seek-relief-before-july-31st-97760/
• Sri Lanka’s growth to contract by 7.6% in 2022 – ADB
– adaderana.lk/news/83789/sri-lankas-growth-to-contract-by-76-in-2022-adb
• Business confidence has hit rock bottom: Ceylon Chambers of Commerce Vish Govindasamy
– bizenglish.adaderana.lk/business-confidence-in-sri-lanka-has-hit-rock-bottom-says-business-group-chairman/
– bizenglish.adaderana.lk/business-confidence-in-sri-lanka-has-hit-rock-bottom-says-business-group-chairman/
• Reverberations of the Sri Lankan crisis in Pakistan
– tribune.com.pk/story/2366923/reverberations-of-the-sri-lankan-crisis-in-pakistan
• IMF’S $4.5B loan: Bangladesh Govt now has cold feet
– thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/govt-now-has-cold-feet-3075356
• IMF Stalling on Loan to Pakistan
– tribune.com.pk/story/2367030/pm-shehbaz-wants-early-imf-meeting-to-quell-volatility
• Iran’s chief banker: Exchange market launches trading in Iranian rial/ruble
– presstv.ir/Detail/2022/07/19/685894/Central-Bank-Iran-Ali-Salehabadi-Russian-ruble-trading-
• US dollar strengthens against six major currencies
– island.lk/us-dollar-strengthens-against-six-major-currencies/
• Ukraine war, higher rates to limit growth in developing Asia: ADB
– ft.lk/front-page/Ukraine-war-higher-rates-to-limit-growth-in-developing-Asia-ADB/44-737761
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Ukraine-war-higher-rates-to-limit-growth-in-developing-Asia-ADB/273-241582
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C5. Workers (Inadequate Stats, Wasteful Transport, Unmodern Plantations, Services)
ee Workers attempts to correct the massive gaps and disinformation about workers, urban and rural and their representatives (trade unions, etc), and to highlight the need for organized worker power
• Hawala/Undiyal underground money transfer system shut off only remaining foreign currency flow by migrant workers into the country
– island.lk/the-fall-of-pohottuwa-govt/
• Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) asks Ranil to go home
– island.lk/futa-asks-ranil-to-go-home/
• The people should be allowed to express their opinion at the earliest opportunity – Central Bank Executive Officers Union (CBEOU)
– island.lk/the-people-should-be-allowed-to-express-their-opinion-at-the-earliest-opportunity-cbeou/
• CB executive officers request party leaders to appoint Prez, PM who have public recognition
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/CB-executive-officers-request-party-leaders-to-appoint-Prez-PM-who-have-public-recognition/273-241330
• Kelani Valley trains delayed due to sheer negligence of Train guard, driver
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Kelani-Valley-trains-delayed-due-to-sheer-negligence-of-Train-guard-driver/342-241568
• Railway station masters on 48-hour trade union action
– adaderana.lk/news/83827/railway-station-masters-on-48-hour-trade-union-action
• Fishermen’s fate decided by economic storm
– dailymirror.lk/news-features/Fishermens-fate-decided-by-economic-storm/131-241241
• Civil society body under Catholic ‘Seth Sarana’ in Kalutara District to help estate families
– island.lk/civil-society-body-set-up-under-seth-sarana-in-kalutara-district-to-help-estate-families/
• Discrimination against domestic workers
‘All these fellows should resign if not the country will be heading towards a major disaster’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/discrimination-against-domestic-workers-488728.html
• Incarcerations on the rise – Prisons Dept.
‘As of 21st of July, 2022, nearly 20,500 prisoners and suspects remain detained at all prisons’
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/incarcerations-on-the-rise-prisons-dept/
• Women’s Chamber of Industry and Commerce (WCIC) increasing women in economy
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/WCIC-rolls-out-study-to-identify-issues-in-increasing-participation-of-women-in-economy/273-241639
• Borders Are For Poor People
– indi.ca
• 22 job recipients in Japan get their free air tickets
– island.lk/22-job-recipients-in-japan-get-their-free-air-tickets/
• Evolution of Sri Lanka’s Educational Reforms From Kannangara to Dhammika Perera
– island.lk/evolution-of-sri-lankas-educational-reforms-from-kannangara-to-dhammika-perera/
• Registration of Sri Lankan Students in India
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/19/registration-of-sri-lankan-students-in-india/
• Indian university systems fail to nourish scholarship and academic excellence.
– island.lk/path-to-knowledge/
• How the Left Builds Power All Wrong – Jane McAlevey
‘Organizing, which I put the highest value on, is the process by which people come to change their opinions and change their views.’
– socialistproject.ca/2022/07/how-the-left-builds-power-all-wrong/
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C6. Agriculture (Robbery of rural home market; Machines, if used, mainly imported)
ee Agriculture emphasizes the failure to industrialize an agriculture that keeps the cultivator impoverished under moneylender and merchant, and the need to develop the rural home market, monetization and commercialization, to produce, rather than import, agricultural machinery.
• Urea distributed by govt.: Farmers complain of short-weight
– island.lk/urea-distributed-by-govt-farmers-complain-of-short-weight/
• Mullaitivu paddy farmers face ruin without fuel
– island.lk/mullaitivu-paddy-farmers-face-ruin-without-fuel/
• Did Sri Lanka’s President ban chemical fertilizer on advice of Indian ecologist Vandana Shiva?
‘Ranil Senanayake is also a member of Vandana Shiva’s organization called the ban on fertilizer, ‘A brave, futuristic move that requires balancing science with tradition’’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/19/did-sri-lankas-president-ban-chemical-fertilizer-on-advice-of-indian-ecologist-vandana-shiva/
• Corruption, Cronyism, and Agricultural Edicts Drive Sri Lanka into Disaster: US CATO
– cato.org/blog/corruption-cronyism-agricultural-edicts-drive-sri-lanka-disaster
• Ukraine Grain Exports – Myths And Reality
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/ukraine-grain-exports-myths-and-reality.html
• Canada’s Development Finance Institution and Land Grabbing for Plantations in Africa
– socialistproject.ca/2022/07/canada-development-finance-institution-and-land-grab-in-africa/
• Keells Food June results offer insights into red-hot inflation seeping through food supply chains
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Keells-Food-June-results-offer-insights-into-red-hot-inflation-seeping-through-food-supply-chains/273-241430
• G-20 finance chiefs pledge to tackle rising food crisis, but remain split over Russia’s role in it
– island.lk/g-20-finance-chiefs-pledge-to-tackle-rising-food-crisis-but-remain-split-over-russias-role-in-it/
• Poultry farms struggling without feed, industry says
‘20,000 small and medium scale poultry farmers among 30,000, have already shut down their businesses, he claimed’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/poultry-farms-struggling-without-feed-industry-says-488959.html
• Colombo Rubber Auction sees drastic drop in quantities throughout June
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Colombo-Rubber-Auction-sees-drastic-drop-in-quantities-throughout-June/273-241580
• June tea crop plunges to 23-year low
– ft.lk/front-page/June-tea-crop-plunges-to-23-year-low/44-737667
• Decline in auction quantities at Colombo Tea Auction this week
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Decline-in-auction-quantities-at-Colombo-Tea-Auction-this-week/273-241640
• Why is Trouble Brewing in Sri Lanka’s Tea Industry?
– newsclick.in/Why-Trouble-Brewing-Sri-Lanka-Tea-Industry
• Brandix, UNDP partner to cultivate 500 acres during mid-season
– island.lk/brandix-undp-partner-to-cultivate-500-acres-during-mid-season/
• Third batch of China’s food assistance arrives
– island.lk/third-batch-of-chinas-food-assistance-arrives/
– ft.lk/news/Third-batch-of-China-s-grant-rice-arrives/56-737692
• WNPS lecture on tackling food crisis and saving our bio diversity
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/plus/wnps-lecture-on-tackling-food-crisis-and-saving-our-bio-diversity-488752.html
– island.lk/wnps-monthly-lecture-today-is-a-debate-between-two-giants-on-conservation-and-need-to-produce-food/
• The Story Of The Northways, Pioneering Planters In Ceylon
– island.lk/the-story-of-the-northways-pioneering-planters-in-ceylon/
• Lanka’s cultural sperm whale
– economynext.com/lankas-cultural-sperm-whale-97810/
_____________________________________________________________________
C7. Industry (False definitions, anti-industrial sermons, rentier/entrepreneur, etc)
ee Industry notes the ignorance about industrialization (versus handicraft and manufacture), the dependence on importing foreign machinery, the need to make machines that make machines, build a producer culture. False definitions of industry, entrepreneur, etc, abound, and the need for a holistic political, economic and military strategy to overcome domination by merchants and moneylenders.
• Shocking Litro deal gas points finger at outgoing Prime Minister Ranil’s Office
– island.lk/the-fall-of-pohottuwa-govt/
• Electricity tariffs up by 69 percent from next month
– island.lk/electricity-tariffs-up-by-69-percent-from-next-month/
• Mysterious power outage in Parliament: CEB, CID launch investigations
– island.lk/mysterious-power-outage-in-parliament-ceb-cid-launch-investigations/
• Electricity users demand more time for public consultations
– island.lk/electrify-users-demand-more-time-for-public-consultations/
• Electricity price hike final decision next Thursday
– island.lk/electricity-price-hike-final-decision-next-thursday/
• CPC’s spot purchases inflates fuel price to a new high
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/cpcs-spot-purchases-inflates-fuel-price-to-a-new-high-488745.html
• CPC loses Rs.549 bln in Jan-April 2022, report says
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/cpc-loses-rs-549-bln-in-jan-april-2022-report-says-488693.html
• Gas deliveries get rolling, but long wait in provinces
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/gas-deliveries-get-rolling-but-long-wait-in-provinces-488972.html
• CPC resumes issuing fuel after a lapse of nearly one month
– island.lk/cpc-resumes-issuing-fuel-after-a-lapse-of-nearly-one-month/
• Proposals to flush out foreign currency
– gammiris.lk/proposals-to-flush-out-foreign-currency/
• Officials betting on fuel for school resumption
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/officials-betting-on-fuel-for-school-resumption-488990.html
• CPC resumes issuing fuel after a lapse of nearly one month
– island.lk/cpc-resumes-issuing-fuel-after-a-lapse-of-nearly-one-month/
• Three-wheelers not for hire, while regulation stays in cold
‘“There are nearly 1.2 million three-wheelers and nearly 500,000 are professional taxi drivers.’’’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/three-wheelers-not-for-hire-while-regulation-stays-in-cold-488940.html
• Efforts to help youth in SL’s shipping industry
‘Sri Lanka Logistics and Freight Forwarders Association MOU with YoungShip Sri Lanka’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/efforts-to-help-youth-in-sls-shipping-industry-488683.html
• Sri Lanka is in crisis – and so are its scientists
– island.lk/sri-lanka-is-in-crisis-and-so-are-its-scientists/
• Education and healthcare in crisis: Why IMF is not the solution
‘The first IMF agreement came in 1965 in the face of economic crisis. The stabilization package included more cuts to subsidies, policies to encourage private investment, currency devaluation and trade liberalization. IMF prescriptions did not encourage investment in agriculture and production for local consumption, leaving the country relying on imports for essential items, including food – decisions that we are paying for today.’
– island.lk/education-and-healthcare-in-crisis/
• DIMO’s Vocational Education arm DATS ventures into manufacturing training equipment
– island.lk/dimos-vocational-education-arm-dats-ventures-into-manufacturing-training-equipment/
• Expolanka divests Pulsar Shipping and Pulsar Marine Services to David Pieris’s DP Logistics
‘Pulsar provides afloat repairs and maintenance services for ships calling to ports of Sri Lanka. Its clients consist of oil majors, offshore operators, ship managers, operators and owners around the world’
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Expolanka-divests-Pulsar-Shipping-and-Pulsar-Marine-Services-to-DP-Logistics/273-241428
• Apparel retailers draw contingency plans amid Lankan crisis
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/apparel-retailers-draw-contingency-plans-amid-lankan-crisis-488739.html
• Urgent medicinal supplies from US Heart to Heart International
– ft.lk/news/Urgent-medicinal-supplies-from-US-to-the-people-of-Sri-Lanka/56-737776
• EU Exhibition on textile heritage in Sri Lanka, South Asia and Europe
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/plus/a-cultural-weave-488756.html
• Adani Ports with Gadot seal deal to buy Israel’s Haifa Port for US $ 1.2bn
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Adani-Ports-with-Gadot-seal-deal-to-buy-Israels-Haifa-Port-for-US-1-2bn/273-241328
• China’s Top Chipmaker Achieves Breakthrough Despite US Curbs
‘SMIC has started shipping 7nm chips…US suppliers need licenses to ship most advanced gear’
– bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-07-21/china-s-top-chipmaker-makes-big-tech-advances-despite-us-curbs
• China’s SMIC Shipping 7nm Chips, Reportedly Copied TSMC’s Tech
– tomshardware.com/news/china-chipmaker-smics-7nm-process-is-reportedly-copied-from-tsmc-tech
• Oil and Imperialism in Africa
– blackagendareport.com/oil-and-imperialism-africa
• Oil prices rise on tight supply worries and soft dollar supports
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Oil-prices-rise-on-tight-supply-worries-and-soft-dollar-supports/273-241432
• Oil prices fall as Libya resumes output, global demand outlook darkens
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Oil-prices-fall-as-Libya-resumes-output-global-demand-outlook-darkens/273-241642
______________________________________________________________________
C8. Finance (Making money from money, banks, lack of investment in modernity)
ee Finance tracks the effects of financialization, the curious role of ratings agencies, false indices, etc., and the rule of moneylenders, preventing investment in modern production.
• Holmes Pollard & Stott’s Pradeep Amirthanayagam appointed again to People’s Leasing Board
‘Board comprises Chairman Sujeewa Rajapakse, R. Pathirage, K.C.J.C. Fonseka, A.A. Ahamat, C.J. Wijetillake, U.L.A.W. Bandara, M.C. Pietersz, R. Kodituwakku and M. Pradeep Amirthanayagam.’
– ft.lk/financial-services/Pradeep-Amirthanayagam-appointed-again-to-People-s-Leasing-Board/42-737644
• Lakshman Silva appointed to Seylan Bank board
‘He started with the Inland Revenue Department and joined DFCC Banking Group in 1987. He was Chairman of Lanka Financial Services Bureau as well as Sri Lanka Banks’ Association (Guarantee). He also served as a Director of Lanka Clear. He’s now Chair of Lanka Industrial Estates and Panasian Power. He’s a member of the Stakeholder Engagement Committee of the Central Bank and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, and Past President of the Association of Professional Bankers.’
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Lakshman-Silva-appointed-to-Seylan-Bank-board/273-241327
– ft.lk/financial-services/Ex-DFCC-CEO-Lakshman-Silva-joins-Seylan-Bank-Board-as-Independent-Non-Executive-Director/42-737646
• Share market gains as a result of fuel price reduction
– island.lk/share-market-gains-as-a-result-of-fuel-price-reduction/
•Stepped-up share-buying by foreigners as CSE begins politically crucial week on positive note
– island.lk/stepped-up-share-buying-by-foreigners-as-cse-begins-politically-crucial-week-on-positive-note/
• Positive start at stock market; foreigners step up buying
– ft.lk/front-page/Positive-start-at-stock-market-foreigners-step-up-buying/44-737663
• Sri Lanka stocks end at 5-week high as Wickremesinghe voted as president
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-stocks-end-at-5-week-high-as-wickremesinghe-voted-as-president-97743/
• No overwhelming cheer at Colombo bourse over new President RW
– ft.lk/front-page/No-overwhelming-cheer-at-Colombo-bourse-over-new-President-RW/44-737759
• Sri Lanka stocks gain for 5th straight session on stability hopes under new leader
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-stocks-gain-for-5th-straight-session-on-stability-hopes-under-new-leader-97763/
• Sri Lanka stocks end at 5-week high as Wickremesinghe voted as president
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-stocks-end-at-5-week-high-as-wickremesinghe-voted-as-president-97743/
• Day of fluctuating fortunes at CSE but both indices rise
– island.lk/day-of-fluctuating-fortunes-at-cse-but-both-indices-rise/
• Sri Lanka shares edge up in mid-day trade
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-shares-edge-up-in-mid-day-trade-97809/
• Stock investors turn nervous; turnover dips below Rs. 1 billion level
– island.lk/stock-investors-turn-nervous-turnover-dips-below-rs-1-billion-level/
• Three Separate Cases in Federal Court Accusing JPMorgan Chase of a Culture of Fraud
– wallstreetonparade.com/2022/07/there-are-three-separate-cases-in-federal-court-accusing-jpmorgan-chase-of-a-culture-of-fraud/
• Headline at Politico Declares U.S. Can’t Be a Financial Leader without Crypto; The Headline Was Written by a Crypto Firm
– wallstreetonparade.com/2022/07/a-headline-at-politico-declares-that-the-u-s-cant-be-a-financial-leader-without-crypto-the-headline-was-written-by-a-crypto-firm/
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C9. Business (Rentierism: money via imports, real-estate, tourism, insurance, fear, privatization)
ee Business focuses on the rentier diversions of the oligarchy, the domination by a merchant mafia, making money from unproductive land sales, tourism, insurance, advertising, etc. – the charade of corporate press releases disguised as ‘news’
• HNB CEO Sithumina Jayasundara re-elected as Sri Lanka Insurance Institute (SLII) President
‘ He was at Asian Alliance Insurance, MBSL Insurance, Janashakthj Insurance, and Eagle Insurance. He is a founding Council Member of The Association of Chartered Insurance Professionals (ACIP)’
mirror.lk/business-news/Sithumina-Jayasundara-re-elected-as-SLII-President/273-241319
• Sri Lanka Insurance declares highest ever life insurance bonus of Rs.9.8bn for life policyholders
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Sri-Lanka-Insurance-declares-highest-ever-life-insurance-bonus-of-Rs-9-8bn-for-life-policyholders/273-241475
• Tourism cannot make a poor country rich
– island.lk/tumult-tear-gas-and-tourism/
• Bleak jewellery shops in Pettah due to the current unrest
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/bleak-business-488748.html
• John Keells Holdings subsidiary Union Assurance…
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/ual-in-top-10-in-corporate-reporting-transparency-488690.html
• LOLC initiates Rs.500 mln humanitarian project
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/business-times/lolc-initiates-rs-500-mln-humanitarian-project-488696.html
______________________________________________________
C10. Politics (Anti-parliament discourse, unelected constitution)
ee Politics points to the constant diversions and spectacles and the mercantile and financial forces funding the political actors, of policy hijacked by private interests minus public oversight.
• National People’s Power (NPP) says ready to lead ‘most powerful uprising of people’
– ft.lk/top-story/NPP-says-ready-to-lead-most-powerful-uprising-of-people/26-737755
• A Sinhala Buddhist nation can’t be destroyed by chasing Gotabhaya out of the country – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2022/07/blog-post_17.html
• Rajasinghe and Rajapakse – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2022/07/blog-post_18.html
• Ranil, Dallas and the Rioters of the Struggle – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2022/07/blog-post_21.html
• Aragalaya was for the sake of the ‘great earth – US & India: Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2022/07/blog-post_22.html
• Broken Hopes – The national struggle has been defeated: Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2022/07/blog-post_23.html
• Pohottu As USA Proxy Part 7A,B, C, D
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/pohottu-as-usa-s-proxy-part-7a/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/pohottu-as-usa-s-proxy-part-7b/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/22/pohottu-as-usa-s-proxy-pt-7c/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/22/pohottu-as-usa-s-proxy-part-7d/
• The fall of Pohottuwa Government – Shamindra Fernando
– island.lk/the-fall-of-pohottuwa-govt/
• The Aragalaya: a postscript – Malinda Seneviratne
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/21/the-aragalaya-a-postscript/
• The story behind Gotabaya’s dramatic escape from Lanka – Sunday Times Political Editor
‘The news of a clampdown on peaceful protests disturbed the Colombo-based diplomatic community. They voiced concerns over any moves to stymie peaceful protests. By 8 a.m. the curfew was called off and the transport services resumed. Surprising enough, despite a fuel shortage, crowds thronged the areas surrounding the President’s House….On the ground floor, Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra de Silva, Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne and Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana and Police Chief, Chandana Wickremeratne were waiting. After President Rajapaksa descended the stairs, a discussion ensued.
Tactical withdrawal – President Rajapaksa wished that the crowds could be dispersed using tear gas and water cannons. However, the security top brass was very cautious and did not want to precipitate a situation which could lead to bloodshed and a resultant uncontrollable situation..
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/columns/the-story-behind-gotabayas-dramatic-escape-from-lanka-489043.html
• Dwindling crowd at protest site (July 16)
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/dwindling-crowd-at-protest-site-489100.html
• Turn National List 29 Members into an Advisory Council not MPs – Waduge
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/22/turn-national-list-29-members-into-an-advisory-council-not-mps/
• I can’t lie and promise immediate relief to the people – Sajith
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/i-cant-lie-and-promise-immediate-relief-to-the-people-sajith/
• Campaign for the vote to elect new President gathers momentum
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Campaign-for-the-vote-to-elect-new-President-gathers-momentum/2-1138113
• State of Emergency declared ahead of vote to elect President
– timesonline.lk/news-online/State-of-Emergency-declared-ahead-of-vote-to-elect-President/2-1138114
• Kiriella warns of unfortunate consequences for MPs if they vote against people’s wish
– island.lk/kiriella-warns-of-unfortunate-consequences-for-mps-if-they-vote-against-peoples-wish/
• Elect a Prez capable of restoring constitutionalism, Church of Ceylon tells MPs
– island.lk/elect-a-prez-capable-of-restoring-constitutionalism-church-of-ceylon-tells-mps/
• 20 July election in House: USAID National Peace Council asks for consensus among parties
– island.lk/20-july-election-in-house-npc-asks-for-consensus-among-political-parties/
• Absence of dialogue among MPs unfortunate – Gevindu
‘Attorney-at-Law Kariyawasam, MP, had announced the SLPP’s support for UNP leader Wickremesinghe, even before the Acting President had made an announcement’
– island.lk/absence-of-dialogue-among-mps-unfortunate-gevindu/
• JVP: Presidential contest will ruin chances of unity govt.
– island.lk/jvp-presidential-contest-will-ruin-chances-of-unity-govt/
• All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) warns of evil forces hijacking democratic people’s struggle
– island.lk/acju-warns-of-evil-forces-hijacking-democratic-peoples-struggle/
• Political engagement with Aragayala necessary: USAID NPC Perera
– island.lk/political-engagement-with-aragayala-necessary/
• Gota-Ranil are finished – David
‘The point is that East Asia did NOT follow the then-IMF neo-liberal prescription (the IMF is better now). ‘
– island.lk/oh-frabjous-day-callooh-callay/
• Ranil’s first act as acting president may be the preliminaries to a fascist regime
– island.lk/the-agony-of-a-nation-and-the-impotence-of-a-regime/
• GR has vacated office and Ranil’s Appointment is Unconstitutional – Suri Ratnapala,
– island.lk/gr-has-vacated-office-and-ranils-appointment-is-unconstitutional/
• Gota’s cowardly escape and Ranil’s dangerous tomfoolery – Philips
– island.lk/gotas-cowardly-escape-and-ranils-dangerous-tomfoolery/
• A Ranil Presidency would Subvert Spirit of the Constitution – Jayatilleka
– island.lk/a-ranil-presidency-would-subvert-spirit-of-the-constitution/
• Ranil has neither learned nor departed
– island.lk/ranil-has-neither-learned-nor-departed/
• Tread cautiously – Island
‘Millions of youth have taken to the streets… must not be driven to extremes…’
– island.lk/tread-cautiously/
• ‘Interval in hell’ – Island
‘Why has the government become so concerned about the public, all of a sudden, and is going hell for leather to supply fuel at lower prices? … tomorrow’s vote in Parliament to elect the next President’
– island.lk/interval-in-hell-2/
• Undemocratic moves abusing the ‘democratic’ constitution – Keith Noyahr
– island.lk/undemocratic-moves-abusing-the-democratic-constitution/
• Rajapaksa was not solely to blame for this – Devapriya
– island.lk/gotabaya-rajapaksa-in-retrospect/
• Special statement from Inter University Students Union – July 18,
– newswire.lk/2022/07/18/special-statement-from-inter-university-students-union
• Wickremesinghe as the President could create a bloodbath: Hirunika
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Hirunika-says-Ranjans-release-to-attract-certain-political-groups/108-241302
• Elect a President acceptable to all: ‘New Freedom Struggle’ (NFS)
‘Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe, President of the Government Medical Professionals Association and Dr. Chandima Wijegunawardana also spoke.’
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Elect-a-President-acceptable-to-all-NFS/342-241363
• Tomorrow’s critical decision in Parliament
‘he country has lost almost every avenue of recovery, owing to massive corruption and the short-sighted political and economic policies of the past governments’
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Tomorrows-critical-decision-in-Parliament/172-241355
• Society is not in requirement of complete system change or revolutionary change
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/X-or-Y-or-System-Change-The-Role-of-Legislators-and-Professionals/172-241357
• RW, AKD, Dullas to contest for presidency tomorrow
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/RW-AKD-Dullas-to-contest-for-presidency-tomorrow/342-241368
• Tomorrow’s vote and insignificant parties
– kalaya.org/
• Sri Lanka’s presidential hopeful, withdrawn opposition leader say move was to solve crisis
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-presidential-hopeful-withdrawn-opposition-leader-say-move-was-to-solve-crisis-97659/
• Dullas Alahapperuma: Former Scribe in Fray to Become Next Sri Lankan President
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/19/dullas-alahapperuma-former-scribe-in-fray-to-become-next-sri-lankan-president/
• Ranil and Dinesh to Run the Interim – US Fingerprints Behind Aragalaya?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/19/ranil-and-dinesh-to-run-the-interim/
• Sri Lanka: State of Emergency Declared Ahead of July 20 Presidential Election
– newsclick.in/sri-lanka-state-emergency-declared-ahead-july-20-presidential-election
• Dullas, Sajith agree to fulfill TNA demands in return for support
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Dullas-Sajith-agree-to-fulfill-TNA-demands-in-return-for-support/342-241394
• Sajith pulls out of race as SLPP rift widens
– island.lk/sajith-pulls-out-of-race-as-slpp%e2%80%88rift-widens/
• Presidential vote – Alahapperuma comes from far behind after Premadasa’s withdrawal
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-presidential-vote-alahapperuma-comes-from-far-behind-after-premadasas-withdrawal-97699/
• Lawmakers, Speaker challenged to reveal their choice to counter bribery allegations
– island.lk/lawmakers-speaker-challenged-to-reveal-their-choice-to-counter-bribery-allegations/
• Court issues order preventing gathering near S.W.R.D. statue
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Court-issues-order-preventing-gathering-near-S-W-R-D-statue/342-241446
– dailymirror.lk/caption_story/Court-issues-order-preventing-protesters/110-241447
• Some TNA, SJB, SLFP MPs to vote for Ranil
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Some-TNA-SJB-SLFP-MPs-to-vote-for-Ranil/108-241393
• SLFP wants Dullas, Sajith and Anura to team up to form govt., says Dayasiri
– island.lk/slfp-wants-dullas-sajith-and-anura-to-team-up-to-form-govt-says-dayasiri/
• Security beefed up at Parliament
– island.lk/security-beefed-up-at-parliament/
• Presidency puzzle pivots Parliament today
– ft.lk/top-story/Presidency-puzzle-pivots-Parliament-today/26-737706
• Weerawansa, Gammanpila and group to back Dullas for President
– ft.lk/news/Weerawansa-Gammanpila-and-group-to-back-Dullas-for-President/56-737697
– timesonline.lk/news-online/In-Pictures-Union-of-Independent-Parties-pledges-support-for-Dullas/2-1138133
• JVP’s NPP presents series of proposals to revive country
– ft.lk/news/NPP-presents-series-of-proposals-to-revive-country/56-737698
• Choose Ranil and you choose a cycle of carnage and catastrophe
– island.lk/choose-ranil-and-you-choose-a-cycle-of-carnage-and-catastrophe/
– island.lk/should-ranil-wickramasinghe-be-president/
• President is Dullas Alahapperuma and the PM is Sajith Premadasa – Jayatilleka
– ft.lk/columns/Dear-Mr-President-and-Mr-Prime-Minister-A-memo/4-737722
• Ranil Wickremesinghe wins the Presidential election
– dailymirror.lk/top_story/RANIL-WICKREMESINGHE-WINS-PRESIDENTIAL-VOTE/155-241442
– economynext.com/ranil-wickremesinghe-wins-sri-lankas-crucial-presidential-vote-97710/
– island.lk/ranil-wins-by-majority-of-52-votes-garnering-134-votes-as-against-82-polled-by-dullas/
– tribune.com.pk/story/2367042/sri-lanka-swears-in-new-president-amid-worst-economic-crisis-in-decades
• Anura and Harini: JVP is just a pawn for liberal extremists
– gammiris.lk
• Countdown to end Lanka’s political vacuum has begun – Editorial
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Countdown-to-end-Lankas-political-vacuum-has-begun-EDITORIAL/231-241398
• Our candidate couldn’t win: MR
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Our-candidate-couldn-t-win-MR/342-241460
• Last minute desertions undermined Dullas Camp – Prof Jayasumana
– island.lk/last-minute-desertions-undermined-dullas-camp-prof-jayasumana/
• Composition in Parliament don’t represent true desires of people: AKD
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Composition-in-Parliament-don-t-represent-true-desires-of-people-AKD/342-241462
• Not a defeat but an encouraging guidance: Dullas
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Not-a-defeat-but-an-encouraging-guidance-Dullas/342-241461
• Dullas appeals for restoring public trust in govt.
– island.lk/dullas-appeals-for-restoring-public-trust-in-govt/
• The new President must learn from Gota! – Austin Fernando
‘happy to note Secretary Aruni Wijewardena has commenced moving the ball in the right direction with Japan.’
– island.lk/the-new-president-must-learn-from-gota/
• New Prez invites Sajith, et al to work together to overcome challenges
– island.lk/new-prez-invites-sajith-et-al-to-work-together-to-overcome-challenges/
• Sajith holds cordial talks with Ranil
– ft.lk/front-page/Sajith-holds-cordial-talks-with-Ranil/44-737764
• SJB calls for early elections as Opposition has ‘grown in strength’
– ft.lk/front-page/SJB-calls-for-early-elections-as-Opposition-has-grown-in-strength/44-737763
• President to reappoint former Cabinet today
– ft.lk/front-page/President-to-reappoint-former-Cabinet-today/44-737758
• Ceylon Chamber congratulates new President; looks to formation of multi-party Govt.
– ft.lk/front-page/Ceylon-Chamber-congratulates-new-President-looks-to-formation-of-multi-party-Govt/44-737756
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/CCC-congratulates-President-RW-renews-call-for-multi-party-administration/273-241584
• How Protest Is A Democratic Institution
– indi.ca
• Protesters decide to vacate ‘No Deal Gama’ protest site
– adaderana.lk/news/83790/protesters-decide-to-vacate-no-deal-gama-protest-site
• Dhammika Perera to step down from parliamentary seat?
– adaderana.lk/news/83786/dhammika-perera-to-step-down-from-parliamentary-seat
• Wimal claims Ranil won Presidency because of Aragalaya & Fear
– ft.lk/front-page/Wimal-claims-Ranil-won-Presidency-because-of-Aragalaya/44-737765
• Sri Lanka new president won thanks to fear instilled in MPs by protestors: Wimal
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-new-president-won-thanks-to-fear-instilled-in-mps-by-protestors-wimal-97759/
• US Army’s VUCA and leading Sri Lanka out of crisis
– ft.lk/columns/VUCA-and-leading-Sri-Lanka-out-of-crisis/4-737718
• Sri Lanka anti-government protesters vow to agitate against new president
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-anti-government-protesters-vow-to-agitate-against-new-president-97737/
• From defeat to president; Sri Lanka’s Wickremesinghe has hard choices ahead
– economynext.com/from-defeat-to-president-sri-lankas-wickremesinghe-has-hard-choices-ahead-97721/
• Singapore says Gotabaya granted short-term visit pass
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/singapore-says-gotabaya-granted-short-term-visit-pass/
– ft.lk/news/Singapore-says-Gotabaya-granted-only-14-day-short-term-visit-pass/56-737819
• ‘Aragalaya’ led to appointment of mandate-less leader: Wimal
– newsfirst.lk/2022/07/21/aragalaya-led-to-appointment-of-mandate-less-leader-wimal/
• Ranil and Co. will take Lanka towards disaster – Wimal
‘UN peacekeepers or Indian peacekeepers will come here. The country is headed towards disaster, and everyone must come together to stop this’
– island.lk/ranil-and-co-will-take-lanka-towards-disaster-wimal/
• MPs bribed at election of new Prez: FSP echoes JVP claims
– island.lk/mps-bribed-at-election-of-new-prez-fsp-echoes-jvp-claims/
• MPs showed their true colours – Sobitha Thera
– island.lk/mps-showed-their-true-colours-sobitha-thera/
• Military raid on Sri Lanka protest site mars cabinet swearing in; nine injured
– economynext.com/military-raid-on-sri-lanka-protest-site-mars-cabinet-swearing-in-nine-injured-97820/
• Sri Lanka President Wickremesinghe appoints cabinet
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-president-wickremesinghe-appoints-cabinet-97812/
– island.lk/cabinet-appointed/
• Sri Lanka’s new president Wickremesinghe appoints his classmate as PM
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-new-president-wickremesinghe-appoints-his-classmate-as-pm-97719/
• New President to appoint ally of ousted Rajapaksa as Prime Minister – Reuters
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/New-President-to-appoint-ally-of-ousted-Rajapaksa-as-Prime-Minister-sources/273-241579
• Analysis of Wickremesinghe’s thumping victory in Lankan Presidential poll – Balachandran
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/20/an-analysis-of-wickremesinghes-thumping-victory-in-lankan-presidential-poll/
• Cannot stop struggle through suppression: JVP NPP
– dailymirror.lk/latest_news/Cannot-stop-struggle-through-suppression-NPP/342-241615
• Anarchy and the Aragalaya
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Anarchy-and-the-Aragalaya/172-241465
• Crisis-hit SL faces an even darker future if president-elect fails to ditch wealthy elites: Sky News
– news.sky.com/story/crisis-hit-sri-lanka-faces-an-even-darker-future-if-president-elect-fails-to-ditch-wealthy-elites-12655784
• President appoints committee to probe allegation against Nimal Siripala
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/President-appoints-committee-to-probe-allegation-against-Nimal-Siripala/108-241655
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-president-appoints-committee-to-probe-taisei-linked-allegation-97827/
• Cabinet discusses country to be normalized in one week
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/Cabinet-discusses-country-to-be-normalized-in-one-week/108-241628
• SJB asks Harin to resign from Parliament
– dailymirror.lk/breaking_news/SJB-asks-Harin-to-resign-from-Parliament/108-241638
• The real Ranil report and Aragalaya 3.0 – Jayatilleka
‘only one way to stop the Ranil-Rajapaksa-military regime now shaping up; only one formula tried and tested in history world over – the Anti-Fascist United Front…’
– island.lk/the-real-ranil-report-and-aragalaya-3-0/
• Cardinal: Sajith-Dullas coming together positive
– island.lk/cardinal-sajith-dullas-coming-together-positive/
• Ranil can steer country out of crisis – EPDP
– island.lk/ranil-can-steer-country-out-of-crisis-epdp/
• Anura says Ranil showing his true colours
– island.lk/anura-says-ranil-showing-his-true-colours/
• Harin hopes President will take national Govt. route
– ft.lk/front-page/Harin-hopes-President-will-take-national-Govt-route/44-737834
• Attacking protesters unacceptable: Sirisena
– ft.lk/front-page/Attacking-protesters-unacceptable-Sirisena/44-737829
• JVP alleges RW taking revenge against protesters on behalf of ousted Rajapaksas
– ft.lk/front-page/JVP-alleges-RW-taking-revenge-against-protesters-on-behalf-of-ousted-Rajapaksas/44-737828
• Joint Opposition condemns RW for attacking unarmed protesters
– ft.lk/front-page/Joint-Opposition-condemns-RW-for-attacking-unarmed-protesters/44-737827
• Limitations inherent in July uprising – Victor Ivan
– ft.lk/columns/Limitations-inherent-in-July-uprising/4-737783
• From defeat to president; Sri Lanka’s Wickremesinghe has hard choices ahead
– economynext.com/from-defeat-to-president-sri-lankas-wickremesinghe-has-hard-choices-ahead-97721/
• Presidential Secretariat set to resume operations after 100 days
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Presidential-Secretariat-set-to-resume-operations-after-100-days/2-1138157
• Dinesh appointed as PM amidst Galle Face crackdown
– timesonline.lk/news-online/Dinesh-appointed-as-PM-amidst-Galle-Face-crackdown/2-1138154
• President Ranil: How the historic parliamentary vote unfolded
– timesonline.lk/news-online/President-Ranil-How-the-historic-parliamentary-vote-unfolded/2-1138137
• Sri Lankan Protesters to Continue Demanding Resignation of President Wickremesinghe
– newsclick.in/Sri-Lankan-Protesters-Continue-Demanding-Resignation-President-Wickremesinghe
• Transparency International wants Sri Lanka’s presidential hopefuls to declare assets
– economynext.com/transparency-international-wants-sri-lankas-presidential-hopefuls-to-declare-assets-97558/
• Moors took over Sri Lanka’s coast and harbour in the 12th and 13th centuries
– island.lk/from-pettah-to-cotta/
• Dhamma symposium to mark Dalai Lama’s 87th birthday: Foundation for Buddhist Brotherhood
– island.lk/dhamma-symposium-held-to-mark-dalai-lamas-87th-birthday/
• 70% of Lankans believe executive presidency should be abolished: USAID Verité Research
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/70-of-Lankans-believe-executive-presidency-should-be-abolished/273-241326
• In defense of the Presidential system – Sugath Kulatunga
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/18/in-defense-of-the-presidential-system/
• A fearless professional he cared two hoots for politicians – Gomin Dayasri
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/plus/appreciations-4-488779.html
• Travels with Prime Minister Sirima to advise her on the economic issues – Leelananda de Silva
– island.lk/travels-with-the-prime-minister/
• Women in politics: Breaking the ‘boys club’ mentality
‘Centre for Equality and Justice conducts course on ‘Democratic Governance and Rule of Law’ among university students’
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/plus/women-in-politics-breaking-the-boys-club-mentality-488765.html
• President Premadasa spearheaded many privatization exercises
– island.lk/when-i-was-born-we-were-in-the-third-word-and-were-still-there-as-im-ready-to-die/
• Rohini to quit as Kamala Harris’ close aide
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/columns/a-week-of-many-firsts-amidst-hits-and-misses-on-social-media-489084.html
• French Parliamentary Elections 2022
– socialistproject.ca/2022/07/french-parliamentary-elections-2022/
• England: Rishi Sunak’s ‘Privileged’ Upbringing Becomes English Media Target in PM Contest
– newsclick.in/UK-Rishi-Sunak-Privileged-Upbringing-Becomes-UK-Media-Target-PM-Contest
• The End of Roe V. Wade and US Politics
– blackagendareport.com/end-roe-v-wade-and-american-politics
__________________________________________________________
C11. Media (Mis/Coverage of economics, technology, science and art)
ee Media shows how corporate media monopoly determines what is news, art, culture, etc. The media is part of the public relations (corporate propaganda) industry. The failure to highlight our priorities, the need to read between the lines. To set new perspectives and priorities.
• President fingers a section of the media for influencing attack on his private residence.
– island.lk/the-fall-of-pohottuwa-govt/
• FMM condemns unethical breaching of Rupavahini Corporation
– sundaytimes.lk/220717/news/fmm-condemns-unethical-breaching-of-rupavahini-corporation-489011.html
• How the media negotiates blood, pain and police brutality while on duty
– dailymirror.lk/news-features/How-the-media-negotiates-blood-pain-and-police-brutality-while-on-duty/131-241196
• Why a White Christian Isn’t Called a Terrorist
– indepthnews.net/index.php/the-world/asia-pacific/2588-why-a-white-christian-isn-t-called-a-terrorist
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2022/07/16/why-a-white-christian-isnt-called-a-terrorist-2/
• The Great Cinemas of Colombo
– island.lk/the-great-cinemas-of-colombo/
• US Attempts To Make China An Enemy Require A Lot Of Fantasy
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/us-attempts-to-make-china-an-enemy-require-a-lot-of-fantasy.html#more
• The PAIGC’s Political Education for Liberation in Guinea-Bissau, 1963–74 (Part 1)
– blackagendareport.com/index.php/paigcs-political-education-liberation-guinea-bissau-1963-74-part-1
• Three Other Writers With Thoughts On Ukraine
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/three-other-writers-with-thoughts-on-ukraine
• When You Lack Real News Just Rewrite Yesterday’s Story
he general public is probably being told around 20% of what’s really going on in Ukraine: whether regarding US policy or otherwise. So that’s a roughly 1 to 5 bullshit ratio.’
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/when-you-lack-real-news-just-rewrite-yesterdays-stories
• 50 Sick Headlines About Vladimir Putin’s Health
‘Over the last months the British MI-6 disinformation service had fun with strewing rumors over Vladimir Putin’s health, mostly via British tabloids…Like its other propaganda claims these were obvious nonsense but found a reliably echo in the gossip media.’
– moonofalabama.org/2022/07/50-sick-headlines-about-vladimir-putins-health.html
• Woke Imperium: The Coming Confluence Between Social Justice and Neoconservatism
– peacediplomacy.org/2022/06/27/woke-imperium-the-coming-confluence-between-social-justice-and-neoconservatism/
• Inside the temple of covert propaganda: The Integrity Initiative and England’s scandalous information war
– thegrayzone.com/2018/12/17/inside-the-temple-of-covert-propaganda-the-integrity-initiative-and-the-uks-scandalous-information-war/
• Ways of Objectifying (2013)
‘When people complain about sexually objectified images of women in advertising and other media, a typical MRA troll move is to counter that men are also sexually objectified.’
• The Four White Lies That Led To COVID-Infinity
‘Even today, western media still mocks China’s Zero-Covid policy using the old white proverb ‘at what cost’.’
– indi.ca
• The US Empire and its Media
‘executives and top journalists of almost all major US media outlets have long been members of the influential Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)’
– swprs.org/the-american-empire-and-its-media/
– i0.wp.com/swprs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/cfr-media-network-hdv-spr.png?ssl=1
• Shy U.S. Intellectual Created Playbook Used in a Revolution (2017)
‘inspired dissidents around the world, including in Burma, Bosnia, Estonia and Zimbabwe, and now Tunisia and Egypt’
– nytimes.com/2011/02/17/world/middleeast/17sharp.html
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