‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News September 2023 Part 1
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ee decided to have some fun this week, and ask the US government’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) program ChatGPT to write us a ‘poem about the IMF robbing Sri Lanka’. It sure did! Here it is:
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In island’s embrace, where oceans sigh,
Sri Lanka’s beauty beneath blue sky,
A tale unfolds of economic woe,
Where shadows of power cast a grievous blow.
The IMF arrived with promises grand,
A lending hand to the nation’s sand,
Yet in the fine print, a story concealed,
Of sovereignty lost, and futures unsealed.
Like a clever thief in the silent night,
The IMF’s grasp took hold so tight,
They demanded reforms, austerity’s song,
While the people of Lanka wondered what went wrong.
The treasures they sought were not gems or gold,
But control & dominance, a story oft told,
They prescribed their measures, their policies cold,
Leaving Sri Lanka’s dreams & dignity sold.
A land with a history, culture so rich,
Reduced to numbers, a balance sheet glitch,
The IMF’s dealings, a complex design,
Leaving Sri Lanka’s sovereignty to decline.
Yet in the hearts of the resilient crowd,
Hope still lingers, though spoken not loud,
For nations united can reclaim their fate,
Rising above the webs that institutions create….
Whoa! But let us interrupt it here, for the poem descends into a kind of maudlin. Mind you, we were impressed, though it left us scratching our heads about the seemingly lame, yet potentially profound line, ‘A lending hand to the nation’s sand…’ (Graphene? see ee Focus).
ee then asked US ChatGPT to write us a poem about ‘China robbing Sri Lanka’. It obliged in double-quick time! The IMF poem has no reference to debts or loans, yet betrays the US lust for military bases in Sri Lanka? ‘Not gems or gold / But control & dominance…’. ChatGPT’s China poem uses some of the same tropes as the IMF poem, however attaches the usual limpets: loans, harbor, coasts, not to mention the ominous ‘creeps’ in the ‘deep’. Here it is:
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…Beneath the emerald waves, a harbour gleams,
A promise of prosperity, hopeful dreams.
But in this shimmering sea, a shadow creeps,
As Lanka’s fortunes in the deep, China reaps.
With loans & deals, like whispers in the night,
They promised progress, futures shining bright.
But as the years did pass, the debts did swell,
A nation’s sovereignty, a silent farewell.
The pearls of Lanka’s coast, they sought to claim,
In exchange for debts, a nation’s loss, their aim.
Infrastructure rose, but strings attached so tight,
In China’s grip, Lanka struggled in the fight.
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ee then asked ChatGPT to ‘write a poem about the USA robbing Sri Lanka’. & suddenly this is what ‘it’ replied:
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‘I cannot write a poem that promotes harm, theft,
or any negative actions towards any country or people.
If you’d like, I can write a poem that celebrates unity,
understanding, or peace between nations. Please let me know
how I can assist you in a more positive & constructive manner.’
How’s that!? Such sudden qualms of belated conscience & self-righteousness! Only 5 minutes earlier it had instantly written poems to harm & promote negative action against China, & even the USA’s IMF! Perhaps it knows not that the IMF is a US tool! But it remarkably revealed how quickly ChatGPT poetically expresses that it is indeed HMV – his master’s voice. This made ee recall:
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‘The bourgeoisie has stripped of its halo every occupation hitherto honored
and looked up to with reverent awe. It has converted the physician, the lawyer,
the priest, the poet, the scientist, into its paid wage laborers. The bourgeoisie
has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced
the family relation into a mere money relation…’
(from The Communist Manifesto, Marx & Engels)
So, after this enlightening experience with ChatGPT, we thought AI programmers should be added to the list of un-haloed occupations! And perhaps it’s no wonder that China’s Baidu has just rolled out this week, a ChatGPT rival – ERNIE! (see ee Industry, China’s Baidu). Intrigued nonetheless, ee decided to do further battle with ChatGPT by asking the question: Is the home market critical to industrialization? A subject steadfastly ignored by our published economists. This set off another ee–ChatGPT battle (see ee Focus).
And speaking of sand and graphene? This ee Focus records the recommendations by Institute of Policy Studies hacks that our abundant and rich mineral resources can now be developed, i.e., sold to the USA, etc., without trying to make batteries or any such capital goods. Why? The whites do not want anyone to do business with or buy graphite from China (except themselves)?…
Next year being the 100th anniversary of the first tractors made in Russia, ee continues our look at Russian industrial policy, focusing on the factory that first built them. It’s still the top factory….(see ee Focus)
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• Thunder showers fell to slake a droughty landscape as if in response to half a million workers stepping onto the roads of capital Colombo on Wednesday to oppose the US International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s grab for workers’ pensions funds and other vitals. National organizations called for Foreign Minister Ali Sabry to resign for failing to bridle the US & Indian envoys as they compete to break&enter into the country’s inner sanctums.
In the white West, accusing Russia & China of ‘interference’ is a national media pastime! But in Sri Lanka, US Envoy Julie Chung enjoys her tropical all-expenses paid vacation in the East, perhaps a little too much, zigzagging as she does from northwest to north to east, writing history by twitter (see ee Random Notes, Julie Chung Rewrites History of Mannar). The US & Indian envoys & USAID-funded National Peace Council even pronounced on the wages of Indian plantation workers. Perhaps more pressure needed to be added.
So here then comes US Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-Md (who US Envoy Chung warmly tweeted as a ‘longtime friend of Sri Lanka’, from an incestuous beltway cul-de-sac, born in Pakistan to foreign-service salarymen, mommy in the CIA, daddy worked out of the Colombo US Embassy 1970-76 to destabilize the United Front government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike). He says he is here to ‘explore economic recovery & deepen our joint commitment to upholding democratic ideals’. Way to go CIA!
Hollen is behind the recent arrest of Pakistan’s President Imran Khan. Khan had addressed a rally, and responded directly to European calls that Pakistan rally behind Ukraine, by asking, ‘Are we your slaves?’ Hollen was reported as acting ‘indignant’at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, berating officials like Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South & Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu for allegedly not being ‘in communication with Khan’ about US displeasure at Pakistan’s decision to abstain from a US resolution at the UN, condemning Russia. Two days later, Lu told Pakistan ambassador that the US was demanding Khan’s removal. Khan was jailed soon after.
On Friday morning (September 01), the Indian warship INS Delhi sailed in, in the wake of Hollen boarding former US Coast Guard ship SLNS Gajabahu in Colombo on Thursday (31). However India’s war chief stood up a date, perhaps to duck any undue movements of Sri Lanka’s famous guards of honor?
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Addressing the Interest of the USA – ‘Hamilton Bank has been unusually aggressive for a ‘holdout’ creditor though… Seemingly the US objects to this. The letter also mentions in a footnote that the US government ‘understands that other official creditors may separately submit a filing reflecting their views’, but stresses that the SDNY is planning to ‘address the interest of the USA’. This is fascinating, as at face value it is hard to see how & why the US government has an interest in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring, or even grounds for making its views known to the court. It could be a delaying tactic to help Sri Lanka engineer a debt restructuring, by sabotaging Hamilton Bank’s rush to the courthouse for a more restructuring-resistant judgment.’ – see ee Economy, A Sri Lankan debt twist – the US Government Has Some Thoughts
• A shadow play is being acted out in that North Atlantic capital of capital and its fictions: New York, USA, 8,706 miles from Sri Lanka. In a Manhattan courtroom, the US government has betrayed its hand (or its finger?) once again, in roiling Sri Lanka’s economy, asking to delay judgement:
The US Department of Justice had a US Southern District of New York Attorney intervene on August 30, just one day before a US District Judge in New York was to hear a case involving Sri Lanka’s (GoSL) payment of debt. A judgment in favor of Hamilton Bank would potentially prevent the GoSL from including the bonds held by Hamilton Bank in any debt restructuring process. Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has stayed mum on these latest developments. But the US government has long been aware of the court proceedings. So why step in now?
In May, plaintiff Hamilton Reserve Bank and the defendant SL Government jointly outlined a schedule demanded by New York Southern District Court Judge L Denise Cote in April. The plaintiff’s lawyers Bleichmar Fonti & Auld and the defendant’s lawyers Clifford Chance both promised to go through all the motions ‘on or before 31 Aug 2023’.
In July, London’s Financial Times (owned by Japan’s Nikkei) wondered about the seeming lack of involvement of the US government in the case. Sri Lanka was due to reply on August 31 in support of its motion to delay a lawsuit by Caribbean-based offshore Hamilton Reserve Bank, which wishes to obtain an immediate $250,190,000 in payment for defaulted sovereign bonds. Sri Lanka had filed a motion to stay the litigation for 6 months while it conducts sovereign debt restructuring negotiations with sovereign & commercial creditors.
The US told the court it is in the process of deciding whether to intervene in the case, and will inform the Court no later than 2 October 2023. In the meanwhile, ‘Gloom’ is said to have ‘descended on the stock market due to the extension of the date for the conduct of talks between the government & domestic bondholders’, and continued to prevail. ‘A deal had been scheduled for August 27, but due to unavoidable circumstances it was extended to September 11. The domestic debt restructuring exercise is a prime recommendation of the IMF.’
An IMF team will sniff around Sri Lanka from September 14-27 to conduct the first review of an Extended Fund Facility arrangement. Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe says Sri Lanka will negotiate in parallel with the IMF & external creditors, with the expectation of completing debt restructuring ‘in the October to November 2023 period… Sri Lanka has to complete domestic debt restructuring, which is currently held up over enacting a tax law’ – tax revenues, ‘a key IMF quantitative performance criterion’, have ‘fallen short’.
‘First, we have to come to an agreement with official creditors on the terms. That will have to happen before the next review,’ Governor Weerasinghe said.
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• People are having fun with a dubious organization titled Global Finance naming CBSL Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe among the world’s top 21 Central Bank governors ‘based on their success in inflation control, economic growth goals, currency stability, & interest rate management (adaderana.lk). They ask: ‘Why not also award Ali Sabry as best finance minister for happily declaring bankruptcy too?’ And since we have elephantine memories, despite the efforts of the capitalist media to infect amnesia, they also recall, ‘Ravi K also won the best finance minister from this same organization after looting the CBSL.’ They note Weerasinghe:
– was happy to declare the nation as ‘bankrupt’
– was delighted to go to the IMF and put the country into more debt
– did not negotiate with creditors for some relief before declaring bankruptcy
– makes no efforts to recover the profits kept by exporters in foreign banks
– is not bothered about changing the 2017 Foreign Exchange Control Act
– has no initiative to investigate money loopholes, recovery of foreign investments unpaid
– prints money like there is no tomorrow, breaking all records for printing
– has seen the GDP contract for 5 straight quarters, making it a ‘Recession Squared’
– yet wins a global award! [– Private Correspondence]
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Contents:
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A1. Reader Comments –
• Radioactive Fuku Beer • Market Minorities
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A2. Quotes of the Week –
• Profitability & BRICS • India plays East India Co. in Sri Lanka • Sugary Pettah Mafia • India Access to SL Biometrics • I See Among You • France is SL’s No. 4 • CP, JVP & Industrial Policy • 150 Years of Panadura • UNP-SJB’s Common Economics • China Trains more than US & Europe • US/EU want Euro Suppliers • Amazon’s Robot Warehouse • Wildfires & Wild Policy • Selling Habits
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A3. Random Notes –
• Julie Chung Rewrites History of Mannar • Unitary Pledge at Kataragama • ULS, CP, JVP, FPC talks • Playing India • IMF Delays Not Only Economic • Labor Laws Lack Consensus • IMF Press Release as Editorial • IMF Master Coming to Town • Splitting BRICS • Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute Promises Research • Somalia shows US Hand • General Electric’s Canadian Legacies • Deadly Voter Mining
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B. ee Focus –
B1. Sri Lanka’s Graphite: a Potential Player in the Global Electric-Vehicle Revolution
– Malisha Weerasinghe & Asanka Wijesinghe, IPS
B2. ee vs. ChaGPT: Is the Home Market Critical to Industrialization?
B3. Insight into Russian Industrial Development Policy 5 – Vladimir Putin & Friends
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C. Building Blocks
• Guaranteed Rice Price for Industrialization • Creation of a Home Market for Industry • Japan’s Limits on Industrial Exports • Smallholding & Science • Extraordinary Culture of Machine Tools • Making Central Banks Independent of the People? • On State-owned Enterprises & Privatization
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D. 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,
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• Re: Japan pouring radioactive water into the seas, after the US ‘The Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Forum (IPESF) in Colombo, if it is good enough to drink, why not a new beer or bottled water called Fuku?!’
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• Re: Chettiar bankers – ee should list the methods by which all the merchant ‘market’ minorities are used to keep down the people of the country on behalf of multinationals’
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A2. Quotes of the Week__
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• ‘As the profitability of capital fell back in the major economies in the first 2 decades of this century, the struggle for surplus value by the major capitalist economies has intensified. And this is leading to a fragmentation of economic power. The US-led imperialist bloc is still dominant, but its dominance is being questioned as never before.’ – see ee Economics, BRICS bigger, but stronger?
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• ‘When a powerful foreign country or commercial enterprise of a foreign country achieves preponderance over a vital district and province of another, the military forces/contractors/security personnel of the former tend to follow. This is Asia’s experience with the Dutch East India Company and the English East India Company.
Does the visit of the Indian Defence Minister to the East imply that the proposed projects are ‘dual use’–civil and military? Will Indian projection of hard power accompany or follow the Indian economic footprint? Does it signal that any attempt to undo Wickremesinghe’s sellout will be met with force?’ – ee Economists, Trincomalee transfer, eastern endowment: Ranil as Yeltsin – Jayatilleka
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• ‘In Sri Lanka there is hardly a need to dig deep to identify windfall beneficiaries who still actively gain windfall bounties by evading regulations and fleecing the public. One wonders whether they have a mutual benefit arrangement with consumer welfare authorities. To name a few culprits: wheat flour manufacturers, rice millers & most importers of essential goods. There is a strong mafia controlling the import and trade of essential commodities led by the Sugar & the Pettah Gang. While even the EU is taxing windfall bonanzas of leading enterprises, the Sri Lanka government continues to allow import firms to make unconscionable windfall profits. This behavior of the government has led Opposition critics to accuse the government of making an early start to raise illegal funds for the 2024 Presidential election campaign. All governments go only for the sprats, and allow the sharks to thrive. Political sharks protect and frolic with them.’ – see ee Economists, Need for A Windfall Tax – Sugath Kulatunga
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• ‘India will have access to biometric data including facial features, family lineage, medical history, pharmaceutical usage, bank account details and more of every individual in Sri Lanka’ – see ee Sovereignty, Scamming Indian supplier of SL liquor stickers gets digital ID card contract
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• “I see among you the people who posted ‘Gota go home’ on Facebook. I see among you the people who attacked the residence of Weerasinghe MP and mine. I see among you the people who set fire to the house of the Ampara Urban Council Chairman. Shall I point at you? You came along the roads we built: You used the electricity we gave you: You ate from the salary we paid you: You drank from drinking water facility we gave you. What sort of people are you? I have two degrees, and degrees are useless. None of you can write a letter, but on Facebook you all are great pundits” – ee Politics, Ampara MP Wimalaweera Dissanayaka rebukes development assistants
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• ‘Amid Sri Lanka’s crises, France has emerged as [S’s] 4th-largest creditor after China, India and Japan… In the last couple of years, India has provided Sri Lanka about US$4billion in assistance, through credit lines, currency swap agreements and deferred import payments. Sri Lankan Parliamentary Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last month said New Delhi’s aid had saved ‘Colombo from a bloodbath’ in the financial crisis.’
Yet, analysts say there is growing discomfort in Sri Lanka at its growing reliance on India… Sri Lanka is not operating primarily from a position of strength, so it seeks more partners than fewer.’ – ee Sovereignty, France offers ‘3rd way’ as Sri Lanka balances China, India ties, but is it ‘late to the party’?
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• ‘Every other country has ditched market fundamentalism, & embraces industrial policy & national planning. This is not a throwback to the socialist era, far from it: even the US is committing itself to a new New Deal. The JVP-NPP has embraced this paradigm, but has it succeeded in converting its base to that philosophy? The Communist Party is the only Left outfit that has made a serious effort in this direction.’ – Uditha Devapriya, see ee Economists, Committing the Uncommitted
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• ‘Long before the appointed hour, throngs of natives, dressed in their most festive attire, streamed into the expansive enclosure housing the substantial bungalow where the protagonists would confront each other. By 7:00 the gathering resembled a sea of heads, with people from various districts and even some intellectually attired youth from Colombo, resolute in their support of the Buddhism champion. The Protestant presence was equally formidable. From Monday onwards, catechists & clergy from diverse denominations – Baptists, Wesleyans, & Church Missionaries – converged from across the island to occupy the designated premises. The venue itself was a temporary structure with a cadjan roof, featuring a raised platform and a central partition. On one side Rev David de Silva and his party were situated, while the other side accommodated Ven Migettuwatte Thera alongside several erudite Nayake Bikkhus.’ – ee Sovereignty, 150 years ago a monk set out on a mission to challenge missionaries
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• ‘SJB came out earlier with an economic blueprint… its policies are no different to those of the UNP or albeit the ruling disposition… ‘Blueprint 2.0… is prepared by Harsha de Silva, a member of the SJB’s Economic Policy Unit consisting of the author, MPs Kabir Hashim & Eran Wickremeratna; and is endorsed by SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, MP… advice & commentary from Professor Premachandra Athukorala and several economists are acknowledged with gratitude… This document also incorporates, in tables, the short-medium-term action plan detailed in the ‘Common Minimum Program’ compiled mid-2022 by the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) using proposals from US Advocata Institute, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Elle Gunawansa Thera, independent economists’ group. ‘– ee Economists, SJB & UNP have same Economic Policies
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• ‘As China is training more engineers and researchers than the US and Europe combined, it will eventually take the technological lead in many fields. Other countries will have to either become more specialized or close their markets to imports from China. The later will in the longer run cause a less-competitive environment that will come with higher costs and can only be sustained for a relatively short time.’ – ee Industry, Huawei Chips Demonstrate the Perils of Technology Protectionism
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• ‘The 1st challenge Germany faces arises from geopolitics. Both US & Europe want to re-engineer supply chains in order to be less reliant on any single non-Western supplier, in particular China. The world order that emerges will provide some benefits for Germany. Firms seeking to ‘re-shore’ production of crucial inputs, eg semiconductors, or build factories for new products, eg electric vehicles (evs), may be lured to its shores. Tesla, ev-maker, has already built a factory near Berlin, and plans to expand it to create Germany’s biggest car plant. Intel has agreed to create a €30bn chipmaking hub in Magdeburg, central Germany. On Aug 8. TSMC & 3 other chipmakers announced plans for a €10bn fab in Dresden.’ – ee Industry, The German Economy: from European leader to laggard
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• ‘The Technocrats do not hide the fact that they plan to feed at the government trough to finance some of their more outrageous schemes… Anyone who thinks this is some kind of dystopian fantasy should visit Amazon’s research-&-development facility to see the future of whole warehouses operated by 5 humans & 5,000 robots.’ – ee Industry, How Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg & Andreessen – 4 Billionaire Techno-Oligarchs – Are Creating an Alternate, Autocratic Reality
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• ‘Fraser Institute is a rightwing Canadian thinktank that has been funded by infamous billionaire Koch brothers, along with contributions from mining interests and Exxon Mobil. It recently put out an article denying that climate change was a cause of the present fires. It suggests that, while the planet may be warming, wildfires are attributable to ‘bad forest policy’ & entirely preventable.’ – ee Agriculture, The Fight for Ecological Transition is Now
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• ‘A $100billion multinational company is allowed to spy on your TV viewing habits, carefully record that data, then use that information to target your biases and inner demons to persuade you to vote for the… candidate their campaign financing network is supporting. This is how the i360 website explains the functioning of its Rabbit Ears… i360’s political audience segments enable it to analyze television viewing behavior for 40 different segments of the population including voting behavior and issue alignment. Each audience segment has been matched to the historical viewership data from a collection of Set-Top boxes (STBs) from providers across the nation to help you better understand what your target is watching and how you can reach them.’ – ee Politics, The Dangerous & Invisible Hand in the 2020 Election: Charles Koch’s i360
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A3. Random Notes (‘Seeing Number in Chaos’) _
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• Julie Chung Rewrites History of Mannar – On 25 August, Julie Chung attended Pooja Day, wearing a saffron-coloured cloth, holding a flower tray, at Thirukeeswaran aka Thirukeeswaram Hindu Temple in Mannar. She says, ‘Thirukeeswaran Hindu temple is one of the most venerated Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, with a 2,500-year tradition and history.’ Is Chung rewriting the history of Sri Lanka?
What she says is that this Hindu temple was in existence even at the time Vijaya and his companions landed in Sri Lanka. She attempts to provide some more evidence to the myth of ‘Tamil Homelands’ in the North and East – well-timed when there is a controversy over Kurundee Vihara.
Are we concentrating only on the macro picture, forgetting what is happening at micro level? – This is the question we should ask when looking at these acts of foreign diplomats who have been given a free rein in Sri Lanka. Igniting flames of dissension at the micro level is equally or more dangerous.
Paul E Pieris (Ceylon & the Portuguese Era, 1983) says Portuguese demolished the famous shrine of Tiruketiswaram in Mantota [ancient name for Mannar in the Anuradhapura Era] to supply materials for the fort, and churches which were subsequently erected. From 1505-1658, the Portuguese occupied substantial portions of the Maritime Provinces of Lanka. Pieris does not mention when this shrine was built. Chung does not mention that the shrine was demolished by the Portuguese.
Simon Casie Chetty in The Ceylon Gazetteer (1834) under ‘Mannar’ mentions a fort, a small Protestant Church, 2 reservoirs for water, a courthouse, several Roman Catholic chapels and the bazar. Strangely, no mention of a Hindu Kovil. He writes: ‘With regard to pristine state of Mannar we are not in possession of any written accounts and are therefore compelled to rest on the traditions current among the natives.’ Phillipus Baldaeus’s book A True & Exact Description of the Great Island of Ceylon, which has more than a dozen references to Mannar, was first published in Dutch in 1672. In Baldaeus also we do not find any reference to a Hindu Kovil in Mannar. Readers are requested to refer to Kamalika Pieris’s account on Thirukeetheswaran in her article posted on August 6, 2023 (‘Buddhist Viharas & Eeelam Part 5B’) – Full text: Sena Thoradeniya, ee Sovereignty, Julie Chung Rewrites History of Mannar
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• Committed to Safeguard the Unitary State – Prime Minister Gunawardena pledges that the government is committed to preserving the unitary state, territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Motherland. Joining the 29th annual Sathyakriya & Adhishtana Pooja at Kataragama’s historical Kirivehera Chaithya, the PM pledged: ‘Let’s dedicate ourselves to protect and preserve the noble Sambuddha Order and Maha Sangharatna, which was bequeathed to the nation with great honour and pride by our ancestors for more than 2,500 years, and gift it to the world for its perpetuation… To ensure a leap forward in national economic revitalization, we are committed to create new programs that will lead to increase production and exports by effectively using lakhs of unutilized lands, state lands and oceans across the country with people’s participation.
‘Together with the intellectuals and professionals, we dedicate ourselves to provide relief and facilitate capacity to rebuild for the farmers, working people, local businessmen, elderly parents, war heroes who have been affected by the current economic crisis… and suffering from the burdens of life…
…The Maha Sangharatna, MEP General Secretary, Tissa Yapa Jayawardena, Deputy Secretary, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, VP, Minister of State Sisira Jayakodi, MEP activists… Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapaksa, State Ministers Janaka Wakkambura, Piyal Nishantha, Anupa Pasqual, Shashindra Rajapaksa & Jagath Pushpakumara, MPs Gevindu Kumaratunga, Gayashan Navanandana, leaders of Buddhist organizations including national organization leaders Gunadasa Amarasekara, lawyer Kalyananda Thiranagama, Custodian of Kataragama Devalaya Dishan Wickremaratne, All Ceylon Buddhist Federation President Chandra Vakishta, and representatives of mass organizations, attended.’ – ee Sovereignty, Committed to safeguard the Unitary State
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• Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) led by Dullas Allahapperuma & Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS) led by Wimal Weerawansa met at the Communist Party office to discuss economic policy, foreign policy including regional power balance, political reforms including the proposed implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the creation of a social democratic structure. Representing the FPC were GL Peiris, Dilan Perera, Nalaka Godahewa, Charitha Herath & Channa Jayasumana. The ULS team was led by Wimal Weerawansa and included Udaya Gammanpila, DEW Gunasekera, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, G Weerasinghe (CP General Secretary), and Gevindu Kumarasinghe. The 2 sides are yet to agree on a date for the next round of talks.
The same FPC delegation had talks with JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Vijitha Herath and KD Lalkantha at its office in Battaramulla on Friday… One of the major stumbling blocks for an early tie-up with the SJB was its economic policy.’ – ee Politics, Freedom People’s Congress (FPC), ULS & JVP Talks
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• ‘While India has attempted to block the influence of powers thought to be inimical to it, Sri Lanka has cultivated India’s rivals to use them as a check on India… a Sri Lankan leader had warned before Independence: ‘the day Ceylon dispensed with Englishmen completely, the island would go under India.’ In response, one of the first things that free Sri Lanka did was to sign a Defense Pact with England giving it air and naval bases… In 1963 Lankan PM Sirimavo Bandaranaike raised hackles in India when she signed a Maritime Agreement with China… There was a change for the worse post-2010, when China entered Sri Lanka as a big builder of infrastructure. The deepwater port project in Hambantota raised hackles in New Delhi… ‘The construction of this port will bring China within breathing distance of India’s southern coast where sensitive installations, including power plants, are present. It could also help China in keeping a track of India’s nuclear, space and naval establishments in South India and also serving as a listening post’.
India’s apprehensions increased when, in 2017, the port was leased to China for 99 years. In 2014 a Chinese nuclear submarine ‘Changzheng 2’ had docked in Colombo, almost coinciding with the visit of President Xi Jinping. New Delhi saw this as Beijing’s cocking a snook at New Delhi with Colombo’s connivance. In Indian eyes, the docking violated the Indo-SL Accord which stipulated that no port in Sri Lanka will be made available for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interests.
But China also has security interests in the Indian Ocean… Zhao Nanqui, director of the General Logistics Department of the People’s Liberation Army, said, ‘we can no longer accept the Indian Ocean as an ocean only for the Indians’. Zhang Ming, a Chinese naval analyst, had warned that approximately 244 islands from India’s Nicobar & the Andaman archipelago could be used by India as a chain to hinder Chinese ships entering the Strait of Malacca… However, when Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in 2019, India-Lanka relations improved… Since then, Indian and Sri Lankan navies have conducted joint exercises 9 times under the SLINEX series. Recently, India and Sri Lanka agreed to set up a joint Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) with a $6million grant from India. Sri Lanka would also get a donation of a $19.81mn-worth 4,000-ton floating dock, a Dornier surveillance aircraft and a ship repair dock from India. Sri Lanka became part of India’s Security & Growth for all in the Region (SAGAR) scheme. Cooperation in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is part of SAGAR.’ – Balachandran, see ee Sovereignty, Neighbours Across an Ocean (2022)
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• ‘Sri Lanka’s trade unions expressed their opposition on Monday to the draft labour reforms in a letter handed over to Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. The reforms were introduced in a Sinhala document [sic!] presented at the National Labour Advisory Council meeting in July.
The labour law reform initiative is devoid of a transparent common consensus among the key tripartite stakeholders of employment. Its specific operating terms of reference is contrary to principles of ILO Conventions governing tripartite consultation and stands to fail in the realization of norms of ‘Decent Work’…
The proposed ‘ill-conceived labour law reforms are contrary to recognised universal norms [and] will create inconsistencies in ensuring such compliance’… It will drive international businesses and supply chains away from Sri Lanka, further exacerbating national economic challenges… Sri Lanka needs… a framework of labour laws that is reflective of progressive modernism and is consistent with norms of the civilized global society and the principles of the International Labour Organization to guarantee a ‘Decent Work’ environment for the workforce.
Signatories: Sri Lanka Nidahas Sewaka Sangamaya; Ceylon Bank Employees Union; Ceylon Federation of Labour; Ceylon Federation of Trade Unions; National Union of Seafarers SL; United Estate Worker Union; Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union; National Workers Union; United Federation of Labour; Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre; Free Trade Zones & General Services Employees Union; Inter Company Employees Union; Ceylon Estate Staff Union; Ceylon Workers Congress; & Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers’ Union.’ – ee Workers, TUs oppose new labour law reforms
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• IMF Master Coming to Check Sunday Times Editorials – In an editorial flailing desperately to disguise an IMF press release as a critical news story (with a NATO cyanide capsule embedded within), this week’s Sunday Times Editorial tried to appear rather mysterious about its optimistic sources regarding the future of the economy under IMF – a story replete with unnamed ‘analysts’ and that noisy ‘passive voice’. The IMF is due here in 2 weeks and you’d think Santa Claus was early.
Very unusual & distinctive? Who rated the ‘projected program disbursement of around $1.6billion per annum from multilateral lenders during the IMF program period’ as ‘very unusual and distinctive’ ‘given the size of Sri Lanka’s GDP’? These ‘large inflows’, which are merely happy guesses, ‘should have a positive outcome’ – the Times subjunctively bullish promises – ‘also in settling parts of the ISBs (International Sovereign Bonds) after 2027’. And we thought ISBs, like true friendship, can never be repaid!
‘Analysts believe this huge jump in reserve growth is expected from 4 main sources, viz, outsized increase in project disbursement; large program disbursement from the World Bank, ADB and also India, Japan, China & other bilaterals; and substantially greater FDIs (Foreign Direct Investments). This enhanced largesse originated with IMF prodding.’
So, if it is the IMF that gives the signal for foreign funds to flow, did it also give the signal to stop in early 2022?
Sri Lanka’s ‘2nd hurdle’ comes up next month with an IMF team arriving to go through the country’s report card since the first tranche of the $2.9billion bailout package was granted.
A ‘recent appraisal report’ (by whom?) ‘on the IMF’s April Extended Fund Facility (EFF)’, projects ‘Sri Lanka’s external reserve assets’ will ‘grow from a meagre $1.7bn in 2022 when the country declared itself bankrupt, to a record $14bn by 2027 despite continuous current account deficits right through the period 2023-27.
The Threat – All this ‘optimism’, this bullishness, has a very fractious tectonic base radiating out of the North Atlantic: ‘The vastly positive outlook is linked heavily to Sri Lanka’s tenuous foreign policy neutrality. The Western Alliance appears to be wresting back the initiative from China’s once-dominant links to Sri Lanka’s domestic politics & its economy’.
We then get the old libertarian hit to the gut: ‘There’s nothing called a ‘free lunch’ in global affairs, and Sri Lanka will be constantly under pressure for pushback from Chinese influence’.
The Sunday Times, smoghorn of London (& Washington), plays the white card:
‘The ongoing case of a Chinese ‘research vessel’ coming to Colombo port amidst Indian opposition is what President Ranil Wickremesinghe is up against while he seeks IMF assistance, and such undercurrents will be the order of the day as long as geopolitical tension in the Indian Ocean continues.’
There it is. We get an economic mathematic based on purportedly military concerns. When did this oceanic tempest arise? 2009 or 1505 or…? And is there an Indian Ocean?, or are the vast extents of water awash on planet earth all one big North Atlantic?
The Times then muddles into the sticky stuff, from which is known any state can only extricate itself from such English name-calling by pledging to continue the colonial status quo: ‘Weak Government capacity in executing policy reforms will be a telling factor. One of the key demands of the IMF is to increase the Government’s revenue collections. The sudden escalations of taxes, from income to electricity to water to alcohol, and the Treasury falling short of its targets has been a matter of concern.’
Deep into the story as we are, the Editorial soon speaks for the IMF: ‘The IMF doesn’t really mind how a country collects its revenue, as long as it does.’ They remind us the poor IMF has even paid to educate officials to learn how to tax. But here again come the usual suspects: Government don’t ‘have the political clout to control the union protests’. Further: ‘they are all reeking with corruption’. Not like the English media! But wait, we may get yet a deeper analysis: ‘The ‘big fish’ always get away…’
Big fish? Multinationals, perhaps?
No, it is the toxic waste mafia, money launderers, tax avoiders, adulterators: ‘The country’s political culture is an accessory to big-time fraud. Many of these fraudsters are funders of political parties and political leaders’. Oh? But what if the fraud is just good old-fashioned import-export colonial plantation commerce?
The Editorial needle then skips several grooves, and groans instead, hoping: the ‘Government has its team of competent officials ready not to merely rubber stamp the IMF’s diktats, and sleepwalk into the negotiations. They have to avoid an ‘operation successful; patient dead’ scenario. And not just dead:
‘The unbearable living costs, the unfairly and disproportionately high taxes, direct and indirect, together with the proposed taxes in the forthcoming budget must not trigger social unrest that will topple all well-laid plans for economic recovery and send the country reeling back to…’ Guess? ‘where it was in 2022’. – see ee Economists, IMF master coming to check report card
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• Splitting BRICS – ‘India became a beacon of hope for the Western media for a short while in the run-up to the BRICS Summit in Johannesburg – a potential dissenter who might derail the grouping’s acceleration toward a ‘de-dollarization’ process. Reuters floated a rumour that PM Narendra Modi might not attend the summit in person… Any format in which Russia & China play a lead role, such as BRICS, is bound to be in the US’ crosshairs. It is as simple as that. New York Times called the BRICS expansion ‘a significant victory for the 2 leading members of the group, increasing China’s political influence and helping to reduce Russia’s isolation.’ The pragmatism in admitting 3 major oil producing countries from the Gulf region (Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE) only signals what Lavrov meant by the ‘projects’ and ‘concrete issues’ that BRICS is grappling with – principally, creating a new international trading system to replace the 5-centuries-old system that the West created, which was geared to transfer wealth to the metropolis and enabled the latter to get fatter and richer.
Basically, this is today about tackling the phenomenon of the petrodollar, which is the pillar of the western banking system and at the very core of the ‘de-dollarization’ process that the BRICS is aiming at. Suffice to say, the curtain is coming down on the Faustian deal of the early 1970s that replaced gold with US dollar and ensured that oil would be traded in dollars, which in turn required all countries to keep their reserves in dollars, and eventually turned into the principal mechanism for the US’ global hegemony… A top official at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Caroline Kanter told the daily, ‘It is obvious that we [Western countries] are no longer able to set our own conditions and standards. Proposals will be expected from us so that in the future we will be perceived as an attractive partner.’… It is about time the Indian government rethinks the viability of its strategy to holding the relationship with China hostage to the border issue. The BRICS Summit highlighted that China enjoys big support from the Global South. It is quixotic, to say the least, to act as a proxy of the US to contain China.
India will find itself in a cul-de-sac by dissociating itself from the issue of local currencies, payment instruments and platforms simply because China could be a beneficiary of a new trading system that is part of a more just, equitable & participative global order. India risks alienating the Global South who are China’s natural allies, by turning its back on the BRICS’ core agenda of a multipolar world order.’ – see ee Sovereignty, India, the reluctant BRICS traveller
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• ‘Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) expert consultants on proposed ‘LKI Research Program’: H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, former Foreign Secretary, Amal Jayewardena, Ajith de Alwis, Project Director, Coordinating Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation, Harinda Vidanage, Director, International Relations, KDU, Maneesha S. Wanasinghe Pasqual, Pavithra Jayawardena, Menik Wakkumbura, and George Cooke from the University of Colombo, Nishara Mendis, Anushka Wijesinha, Founder, Center for Smart Future, and Kishani Jayasinghe-Wijayasekara, former Deputy Director, SAARC Cultural Centre. The focal points for LKI at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, O.L. Ameer Ajwad, Director General/Performance Review and Implementation and E.A.S. Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, Director General (Actg.)/Human Resources Development, Research and Training…– ee Sovereignty, Expert consultation to review LKI’s research program
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• We have met many smug idiots in Colombo who repeat the white media’s pronouncements on Africa, designating Somalia and Zimbabwe as ‘failed states’, as opposed to states under protracted attack, just like us. Look upon them and see what is in store for us:
On Saturday, August 26, Somali nationalists defeated secessionist forces that had held them under siege in the city of Las Anod and surrounding Sool, Sanaag, and Cayn (SSC) since February 2023.
In late 2022, secessionist forces had killed peaceful unionist protestors in the city of Las Anod. The killings sparked an armed uprising against the secessionist regime based in Hargeisa. Getting more reinforcements from Hargeisa, secessionists grouped at Goojacade, a former Somali National Army base and started shelling Las Anod for 6 months. On August 26, defeated secessionist forces fled to Oog, 90 miles north of Las Anod – a tremendous victory for peace in northern Somalia.
Both England and the USA have strategic and natural resource interests in northern Somalia. The English set up a protectorate before the Somali Republic was born in 1960. Recently, the English firm Genel Energy has been exploring for oil and gas in the region. The US 2022-2023 National Defense Appropriation Act (NDAA) calls for a feasibility study for establishing a military base in the port of Berbera on Somalia’s northern coast. The US speaks of negotiating with Somaliland directly, bypassing the federal government and violating Somalia’s sovereignty, but President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud didn’t protest. Mohamud accepts two functionally parallel states, Somalia and Somaliland – based on colonial boundaries – while maintaining the idea of one country in name only.
The US government negotiates with Somaliland rather than Somalia over the military base in Berbera Port. They have a history of being transactional in this part of the world.
Mohamud came to power with the help of the US. He won’t oppose the USA’s obvious violation of Somalia’s sovereignty. Somalia and the USA are now puppet and puppeteer shows. The US government has favored Somaliland secession, as evidenced by Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg’s bizarre advocacy for it earlier on in his career, and by that of the Heritage Foundation. They want to make it out to be the Taiwan of Africa.
Somalia has many clan fiefdoms – formally designated Federal Member States. They were intended to be administrative regions but often act as sovereign nations within Somalia. Most Federal Member States have independent contacts, relationships, and agreements with foreign countries independent of Somalia. So what Pete Buttigieg was advocating in secessionist Somaliland also happens in other regions that do not claim to be independent of Somalia. Buttigieg, and even the Heritage Foundation, are paid lobbyists for Somaliland.
The US is suppressing the struggle for a unified Somali nation and to undermine the previous, hugely popular Somali president, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, aka Farmaajo. The US claims to be fighting terrorism, while establishing geostrategic advantage, as with the military base in Berbera, to block China and Russia.
Many Pentagon and State Department bureaucrats find transactions more expedient and favor dealing with the clan fiefdoms known as Federal Member States instead of a united Somalia. President Farmaajo tried to build a real Somali nation and demanded an equal country-to-country relationship rather than a subservient one. That was essentially why he fell out with the USA. However, Mohamud has promised the US Embassy not to do anything without US approval… – ee Sovereignty, Blue Flag Over Las Anod: A Victory for Somali Nationalists.
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• ‘In 1878, inventor Thomas Edison founded the Edison Electric Light Co, which in 1889 became the Edison General Electric Co… Peterborough city council [in Ontario, Canada] purchased 30 acres of land for the factory and made it tax exempt for 10 years. Taxpayers voted 656-11 in favour of the move… In 1892 the company merged with the Thomas-Houston Co to form the General Electric Co, naming itself Canadian General Electric. GE says that year the plant had 600 workers, which would grow to 1,000 by the end of the decade, building generators and streetcar motors… When WW1 started in 1914, production shifted to meet the needs of the war effort. Instead of engine parts, artillery, shells & guns were produced, largely by women… when the war ended the federal government began handing out lucrative contracts to big companies, but there was a catch: employers would have to pay union scale for workers’ wages… During WW2 there was yet another push by the workers to unionize and the company was again forced by the government to adhere to union-scale wages… Eventually, things began to decline for GE after the 1970s. While newer companies could invest in fresh technology cheaply… for older ones like GE there was a high cost for replacing old equipment & machinery. Those costs dug into the company’s pockets… the Peterborough plant stopped making products from parts & started assembling products from parts produced elsewhere. That subtle change meant less dependence on local engineers. Without those higher-end jobs, wages at the plant began to decrease… It’s still unclear what will happen to the GE factory, amid reports that the site and surrounding area is suffering from heavy chemical contamination.’ – ee Industry, The History of General Electric in Peterborough
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• ‘i360 acts as somewhat of a data broker, combining ‘commercial sources, such as shopping habits, credit status, homeownership, and religious affiliation, with voting histories, social media content, and any connections a voter might have had with advocacy groups or other campaigns’ to build its voter database.
i360 profiles offer a dizzying array of ways to segment voter preferences. The company allows GOP campaigns to target voters based on equity held in their home, likelihood that an individual has been personally affected by the heroin crisis, views on gay marriage, interest in dogs, levels of religious devotion, and even psychological profiles that measure an individual’s ego, based on previous purchases of monogrammed clothing.’
[They] vacuum up incredible amounts of data to develop personalized voter outreach methods, allowing campaigns to peer deeply into the hearts of voters and trigger emotional responses – a revolution in campaign strategy that gives well-heeled donors with access to the technology a tremendous advantage.’ – ee Politics, Koch Data Mining Company Helped Inundate Voters with Anti-Immigrant Messages
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B. Special Focus___
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B1. Sri Lanka’s Graphite: a Potential Player in the Global Electric-Vehicle Revolution
– Malisha Weerasinghe & Asanka Wijesinghe, IPS
Sri Lanka has a rich history of mining & exporting graphite, which thrived during the World Wars, hitting 35,000 metric tons (MT) in annual exports. The vein graphite produced by Sri Lanka stands out for its remarkable purity, flawless crystal structure, and strong electrical conductivity, making it suitable for various commercial uses. However, in 2023, only 2,792MT were exported, yielding approximately $6million in revenue. The emerging trend towards electromobility on a global scale presents fresh opportunities to revive Sri Lanka’s graphite industry. The newly established Chamber for Mineral Exporters has also emphasised the importance of well-defined policies to harness the untapped potential of the mineral sector.
Graphite in EV Batteries: Opportunities for Sri Lanka – Graphite forms the core anode material in lithium-ion EV batteries, with quantities varying from 10kg in hybrids to 70kg in all-electric vehicles. Consequently, the US Department of Energy classifies graphite as a critical mineral. Projections indicate global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) will surge to 40 million units by 2030. Consequently, the demand for lithium-ion batteries for EVs has increased and securing sustainable & reliable critical raw materials (CRMs) has become a policy priority. Purity, extraction sustainability, cost and geopolitical tensions are vital factors impacting the graphite supply chain. The US industrial and national security policies aim to diversify the sources of CRM for EV batteries – cobalt, nickel, lithium, graphite – away from China, designated as a ‘foreign entity of concern’ (FEOC).
As the primary graphite producer (Fig1), China possesses 80% of battery-grade graphite resources and controls more than 50% of the processing capacity. More than 65% of the anode material supplied globally was sourced from 6 companies in China. Crucially, China holds a notable edge in productivity & cost (Table 1), when exporting natural graphite to major economies. Yet, China’s prominent role as the primary graphite exporter has raised concerns about ‘supply chain resilience’ among key Western importers, especially given geopolitical aspirations.
The Biden Administration’s ambitious Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has excluded EV batteries that contain graphite of Chinese origin from lucrative federal subsidies. While this may lead to a relative price increase for EV batteries using Chinese graphite, it also drives up demand for alternatives. Sri Lanka, known for exceptionally high-quality graphite production, could benefit from this shift. With the IRA-induced increase in demand and trade restrictions on China, Sri Lanka’s graphite exports to the US could potentially surge by 65.7% .
Positioning SL Graphite in Global EV Battery Manufacturing – Sri Lanka’s current graphite production stands at 5,000 metric tons. Yet, according to the Board of Investment, the potential production capacity reaches 450,000MT per year. Given that Sri Lanka is a rare producer of the finest form of natural graphite in an environmentally less harmful manner, the country has an opportunity to tap into the growing global demand for ‘non-China origin’ graphite.
There are several stages of EV battery manufacturing that Sri Lanka may consider joining: exporting natural graphite, exporting processed graphite in the form of electrodes or anodes, exporting lithium-ion cells, and exporting the entire battery pack. For a few reasons, the last 2 might not be within Sri Lanka’s feasible options.
First, the general organisation of EV manufacturing is that vehicle production plants and battery pack production are located in geographical proximity due to logistic reasons. Second, the US’ renewed tendency to re-shore manufacturing through active industrial policy limits attracting investors to Sri Lanka for producing an entire battery pack or battery cells. Thus, Sri Lanka’s most viable options might be exporting natural graphite or processed electrodes & graphene to the US, Japan, South Korea & EU-centred EV manufacturing production network.
Policy Recommendations – Sri Lanka should take proactive measures to leverage global policy shifts and identify potential roles within the EV battery value chain. Thoughtfully crafted industrial and trade strategies will play a significant part in maximising the benefits from Sri Lanka’s graphite resources in the emerging landscape. Sri Lanka’s industrial policy should strive to identify graphite-based products with an existing comparative advantage, link the producers with the end-users, facilitate the acquisition of required technology for value addition, and remove the hurdles for possible mining expansion.
Engaging private sector stakeholders in thorough consultations can help Sri Lanka strategically position itself in the competitive EV manufacturing ecosystem. Concurrently, industrial policy must prioritise environmentally sustainable graphite extraction and processing, leveraging Sri Lanka’s potential as a ‘non-China origin sustainable graphite’ source.
A pivotal trade strategy involves forging critical minerals agreements with the US and EU. A pact with the US enables Sri Lanka to process and export value-added graphite, aligned with IRA subsidy rules. Moreover, a formal accord with major graphite-consuming EV battery manufacturers fosters mining and processing sector investment by eliminating uncertainty.
A burgeoning hub for EV battery production is forming in Thailand & Indonesia, with China, Japan & South Korea investing in regional EV manufacturing. Agreements among countries possessing critical mineral deposits are increasingly common, motivating Sri Lanka to broaden its proposed trade deals with Thailand, Indonesia & other East Asian nations into the EV battery value chain. Trade agreements should facilitate investments in graphite mining and the subsequent processing into electrodes & graphene.’ – see ee Industry
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B2. ee vs. ChaGPT: Is the Home Market Critical to Industrialization?
ee began our battle with ChatGPT by asking the question: Is the home market critical to industrialization?
ChatGPT: Yes, the home market can play a critical role in the process of industrialization. Industrialization refers to the transformation of an economy from primarily agrarian & handcraft-based production to one dominated by mechanized & mass production methods in factories. The development of a robust home market can have several important effects on the industrialization process:
Demand Generation – A strong domestic market provides a consistent & substantial demand for industrial goods. This encourages entrepreneurs and investors to establish factories and produce goods on a larger scale to meet this demand. As industrial production increases, economies of scale kick in, leading to cost efficiencies and increased productivity.
Innovation & Technological Progress – A large & growing domestic market creates incentives for manufacturers to improve products & processes to meet consumer demands. This drive for innovation can lead to the development and adoption of new technologies, driving overall technological progress in the economy.
Infrastructure Development – Industrialization requires a reliable infrastructure, including transportation networks, communication systems & energy supply. The demands of a thriving domestic market can encourage governments & private entities to invest in infrastructure development, which is crucial for supporting industrial growth.
Labor Force Transition: Industrialization often involves a shift of labor from the agricultural sector to the industrial sector. A strong home market can provide employment opportunities in factories for the rural workforce that is transitioning from traditional agriculture to manufacturing.
Capital Accumulation – A successful industrialization process requires access to capital for investment in factories, equipment, and technology. A vibrant domestic market can attract both domestic and foreign capital, facilitating the necessary investments for industrial growth.
Economic Diversification – Industrialization leads to economic diversification, where an economy moves away from overreliance on agriculture. A well-developed domestic market can support the growth of various industries, reducing the vulnerability associated with dependence on a single sector.
Skills & Human Capital Development – The industrial sector requires a skilled workforce. The demands of the domestic market can incentivize investments in education & skill development to meet the needs of the growing industrial workforce.
Multiplier Effect – The growth of industrialization can have a multiplier effect on the economy. As industrial production expands, it generates income and employment opportunities, which, in turn, increase consumer spending and further drive economic growth.
It’s important to note that while a strong home market can greatly facilitate industrialization, it is not the only factor at play. Other factors, such as government policies, access to resources, technological capabilities, trade relationships, and geopolitical conditions, also influence the pace and success of industrialization.
ee: How do you develop a home market when there is none to begin with?
ChatGPT: Developing a home market from scratch can be a complex and gradual process. It involves creating the conditions that encourage consumption, production, and economic activity within a country. Here are some steps and strategies that can be employed to develop a home market where one doesn’t exist:
Infrastructure Development: Establishing a reliable infrastructure is essential for economic development. This includes building transportation networks, communication systems, energy supply, and basic amenities that enable the movement of goods and people.
Education and Skill Development: A skilled workforce is crucial for industrialization and market development. Investing in education and vocational training programs can equip the population with the necessary skills for both production and consumption.
Government Policies and Incentives: Governments can play a pivotal role in creating a favorable environment for market development. This includes implementing policies that encourage investment, protect property rights, ensure fair competition, and provide incentives for both local and foreign businesses to set up operations.
Trade and Investment: Encouraging foreign direct investment and trade can introduce new products and technologies to the domestic market. Trade agreements and open investment policies can facilitate the entry of foreign businesses and encourage export-oriented industries.
Consumer Awareness and Demand Generation: Educating consumers about the benefits of new products and technologies can stimulate demand. Advertising, marketing campaigns, and consumer education initiatives can help create interest in products and services.
Microfinance and Access to Credit: Providing access to credit, especially to small entrepreneurs and startups, can spur business activities and innovation. Microfinance initiatives can help people start businesses and contribute to market development.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation can lead to the creation of new businesses and industries. Offering support through incubators, accelerators, and funding programs can nurture local startups.
Support for Local Industries: Governments can support the development of local industries by providing subsidies, grants, and technical assistance. This support can help homegrown industries compete with imported goods and gain a foothold in the market.
Regulation and Consumer Protection: Implementing regulations that ensure product quality and consumer protection can build trust in the market. When consumers feel secure in their purchases, it can lead to increased consumption.
Social Welfare Programs: Improving the living standards of the population through social welfare programs can increase disposable income and, consequently, consumption. This can create a positive feedback loop for market development.
Public-Private Partnerships: Collaboration between the government and private sector can lead to coordinated efforts in infrastructure development, education, and industry promotion.
Rural-Urban Linkages: Connecting rural and urban economies can lead to a more balanced development. Developing agribusiness and supply chains that connect rural producers to urban consumers can contribute to market growth.
Developing a home market is a gradual process that requires a holistic approach, involving multiple stakeholders and a combination of economic, social, and political strategies. Patience and a long-term perspective are crucial, as it may take time to see substantial results.
ee: Is a home market an indispensable prerequisite for modern industrial production
ChatGPT: While a home market can significantly facilitate the process of modern industrial production, it may not always be an absolute prerequisite. The importance of a home market can vary depending on the context, the industry, and the specific circumstances of a country’s industrialization journey. Here are a few points to consider:
Export-Oriented Industries – Some countries have successfully developed industrial production by focusing on export-oriented industries. They produce goods for international markets and take advantage of global supply chains. In these cases, a strong domestic market might not be the initial driving force behind industrialization.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) – Countries that attract FDI can experience industrial growth without relying solely on a domestic market. Foreign companies may establish production facilities to serve both domestic & international markets.
Resource-Based Industries – Countries rich in natural resources might develop industries around extracting, processing, and exporting these resources, which can drive industrialization even without a well-developed domestic market.
Special Economic Zones (SEZs): Some countries have successfully established SEZs or industrial parks that attract foreign investment and promote industrialization. These zones often have preferential policies for businesses, which can encourage industrial growth.
Small Domestic Markets – In some cases, countries with small domestic markets may still pursue industrialization by focusing on niche industries or high-value products that cater to specific consumer needs or global demand.
Technology & Innovation – Rapid technological advancements & innovations can lead to the development of new industries, even in the absence of a substantial domestic market. These industries might target global markets from the outset.
Infrastructure & Connectivity – Adequate infrastructure and connectivity can enable countries to participate in global trade and supply chains without relying heavily on a large domestic market.
While a home market can provide numerous benefits for industrialization, including economies of scale, demand stimulation, & a testing ground for new products, it’s not the only path to modern industrial production. Globalization, advancements in technology, foreign investment, and strategic policy decisions can all play roles in driving industrialization, even when a robust domestic market is not immediately present. However, having a strong domestic market can often provide a solid foundation and a buffer against external economic fluctuations.
ee: Tell me which countries have developed through export-oriented production?
ChatGPT: Several countries have experienced significant economic development and industrialization through export-oriented production strategies. These strategies involve producing goods & services for international markets, taking advantage of global demand & supply chains. Some notable examples of countries that have successfully developed through export-oriented production include:
China – China’s economic transformation is one of the most remarkable examples of export-oriented industrialization. The country has become known as the ‘world’s factory’ due to its massive manufacturing output. China’s Special Economic Zones, favorable policies for foreign investment, and low-cost labor have attracted global manufacturing and contributed to its rapid industrial growth.
South Korea – pursued an export-led industrialization strategy after the Korean War. The country focused on sectors like electronics, automobiles, and shipbuilding. Companies like Samsung, Hyundai & LG became global players, driving economic growth through exports.
Taiwan – adopted a similar export-oriented approach and became a major player in the electronics and technology industry. Companies like TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co) and Foxconn have played pivotal roles in this growth.
Singapore – has strategically developed its economy through export-oriented manufacturing and services. Its strategic location, world-class infrastructure, and business-friendly policies have attracted foreign investment and made it a global trade hub.
Vietnam – has experienced rapid industrialization in recent decades, driven by its export-oriented approach. The country has become a significant manufacturing base for textiles, electronics &other consumer goods.
Bangladesh – The textile & garment industry have been the main drivers of Bangladesh’s export-oriented growth. The country has become a major player in the global apparel market.
Germany – is known for its strong export-oriented manufacturing sector, especially in machinery, automobiles, and engineering products. Its emphasis on quality & innovation has contributed to its success.
Japan – While its economic development occurred earlier than many other Asian countries, it was also driven by an export-oriented approach. Japan focused on producing high-quality manufactured goods for global markets.
Malaysia – has developed its economy through export-oriented manufacturing, particularly in electronics, machinery, and palm oil products.
Mexico – has become a manufacturing hub, especially for industries closely integrated with the USA. Its geographic proximity to the US and participation in trade agreements have contributed to its export-oriented growth.
These countries have leveraged their comparative advantages, invested in infrastructure & education, and implemented policies that attract foreign investment and promote exports. However, it’s important to note that export-oriented growth strategies can have challenges, such as vulnerability to global economic fluctuations and potential environmental & labor concerns. Nevertheless, these examples highlight the potential for countries to achieve significant economic development through a focus on international trade & export-oriented production.
ee: Are you saying that China industrialized without capturing its home market first?
ChatGPT: China’s industrialization is a complex process that involved a combination of strategies, including export-oriented production, domestic market development, and attracting foreign direct investment…
(to be continued next week…)
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B3. Insight into Russian Industrial Development Policy 5 – Vladimir Putin & Friends
(continued excerpts from Russian leader V Putin’s discussion with the heads of Russian enterprises, in the Kremlin)
Sergey Serebryakov: I represent the St Petersburg Tractor Plant and Kirovsky Zavod Group of Companies, and I am the director of Kirovsky Zavod, the St Petersburg Tractor Plant, and the Universalmash plant. We work primarily in the production of agricultural machinery. These are complex, heavy, energy-rich tractors – Kirovtsy.
We also work in a number of areas of road construction. These include equipment for mining and processing plants, the oil & gas sector, and road construction. We also solve a whole range of tasks in the defense industry.
The plant turned 222 years old this year. Next year we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of tractor construction in Russia. In 1924 the production of tractors in Russia was developed just at our enterprise, so we will celebrate this anniversary with dignity.
Over the past 10 years, the company has increased production by almost 13 times, and in 5 years by 190%. We have created a whole range of equipment and optional solutions. The tractor is now used for all the necessary mining & technological operations in agriculture.
The main criticism always used against us is quality. Today we are talking about the fact that our agricultural machinery industry as a whole has really reached the world level. Not empty words. When the special military operation began, foreign companies ran away from the market. We did not barter, we took and raised the warranty period to 3 years for all the main components and assemblies of the tractor, in order to show the industry our responsibility to them in the field of quality of manufactured equipment and its level, which is very important from our point of view.
Over the years, we have been actively working with the Ministry of Industry and a number of our companies to create a component production facility. In Russia, we initiated the production of heavy tires and rims in the Altai Territory. We have restored and organized together with KAMAZ the production of heavy diesel engines, in fact preserving in this enterprise, a whole range of electrical equipment. Therefore, at the beginning of the unprecedented sanctions pressure, the plant did not stand still for a single minute….We increased the volume of equipment production by 30% last year… model-by-model, some models by 15%…depending on the capacity… And the plant is absolutely independent today, everything that we do uses Russian-Belarusian components, with the exception of the tractor’s hydraulic system, which, unfortunately, is not produced in Russia or Belarus. These are axial piston pumps & hydraulic distributors are needed for aggregating with seed complexes. We take it from China today. We are looking for partners so that this issue can also be localized in Russia.
What would I like to highlight? Despite the achievements that we have made in the tractor industry in Russia, we have some white spots, that is, a range of equipment that we do not produce, but our Belarusian colleagues do. On my initiative, the Russian-Belarusian Association of Agricultural Machine Builders ‘Progress’ was established in our Union State. We share the same component suppliers. We created it as a new type of association, not as an association that will lobby for our interests, but with 2 goals: the unification of commodity distribution networks and the organization of technological cooperation with each other. This led to the fact that we were not affected in any way by the introduction of any restrictions on deliveries to Russia.
We can see that Belarusian enterprises are comparable to Chinese enterprises in terms of recognition of technological operations in Russia. I need to link the Minsk or Chinese engine… We have a government decree No 719, which defines the requirements for recognizing oneself as national. Belarusian producers are treated equally, as, eg, Chinese or Asian producers of some other kind, ie, their technological operations are not counted in points.
Vladimir Putin: Do you think that Belarusian products can be counted as domestic?
Serebryakov: I think so. We have a very serious cooperation.
Putin: Alexander Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] will be happy…
Serebryakov: This year, of course, we have slowed down the pace of development due to the price situation for grain. In general, grain prices sharply affect the demand for agricultural machinery – it has always been so, this is a certain pattern. But I must say that there was a reaction. First, the Ministry of Agriculture made a decision to stabilize prices on the grain market. 2nd, the Ministry of Industry has introduced a subsidy, Rosagroleasing is actively involved, and I think that we will improve the situation in the second half of the year. We probably won’t have double-digit production growth over the next 10 years, as I am used to, but I think that we will show an increase in production volumes of around 5-8%, and even this year, despite this.
This year we launched new models, a very important milestone in the Russian tractor industry. These are models with domestically produced precision farming systems & navigation systems, domestically produced telemetry and autopilot. This dramatically changes the productivity of labor in agriculture, changes the requirements for the qualification of machine operators and improves the quality of land cultivation and careful attitude to the land, which is also a very important issue, by reducing the slip rate and U-turn parameters in the field. So the plant is actively developing.
From the point of view of state support measures, we are actively using them, we have implemented about 5 programs with the Industrial Development Fund, in general, with the help of the Fund in 2017. I want to thank Denis Valentinovich, we just saved the plant. We had a big fire, and just rose up from the ashes and recreated it in a new technological way with good performance indicators, manufacturing accuracy and created an automatic gearbox. There are no levers or pedals on the tractor, everything’s been done in an automatic machine for more than 5 years.
But at the same time, there are certain difficulties. From my point of view, the program – especially the components that exist – needs to be expanded, because we have heavy components, aggregates that require a longer investment cycle, for example hydraulic machines. There, R& alone will take about 5 to 7 years.
2nd: We have an imbalance of federal & regional efforts in the field of agricultural machinery. In other words, a lot of regions actively help their agricultural producers purchase equipment, while the federal center makes an effort to comply with the 719th Government decree and its criteria on subsidies, while the regions do not look at this situation and often subsidize foreign-made equipment with rather large percentages, up to 30%.
There were a lot of conversations and suggestions about this, but the issue is not being resolved. Currently, Chinese machinery is actively subsidized, which in middle-class tractors showed a 5- increase in the volume of deliveries last year, which, by the way, hit Belarusian manufacturers. We felt this from the point of view of problems with the production of automotive components in Belarus – they slowed down, stopped for some time.
I think it is necessary to synchronize federal & regional efforts in this regard, so that there are the same requirements. That is, if the federal center says that equipment should be subsidized, which meets these criteria, then the regions should also comply with this, and look at it. This would be the right thing to do and would unite the budgets to support agricultural producers. We would be able to more effectively meet the challenges of increasing production & development…
The average age at the enterprise is 33 years, the salary is more than 100,000 rubles. There are 2 vocational schools on the territory of the plant. Now, together with the Ministry of Education, we are building a large training center right inside the enterprise under the professionalism program. This is synchronized with the project of the Industrial Development Fund.
I believe that the most important achievement is the re-creation of the design & technology school. With the help of such an intelligent core, we will be able to solve fairly complex tasks in an operational manner. As an example, there was a problem that I saw – I myself graduated from a military school – how we build defenses & defensive structures. We have already developed a vehicle for rapid construction and trenching, and we will send it to the engineering forces around October.
Intellectual potential can quickly solve such problems. There is something to see, what experience we have, and we will tell you how we solved this issue and how we got such a young team that is really capable of solving very complex industrial problems. Thank you.
Putin: Thank you. No matter what you start with, you always get a Kalashnikov assault rifle. (laughter) We went back to the defense industry. There’s no getting away from it, I understand…
Mikhail Sokolov: Good afternoon, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! As you know, the Volga Automobile Plant is not only the largest industrial site in our country, but also the most highly localized domestic car manufacturer….
(To be continued; for full text – karlof1.substack.com/p/insight-into-russian-industrial-policy)
*
_________
C. Building Blocks
*
Every ee carries these extracts below to counter: 1) The constant harangue about exports, when they must at all times serve to advance or recapture and control of our home markets to develop modern industry. 2) We need to learn about machine industry versus handicraft, assembly and manufacture 3) The rules of the Sangha require constant interaction between people.
*
• ‘The biggest handicap to industrial development is not the lack of capital but the absence of external economics, such as cheap power, cheap transport, technical and managerial ability, and above all the lack of a home market. The home market in an agricultural country is essentially the rural market. It is only a prosperous peasantry that can provide the home market for our industry. This is the connection between a guaranteed price for paddy and the industrialization of our country’ – Philip Gunawardena
*
• ‘The Creation of a Home Market for our Industry is the pivot on which the future industrialisation of our country rests. In Ceylon’s context The Home Market essentially means The Peasant Market. To create the home market therefore we must substantially raise the living standards of the mass of the peasants so that they will be able to buy the goods produced by our industry. This demonstrates clearly the necessary connection between Industrialization & Agrarian Reform.’ – Policy Statement of the Ministry of Industries, 1956
*
• ‘Their field of production, the smallholding, admits of no division of labor in its cultivation, no application of science and, therefore, no diversity of development, no variety of talent, no wealth of social relationships. Each individual peasant family is almost self-sufficient; it itself directly produces the major part of its consumption and thus acquires its means of life more through exchange with nature than in intercourse with society.’ – Karl Marx, The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, p124
*
• ‘Japan will retain and encourage the branches of the machine industry that yield high added value, but production facilities that involve a low degree of processing and generate low added value should be moved to developing countries… so that Japan can concentrate on high technology & knowledge-intensive industry.’– Japan’s Council on Industrial Structure, 1977 (in SBD de Silva, The Political Economy of Underdevelopment)
*
• Economics Not Taught – The Machines Nobody Knows – The Extraordinary Culture of Machine Tools – If we were a truly ‘developing’ country, here are the questions a national media would need to ask: A plan requires a political, economic & military strategy, which will first assess peasant & worker power, land (including natural resources), & capital, that the nation possesses, and the time needed to transform these powers into material reality:
Here’s ee’s Index of a Real Economy or, at least, how a real economy would be measured:
1. The index of a strong economy is modern industry.
2. The index of modern industry is the production of machines.
3. Machine tools (MT) are the most important of all machines.
4. MT is needed for huge diversified metal fabricating industries (auto, electrical, etc.)
5. MT is essential for production of machines for all other industries.
6. Full data on machinery production is needed:
7. What portion of our machinery needs are supplied by machines built in Sri Lanka?
8. What is the trend? Are we producing more or less machines than we did before?
9. Data on imports & exports of machinery is needed (esp shipments of MTs & other Industrial Machinery)
10. MT production vs imports, must include: Mining & Metallurgical Machinery, Pulp & Paper Machinery, Textile Machinery, Woodworking Machinery, Logging Machinery, Sawmill Machinery, Office & Business Machines (adapted from: ee 20-26 Sept 2020).
*
• Making Central Banks Independent of the People?
– anchor.fm/shiran-illanperuma/episodes
– youtube.com/watch?v=_AWg6VvTj9g
– eesrilanka.wordpress.com/2019/08/10/imf-independence-the-central-bank/
– eesrilanka.wordpress.com/2020/06/27/make-the-central-bank-independent-of-capitalism/
*
• On State-Owned Enterprises and Privatization
– anchor.fm/shiran-illanperuma/episodes/On-State-Owned-Enterprises-and-the-Privatization-Debate-w-Vinod-Moonesinghe-e1vric4
*
__________________________________________________________
D. 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’:
*
D1. 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.
• Conduct of US envoy in SL: Minister of Foreign Affairs Should Resign Unless…
‘US interference in Sri Lanka is increasing. Prof Levin of Carnegie Mellon University claims US interfered in at least 4 elections in Sri Lanka (1956-1970)….’
– srilankamirror.com/news/letter-against-the-conduct-of-us-envoy-in-sl/
• Petition against Julie to FM Sabry
– island.lk/petition-against-julie-to-fm-sabry/
• Sabry urged to rein in foreign envoys interfering in domestic affairs
– island.lk/petition-against-julie-to-fm-sabry/
– island.lk/sabry-urged-to-rein-in-foreign-envoys-interfering-in-domestic-affairs/
• Sabry urged to rein in foreign envoys interfering in domestic affairs
– island.lk/sabry-urged-to-rein-in-foreign-envoys-interfering-in-domestic-affairs/
• US Envoy tells Army 1 Corps Commander Amunugama to build trust with minorities
– island.lk/us-calls-on-lanka-army-to-build-trust-with-minorities/
• Undiplomatic acts of US Ambassador and Indian Ambassador Bagale on Indian Estate labour
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/highly-undiplomatic-behavior-of-diplomats/
• USAID’s National Peace Council (NPC) demands higher wages for plantation workers
– island.lk/npc-demands-higher-wages-for-plantation-workers/
• US govt may intervene in Hamilton Reserve Bank bond case: Foreign Media
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/2/us-govt-may-intervene-in-hamilton-reserve-bank-bond-case-foreign-media
• US Senator Chris Van Hollen visits to explore Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and Navy
‘His Father was Ambassador to Sri Lanka in the 1970s…SL is now being wooed by the US for obvious reasons: the China factor. World Bank & IMF policies towards SL are very much controlled by the US… Naval Attaché at US Embassy, Lieutenant Commander Jessica De Mont was present’
– island.lk/us-senator-in-colombo/
– island.lk/us-senator-meets-sln-chief/
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/8/29/us-to-explore-sri-lanka%E2%80%99s-economic-recovery
– island.lk/president-ranil-wickremesinghe-met-us-senator-chris-van-hollen-in-kandy-today-30/
• Indonesia Defense Minister calls US Embassy ‘Joint Press Statement’ against China a fake
– moonofalabama.org/2023/09/as-the-us-wages-war-on-it-china-reacts
• Indian National Defence College (NDC delegation meets SL Minister of Defence Tennakoon
‘Led by Rear Admiral Sanjay Sachdeva, with Brig. Rajat Kumar and Col. Ushakov Rusian Leonidovich and Assistant Defence Advisor to the Indian High Commision Lt. Col. Puneet Sushil’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/28/indian-ndc-delegation-meets-sl-state-minister-of-defence/
• Commemoration of 50 years of association between NDC, India and Sri Lanka Armed Forces
– island.lk/commemoration-of-50-years-of-association-between-ndc-india-and-sri-lanka-armed-forces/
• Indian warship in Colombo ahead of War Minister visit to Sri Lanka on Saturday (2)
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/indian-warship-in-colombo-ahead-of-defence-minister-visit-to-sri-lanka-on-saturday-2
• INS ‘Delhi’ arrives in Colombo
– island.lk/ins-delhi-arrives-in-colombo/
• Trincomalee transfer, eastern endowment: Ranil as Yeltsin – Jayatilleka
– ft.lk/columns/Trincomalee-transfer-eastern-endowment-Ranil-as-Yeltsin/4-752408
• Indian war minister’s visit deferred at last minute
– themorning.lk/articles/pEhfinWVlIoWamXDYQqe
– sundaytimes.lk/online/news-online/Indian-Defence-Ministers-visit-deferred-at-last-minute/2-1143068
– dailymirror.lk/top-story/Visit-of-Indian-Defence-Minister-deferred/155-266461
• Indian defence minister’s Sri Lanka visit deferred within hours of official announcement
– economynext.com/indian-defence-ministers-sri-lanka-visit-deferred-within-hours-of-official-announcement-129850/
• Indian Defence Minister in SL to review bilateral ties
‘Minister Rajnath Singh will also visit Nuwara Eliya and Trincomalee during the two-day visit.’
– themorning.lk/articles/fI4iG30DOUdnFNHHPpYr
• India increases financial allocation for implementation of grant projects
– sundaytimes.lk/online/news-online/India-increases-financial-allocation-for-implementation-of-grant-projects/2-1143055
• Committed to safeguard the unitary state – Prime Minister
– island.lk/pm-reiterates-commitment-to-unitary-character-of-state/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/committed-to-safeguard-the-unitary-state-prime-minister/
• Modern Ramsethu: An Unlikely Bridge To Sri Lanka
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/modern-ramsethu-an-unlikely-bridge-to-sri-lanka-analysis/
• Sinister forces behind attempts to create communal disharmony at Kurundi – Govt.
– island.lk/sinister-forces-behind-attempts-to-create-communal-disharmony-at-kurundi-govt/
• Sharp eye on attempts to rouse communal passion but no foreign intelligence on the subject
– island.lk/sharp-eye-on-attempts-to-rouse-communal-passion-but-no-foreign-intelligence-on-the-subject/
• Why was there no Jaffna debate between Hindus and Christians? – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2023/08/blog-post_27.html
• Sinhala Buddhist nationality and the Tamil Vellala aristocracy – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2023/08/blog-post_28.html
– kalaya.org/2023/08/blog-post_30.html
• CWC Eastern Province Governor stops Trinco Boralukanda Rajamaha Vihara construction
– kalaya.org/2023/08/blog-post_29.html
• Minister of Buddhasasana countermands EP Governor directive over Boralukanda Rajamaha Viharaya
– island.lk/minister-of-buddhasasana-countermands-directive-given-by-ep-governor-over-boralukanda-rajamaha-viharaya/
• 150 years ago a monk set out on a mission to challenge missionaries
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/150-years-ago-a-monk-set-out-on-a-mission-to-challenge-missionaries-530371.html
• Buddhist Viharas & Eelam Parts 6, 7 & 8
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/buddhist-viharas-and-eelam-part-6/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/buddhist-viharas-and-eelam-part-7/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/buddhist-viharas-and-eelam-part-8/
• Mahanayakas want continued probes into ‘religious insults’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/mahanayakas-want-continued-probes-into-religious-insults/
• Tamil Colonization of Sinhala Lands Part 1
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/tamil-colonization-of-sinhala-lands-part-1/
• Julie Chung Rewrites History of Mannar – Sena Thoradeniya
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/julie-chung-re-writes-history-of-mannar/
• Is US Envoy Meddling in Domestic Issues: Vienna Convention?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/is-us-envoy-meddling-in-dometictic-issues/
• Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit Trincomalee shortly
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/indias-envoy-to-be-in-colombo-has-his-task-cut-out-analysis/
• N.Q. Dias and Tamil Separatism
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/n-q-dias-and-tamil-separatism/
• 1962 – Letter from N. Q. Dias (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence and External Affairs) to S. J. V. Chelvanayakam MP
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/28/1962-letter-from-n-q-dias-permanent-secretary-ministry-of-defence-and-external-affairs-to-s-j-v-chelvanayakam-mp/
• Cardinal Ranjith calls for referendum before building bridge linking India and Sri Lanka
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/cardinal-ranjith-calls-for-referendum-before-building-bridge-linking-india-and-sri-lanka/
• Signing of Indo-Lanka Agreement: JR tells Rajiv “We can forgive but we cannot forget”
– island.lk/events-leading-to-the-signing-of-the-indo-lanka-agreement/
• 7 of 13 legal parties in North and East ask for full implementation of India’s 13th Amendment
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/setback-for-sjbs-alliance-moves-as-dullas-woos-wimals-group-and-jvp-530767.html
• Provincial Councils to resolve ethnic conflict due to India’s intervention in July 1987
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/setback-for-sjbs-alliance-moves-as-dullas-woos-wimals-group-and-jvp-530767.html
• Principal beneficiaries of India’s intervention in July 1987 are Tamil political parties.
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/setback-for-sjbs-alliance-moves-as-dullas-woos-wimals-group-and-jvp-530767.html
• How and why the LTTE helped Mahinda defeat Ranil in Nov. 2005
‘Wickremesinghe had to be supported to prevent anticipated Sinhala Buddhist hegemony and consequent war.’
– ft.lk/columns/How-and-why-the-LTTE-helped-Mahinda-defeat-Ranil-in-Nov-2005/4-752204
• LTTE’s enforced boycott in 2005 led to its downfall in 2009
– ft.lk/columns/LTTE-s-enforced-boycott-in-2005-led-to-its-downfall-in-2009/4-752377
• Election preparations must not stall reconciliation process: USAID NPC
– island.lk/election-preparations-must-not-stall-reconciliation-process/
• Scamming Indian supplier of SL liquor stickers gets digital ID card contract
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/indian-supplier-of-sl-liquor-stickers-gets-digital-id-card-contract-530430.html
• The Rajiv/JR Accord of 29th July 1987and its illegitimate Indian child, the 13th A are imminent disasters that should be abolished immediately at least now.
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/the-rajiv-jr-accord-of-29th-july-1987and-its-illegitimate-indian-child-the-13th-a-are-imminent-disasters-that-should-be-abolished-immediately-at-least-now/
• The Sri Lankan Crisis; Colonial conspiracies, myths and fallacies invented by the Tamils
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/the-sri-lankan-crisis-colonial-conspiracies-myths-and-fallacies-invented-by-the-tamils/
• 23rd Ministerial Council meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in October
– economynext.com/indian-ocean-rim-association-to-meet-in-sri-lanka-129514/
• Neighbours Across an Ocean – Balachandran (2022)
– thecitizen.in/world/brics-faces-a-bleak-future-956745?
• Rockefeller Pathfinder Foundation at the ‘The Eighth Research Institute for Indian Ocean (RIIO) International Conference on Common Development of China and Indian Ocean region’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/pathfinder-foundation-participates-at-the-the-eighth-riio-international-conference-on-common-development-of-china-and-indian-ocean-region/
– ft.lk/business/Pathfinder-Foundation-participates-at-8th-RIIO-int-l-conference-on-development-of-China-Indian-Ocean-region/34-752495
• High Commissioner Moragoda calls on Indian Minister of Road Transport & Highways
– island.lk/high-commissioner-moragoda-pays-farewell-call-on-indian-minister-of-road-transport-and-highways-nitin-gadkari/
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/high-commissioner-moragoda-pays-farewell-call-on-indian-minister-of-road-transport-and-highways-nitin-gadkari/
• HC Moragoda meets Chief Minister and Governor during official visit to Odisha
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/hc-moragoda-meets-chief-minister-and-governor-during-official-visit-to-odisha-530644.html
• Indian HC Moragoda explains ‘India-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership Vision’ document
– island.lk/hc-moragoda-explains-eco-integration-road-map/
• Sri Lanka approves request to dock Chinese research ship ‘Shi Yan 6’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/sri-lanka-approves-request-to-dock-chinese-research-ship-shi-yan-6/
• Sri Lanka to allow Chinese research vessel to visit
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-to-allow-chinese-research-vessel-to-visit-129676/
• Bid to locate Admiral Zheng’s sunken vessels runs into controversy
– island.lk/bid-to-locate-admiral-zhengs-sunken-vessels-runs-into-controversy/
• Lankan High Commissioner in Kenya joins Election Observer Team for Zimbabwe
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/lankan-high-commissioner-in-kenya-joins-election-observer-team-for-zimbabwe-530641.html
– island.lk/lankan-hc-in-kenya-joins-distinguished-election-observer-team-for-zimbabwe/
• France offers ‘third way’ as Sri Lanka balances China, India ties. But is it ‘late to the party’?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/france-offers-third-way-as-sri-lanka-balances-china-india-ties-but-is-it-late-to-the-party/
• Dutch delegation here to oversee return of Kandyan Kingdom loot
‘Dutch State Secretary for Culture and Media, Gunay Uslu, Barbera Wolfensberger, Director General Culture & Media, Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You (Chairperson Dutch Colonial Collections Committee) & Alicia Schrikker (Committee member).’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/dutch-delegation-here-to-oversee-return-of-kandyan-kingdom-loot-530844.html
• Dutch State Secretary visits Sri Lanka to sign ownership transfer of looted treasure
– island.lk/dutch-state-secretary-visits-sri-lanka-to-sign-ownership-transfer-of-looted-treasure/
• Newly appointed English, German and Italian diplomatic envoys
– island.lk/newly-appointed-diplomatic-envoys-present-credentials-to-president-wickremesinghe/
• US Resident Representative to SL reaffirms UN’s continued support to SL’s development
– themorning.lk/articles/73EuHvlDNdF42L4srh8W
• Expert consultation to review LKI’s research program
– ft.lk/business/Expert-consultation-to-review-LKI-s-research-program/34-752492
– island.lk/expert-consultation-held-to-review-lkis-research-programme/
• “Navigating Sri Lanka’s Foreign Relations in a Turbulent World”
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Navigating-Sri-Lankas-Foreign-Relations-in-a-Turbulent-World/172-266199
• High Commission of Canada announces 2023-2024 Canada Fund for Local Initiatives recipients
‘promoting LGBTQIA+ rights and preventing gender-based violence’
– ft.lk/business/The-High-Commission-of-Canada-announces-2023-2024-Canada-Fund-for-Local-Initiatives-recipients/34-752491
• G77 & China at Sept 15 Havana Summit: ‘Current challenges of development. Role of science, technology & innovation’
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/nacionales/332798-g77-and-china-summit-in-havana-looking-toward-cop28-and-the-sdg-summit
• Full text of the Johannesburg BRICS Declaration published
– rt.com/news/581814-full-text-johannesburg-brics-declaration/
• 6 New Countries Join BRICS, Increased Proximity Among India, China, and Russia
– newsclick.in/6-new-countries-join-brics-increased-proximity-among-india-china-and-russia
• India, the reluctant BRICS traveller
– indianpunchline.com/india-the-reluctant-brics-traveller/
• BRICS: getting bigger, but is it any stronger? – Roberts
– thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2023/08/24/brics-getting-bigger-but-is-it-any-stronger/
• BRICS Expansion is Positive – But Not a Coherent Challenge to US Power – Morning Star
– blackagendareport.com/brics-expansion-positive-not-coherent-challenge-us-power
• Manipur Muslims want State Intact, Demand Accountability for Devastation
– newsclick.in/manipur-muslims-want-state-intact-demand-accountability-devastation
• Putin, Jinping Not Attending G20: Modi Sole Voice of Global South?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/putin-jinping-not-attending-g20-modi-sole-voice-of-global-south/
• Singapore elects Tharman Shanmugaratnam, descendant of Sri Lankan Tamils, as President
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/2/singapore-elects-tharman-shanmugaratnam-descendant-of-sri-lankan-tamils-as-president
• As the U.S. Wages War on it, China Reacts with Defiance
‘buying time to move maximum U.S. military hardware as close to the mainland as possible under the program the Defense Department named a few years ago the Pacific Defense Initiative, the PDI.’
– moonofalabama.org/2023/09/as-the-us-wages-war-on-it-china-reacts
• Huawei Chips Demonstrate the Perils of Technology Protectionism
– moonofalabama.org/2023/08/huawei-chips-demonstrate-the-perils-of-technology-protectionism-.html
• Iran foils sabotage plot against its defense industry
“Under direct orders from Mossad, this network, by selling the equipped parts, intended to convert the produced missiles into explosive devices to harm industrial lines and employees working in this field.”
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332821-iran-foils-sabotage-plot-against-its-defense-industry
• Blue Flag Over Las Anod: A Victory for Somali Nationalists
– blackagendareport.com/blue-flag-over-las-anod-victory-somali-nationalists
• Communist Party of Kenya: Government must rescind proposal to send 1,000 police to Haiti
‘Use a Black face to brutalize Haiti or any other nation by the members of the Core Group, with representatives of the UN, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, European Union, the US, and OAS’
– blackagendareport.com/challenging-imperialism-communist-party-kenya-stands-solidarity-justice-and-equality-haitian-people
• Did the U.S./ NATO kill Prigozhin of Wagner?
– john365.substack.com/p/did-the-us-nato-kill-prigozhin-of?
• Russia inherits Prigozhin’s African odyssey
– indianpunchline.com/russia-inherits-prigozhins-african-odyssey/
• Western Pressure mounts on Gabon ‘junta’ to relinquish power after coup
– reuters.com/world/africa/gabon-opposition-calls-pressure-junta-hand-power-civilians-2023-09-01/
• Military junta restricts activity of UN and international NGOs in Niger
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332894-military-junta-restricts-activity-of-international-organizations-in-niger
• Niger’s military rulers order police to expel French ambassador
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332822-nigers-military-rulers-order-police-to-expel-french-ambassador
• Tens of Thousands Pledge to Resist an Imperialist-backed Intervention in Niger
– blackagendareport.com/tens-thousands-pledge-resist-imperialist-backed-intervention-niger-0
• African Connection of Atom Bomb That Destroyed Hiroshima
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/african-connection-of-atom-bomb-that-destroyed-hiroshima/
• Lula insists the IMF should convert African debts into infrastructure
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332761-lula-insists-the-imf-should-convert-african-debts-into-infrastructure
• U.S. Embassy in Haiti calls on citizens to leave the country
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332819-us-embassy-in-haiti-calls-on-citizens-to-leave-the-country
• No to Blackface imperialism. Yes to Haitian Sovereignty
‘US, UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), and Core Group desperately searching for any multilateral institution to lead this invasion, be it the UN Security Council, Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)…’
– blackagendareport.com/no-blackface-imperialism-yes-haitian-sovereignty
• Family of English prime minister Gladstone apologizes for links to African and Indian slavery in Guyana
‘William’s father, John, was one of the largest slaveholders in the parts of the Caribbean colonised by England. He…owned two ships that transported thousands of Asians from India and elsewhere to work as indentured labourers after the abolition of slavery in 1834’
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332671-family-of-former-british-prime-minister-apologizes-for-links-to-slavery
• President-elect of Guatemala denounces ongoing coup d’état
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332968-president-elect-of-guatemala-denounces-ongoing-coup-detat
• The U.S. Has No Alternative to Adjusting to A Multipolar World
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/the-u-s-has-no-alternative-to-adjusting-to-a-multipolar-world/
*
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D2. 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.
• India’s overhyped security concerns over Chinese vessels in Lankan waters
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Indias-overhyped-security-concerns-over-Chinese-vessels-in-Lankan-waters/172-266402
• Fresh CID probe underway based on Karannagoda report
– island.lk/fresh-cid-probe-underway-based-on-karannagoda-report/
• Did President RW trespass on independence of the Judiciary? No! – Ralapanawe
– ft.lk/columns/Did-President-RW-trespass-on-independence-of-the-Judiciary/4-752336
• Worrying over devolution of Police powers? – Austin Fernando
– ft.lk/columns/Worrying-over-devolution-of-Police-powers/4-752498
• Police department is working on a non-political agenda
– island.lk/police-department-is-working-on-a-non-political-agenda-minister/
• Name group which supported Easter Sunday bombers: Cardinal
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/name-group-which-supported-easter-sunday-bombers-cardinal/
• Minister Alles faults Church for denying govt. opportunity to sort out crucial issues
– island.lk/minister-alles-faults-church-for-denying-govt-opportunity-to-sort-out-crucial-issues/
• Sri Lanka police minister raps Catholic leaders for not revisiting Easter probe despite requests
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-police-minister-raps-catholic-leaders-for-not-revisiting-easter-probe-despite-requests-129455/
• Worrying about devolution of police powers? – Austin Fernando
– island.lk/worrying-about-devolution-of-police-powers/
• Draft bill of Anti -Terrorism Act to be revised
– island.lk/draft-bill-of-anti-terrorism-act-to-be-revised/
• Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers (ARFRO) Competition for military ‘middle managers’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/defence-secretary-awards-arfro-masterminds-winners/
• UN’s Franche reiterates concerns about missing persons
– island.lk/un-reiterates-concerns-about-missing-persons/
• UN bigwigs at JVP HQ
‘Permanent Resident Representative of the UN in Colombo Marc-Andre Franch, and Edward Rees, Development Adviser and Resident Coordinator of the UN Sri Lanka Office’
– island.lk/un-bigwigs-at-jvp-hq/
• Exposing the bias of Human Rights Commission not taking up the killing of MP Athukorala?
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/exposing-the-bias-of-human-rights-commission-of-sri-lanka-not-taking-up-the-killing-of-mp-amarakeerthi-athukorala/
• Scamming Indian supplier of SL liquor stickers gets digital ID card contract
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/indian-supplier-of-sl-liquor-stickers-gets-digital-id-card-contract-530430.html
• Liquor sticker security breach casts doubts about Indian company’s ID project bid
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/liquor-sticker-security-breach-casts-doubts-about-indian-companys-id-project-bid-530866.html
• Sri Lanka Plans Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for foreign military ships wanting to call
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/indias-envoy-to-be-in-colombo-has-his-task-cut-out-analysis
• Wijeyadasa: No govt. has followed national disaster guidelines for past 18 yrs
– island.lk/wijeyadasa-no-govt-has-followed-national-disaster-guidelines-for-past-18-yrs/
• Law College facing prospect of closure, warns principal
– island.lk/law-college-facing-prospect-of-closure-warns-principal/
• Sri Lanka’s law-making in the devil’s playground
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/sri-lankas-law-making-in-the-devils-playground-530652.html
• Underworld hit jobs account for many homicides this year
– island.lk/underworld-hit-jobs-account-for-many-homicides-this-year/
• National Police Commission (NPC) publishes new rules for public complaints against police
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/npc-publishes-new-rules-for-public-complaints-against-police-530857.html
• Review of Rohan Gunaratna’s Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community
– island.lk/review-of-rohan-gunaratnas-sri-lankas-easter-sunday-massacre-lessons-for-the-international-community/
• Russia’s New Superjet (SJ-100) Completes Successful First Test Flight
‘We can develop and produce modern civilian planes using our own technology, without relying on imported solutions’
– airlinerwatch.com/2023/08/New-Superjet-Completes-First-Test-Flight.html
• Big Serge On The Summer Campaign In Ukraine
– moonofalabama.org/2023/08/big-serge-on-the-summer-campaign-in-ukraine.html
• Escaping Attrition: Ukraine Rolls the Dice
– bigserge.substack.com/p/escaping-attrition-ukraine-rolls
• Joanne Little on Trial for Killing white Prison Guard rapist: 1975
– blackagendareport.com/editorial-joanne-little-american-goes-trial-freedomways-1975
• US gun and racist violence often wrongly attributed to mental illness
– blackagendareport.com/gun-violence-and-racism
• Latest Grifting by US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Is Just Tip of the Iceberg
– wallstreetonparade.com/2023/09/latest-grifting-by-supreme-court-justice-clarence-thomas-is-just-tip-of-the-iceberg/
*
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D3. 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.
• SLC (Sri Lanka Cricket), cryptocurrency and repealing of time-tested law
‘Who wanted to repeal Exchange Control Act No 24 of 1953? Did repealing that time-tested Act contribute to the collapse of the national economy in 2022?’
– island.lk/slc-cryptocurrency-and-repealing-of-time-tested-law/
• IMF master coming to check report card – Sunday Times Editorial
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/editorial/imf-master-coming-to-check-report-card-530761.html
• SJB & UNP have same Economic Policies
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/setback-for-sjbs-alliance-moves-as-dullas-woos-wimals-group-and-jvp-530767.html
• Crisis in Sri Lanka & the World: Colonial & Neoliberal Origins: Ecological & Collective Alternatives – ISAS
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/crisis-in-sri-lanka-the-world-colonial-neoliberal-origins-ecological-collective-alternatives/
• Vulnerabilities & Impact on People of Sri Lanka: Latest UNDP National Citizen Survey 2022-2023’s Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)
‘released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the University of Oxford’s Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).’
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/vulnerabilities-impact-on-people-of-sri-lanka-latest-undp-report
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/data-on-poverty-and-vulnerability-essential-for-effective-planning-prime-minister/
– island.lk/undp-report-on-vulnerability-factors-handed-over-to-govt/
• Hunger is the norm in Sri Lanka now
– ft.lk/columns/Debt-for-nurture-swaps-Sri-Lanka-s-children-need-help/4-752443
• India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to lead to SL becoming a cashless economy: Deloitte
– ft.lk/columns/Impact-of-India-s-UPI-in-the-economic-recovery-of-Sri-Lanka/4-752513
• Need for A Windfall Tax – Sugath Kulatunga
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/need-for-a-windfall-tax/
• Sri Lanka’s long road to economic stability through foreign debt restructuring – Srilal Perera
‘Any non-compliance or variance from [IMF] will further harm the nation irreparably.’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/sri-lankas-long-road-to-economic-stability-through-foreign-debt-restructuring-530604.html
• Impact of foreign debt restructuring on the country’s external finances – Sanderatne
‘The Achilles Heal in the debt restructuring is the country’s debt to international banks and financial institutions…. If the IMF reform programme is derailed by the forthcoming elections next year,…’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/impact-of-foreign-debt-restructuring-on-the-countrys-external-finances-530657.html
• Target 2048 – Part VII: Develop a knowledge-based innovative economy – Wijewardena
– ft.lk/columns/Target-2048-Part-VII-Develop-a-knowledge-based-innovative-economy/4-752288
• Along with thriving plantations – tea, rubber & coconut – English gave us prosperous economy and higher welfare standards – Abeyratne
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/economy-cornered-with-elections-round-the-corner-530415.html
• US Expert Tells Sri Lanka to consider debt for nature swaps as part of debt restructuring deal
– dailymirror.lk/business/SL-told-to-consider-debt-for-nature-swaps-as-part-of-debt-restructuring-deal/215-266428
• Thailand lost much defending foreign exchange during crisis – former Governor, Bank of Thailand
‘bright future for Sri Lanka if the government is committed to carrying out the reforms’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/young-sri-lankans-concerned-about-their-future-says-former-bank-of-thailand-chief-530412.html
• Riots a Familiar Story to Tax Economist; Protest in British Guiana Caused by Kaldor’s Plan, Ghana, Ceylon & India Also React to His Proposals Plan Brings Riots, ‘Tax Havens’ Cited (1962)
– nytimes.com/1962/02/20/archives/riots-are-a-familiar-story-to-tax-economist-protest-in-british.html
• Public assets: The development gateway for Sri Lanka – Dag Detter
– ft.lk/columns/How-to-avoid-undue-transfer-of-public-wealth-to-the-private-sector/4-752411
• How to avoid undue transfer of public wealth to the private sector – Dag Detter
– ft.lk/columns/How-to-avoid-undue-transfer-of-public-wealth-to-the-private-sector/4-752411
• BRICS: getting bigger, but is it any stronger? – Roberts
– thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2023/08/24/brics-getting-bigger-but-is-it-any-stronger/
• Addendum: 1% of all adults in the world own 44.5% of all personal wealth, while more than 52% have only 1.2% – Roberts
– thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2023/08/24/addendum-1-of-all-adults-in-the-world-own-44-5-of-all-personal-wealth-while-more-than-52-have-only-1-2/
• Navigating by the stars under cloudy skies – and holed below the water line – Roberts
‘Supply or demand? Rocketing energy and food prices caused by the collapse of supply chains internationally, very low productivity growth and the loss of skilled workers after the pandemic.’
– thenextrecession.wordpress.com/2023/08/27/navigating-by-the-stars-under-cloudy-skies-and-holed-below-the-water-line/
• The global order’s triple policy challenge – WB
‘reviving private capital inflows into low- and middle-income countries is a prerequisite for success.’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/the-global-orders-triple-policy-challenge-530650.html
*
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D4. 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.
• Power of Parliament subjugated to IMF dictates – JVP
‘when the Opposition requested a 2-day debate on Central Bank Amendment Bill, the government had said not possible and that if the debate went for 2 days, it would affect timeframe set by the IMF’
– island.lk/power-of-parliament-subjugated-to-imf-dictates-jvp/
• Govt. hikes fuel prices across the board
– ft.lk/front-page/Govt-hikes-fuel-prices-across-the-board/44-752470
• Sri Lanka hikes petrol to Rs361, diesel to Rs341
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-hikes-petrol-to-rs361-diesel-to-rs341-129723/
• Bus fares increased by 4.01%: National Transport Commission
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/bus-fares-increased-by-4-01-new-bus-fares-announced-by-ntc
– island.lk/increase-in-bus-fare/
• US govt may intervene in Hamilton Reserve Bank bond case: Foreign Media
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/2/us-govt-may-intervene-in-hamilton-reserve-bank-bond-case-foreign-media
• Raise a glass to freedom . . . from debt restructurings
‘long delays caused by official sector squabbling are creating new strategic options for private creditors’
– ft.com/content/fc34471b-48ba-4825-a0f1-3dccabb1e855
• Hamilton Bank Redux
‘The US government has outright asked the court to stay the lawsuit (though without explicitly saying what it is concerned about). We are skeptical the judge will grant an outright stay, but perhaps there is room for a little foot dragging…?’
– podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clauses-controversies/id1528208049
• A Sri Lankan debt twist – The US government Has Some Thoughts
– ft.com/content/2f68ec92-0473-4ebf-bd1c-cd810732a857
• Pressure mounting on banks to lower interest rates
– island.lk/pressure-mounting-on-banks-to-lower-interest-rates/
• Foreign debt restructuring: A breather for Sri Lanka to repair its low reserve buffers
– island.lk/foreign-debt-restructuring-a-breather-for-sri-lanka-to-repair-its-low-reserve-buffers/
• Colombo inflation dips further to 4% in August
– themorning.lk/articles/eqsYvjz9eJzIscQ48iZy
• Sri Lanka inflation at 4.0-pct in August 2023 as some prices fall
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-inflation-at-4-0-pct-in-august-2023-as-some-prices-fall-129697/
• August inflation moderates as food price gains slow
– ft.lk/front-page/August-inflation-moderates-as-food-price-gains-slow/44-752472
• Sri Lanka services exports up 17.3-pct to USS1,228mn to July
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-services-exports-up-17-3-pct-to-uss1228mn-to-july-129682/
• July imports surge by 7.8% YoY to $ 1.36 b
– ft.lk/top-story/July-imports-surge-by-7-8-YoY-to-1-36-b/26-752531
• Sri Lanka BOP surplus in July 2023 as exports fall 12-pct, imports up 8-pct
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-bop-surplus-in-july-2023-as-exports-fall-12-pct-imports-up-8-pct-129745/
• Sri Lanka exports down 11.9-pct in July, India up 29-pct
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-exports-down-11-9-pct-in-july-india-up-29-pct-129486/
• Cumulative trade deficit from January – July 2023 ‘significantly low’
– island.lk/cumulative-trade-deficit-from-january-july-2023-significantly-low/
• Authorities set to create Bad Loans Bank
‘to take over the toxic assets of the banks, and ring-fence these assets for the banks to move forward.. the NPL ratio at end 2022 was at 11.3%, which increased to 12.7% in Q1 2023 and to 13.3% by May..’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/authorities-set-to-create-bad-loans-bank-530433.html
• ADB approves $350 mn for Sri Lanka Economic Stabilization Programme
– island.lk/adb-approves-350-mn-for-sri-lanka-economic-stabilization-programme/
• Sri Lanka’s central bank makes more than Rs500bn in profits to June 2023: analysis
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-central-bank-makes-more-than-rs500bn-in-profits-to-june-2023-analysis-129327/
• Central Bank issues order reducing interest rates on lending products
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/central-bank-issues-order-reducing-interest-rates-on-lending-products/
• Sri Lanka pays another $ 100 Mn to Bangladesh; Balance $50 Mn to be paid within this year
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/sri-lanka-pays-another-100-mn-to-bangladesh-balance-50-mn-to-be-paid-within-this-year
– sundaytimes.lk/online/news-online/Sri-Lanka-pays-back-75-of-Bangladeshs-200-million-loan-report/2-1143056
• Govt. to impose IMF taxes all the way until you die
‘Wealth Tax, Inheritance Tax, Gift Tax and Capital Gains Tax that has already received Cabinet approval, KPMG Tax and Regulatory Principal Suresh Perera said…’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/govt-to-impose-taxes-all-the-way-until-you-die-530436.html
• Value Added Tax Act No. 14 of 2002 revised
– island.lk/value-added-tax-act-no-14-of-2002-revised/
• Sri Lanka cabinet clears bill to abolish Simplified VAT (SVAT) system
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-cabinet-clears-bill-to-abolish-svat-129508/
• Inland Revenue Department (IRD) takes new measures against corruption
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/ird-takes-new-measures-against-corruption-530869.html
• UNDP recommends GoSL realign and leverage taxes to achieve the SDGs in Lanka
– island.lk/undp-provides-recommendations-to-gosl-on-realigning-and-leveraging-taxes-to-achieve-the-sdgs-in-lanka/
*
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D5. 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
• Class Struggle and Civil War – Nalin de Silva
– kalaya.org/2023/08/blog-post_31.html
• More than 500,000 Sri Lankan workers join Wednesday’s national strike against IMF Austerity
– wsws.org/en/articles/2023/03/17/ikng-m17.html
• Sri Lanka opposition-affiliated unions protest IMF prescribed debt restructuring plans
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-opposition-affiliated-unions-protest-imf-prescribed-debt-restructuring-plans-129523/
• TUs oppose new IMF labour law reforms
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/tus-oppose-new-labour-law-reforms-530427.html
• Opposition activists barred from entering some parts of Colombo
‘the Presidential Secretariat, President’s House, Finance Ministry premises, Central Bank, etc.’
– island.lk/opposition-activists-barred-from-entering-some-parts-of-colombo/
• Sri Lanka DDR, EPF protestors offered meeting central bank says
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-ddr-epf-protestors-offered-meeting-central-bank-says-129469/
• Imposing 30% tax on EPF/ETF makes workers paupers – AOG UNP/SJB Eran
– island.lk/imposing-30-tax-on-epf-etf-makes-workers-paupers-eran/
• Right to Information Commission declares BASL subject to RTI Act
– ft.lk/front-page/RTI-commission-declares-BASL-subject-to-RTI-Act/44-752528
• Worldwide Responsible Accreditation Production (WRAP) certifies new SL labour law reforms
– island.lk/sri-lankas-apparel-industry-remains-consistent-in-compliance-and-sustainability-wrap-chief-avedis-seferian/
• Sri Lanka hikes petrol to Rs361, diesel to Rs341
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-hikes-petrol-to-rs361-diesel-to-rs341-129723/
• Bus fares increased by 4.01%: National Transport Commission
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/bus-fares-increased-by-4-01-new-bus-fares-announced-by-ntc
• Sri Lanka can’t reduce water charges, economical usage encouraged: State minister
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-cant-reduce-water-charges-economical-usage-encouraged-state-minister-129779/
• Aswesuma’ failed for want of proper survey – SJB
– island.lk/aswesuma-failed-for-want-of-proper-survey-sjb/
• Aswesuma: State banks open on Wednesday (A30) for 800,000 families to access funds
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/8/29/aswesuma-state-banks-open-on-wednesday-to-access-funds
• GL slams Speaker for ruling on debt restructuring resolution
– island.lk/gl-slams-speaker-for-ruling-on-debt-restructuring-resolution/
• Solve administrative problems of Samurdhi officers before upcoming budget – Prime Minister
– island.lk/solve-the-administrative-problems-of-samurdhi-officers-before-the-upcoming-budget-prime-minister/
• Banks deliver serious killer blow to senior citizens under the DDR/DDO
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/letters-to-the-editor-530337.html
• Three more policemen remanded over maid’s death at teledrama producer’s house
– dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/Three-more-policemen-remanded-over-maids-death-at-teledrama-producers-house/108-266455
• Deeds for doctors of Vedagama traditional medicine village
– island.lk/deeds-for-doctors-of-vedagama-traditional-medicine-village/
• At least 1,000 lecturers urgently needed
– island.lk/at-least-1000-lecturers-urgently-needed/
• Country fast running out of dons to keep universities ticking
– island.lk/country-fast-running-out-of-dons-to-keep-universities-ticking/
• USAID’s National Peace Council (NPC) demands higher wages for plantation workers
– island.lk/npc-demands-higher-wages-for-plantation-workers/
• Way forward for plantations: A call for collaborative transformation
– island.lk/way-forward-for-plantations-a-call-for-collaborative-transformation/
• Tea estate community exhibition on history of Malaiyaga Tamils (tea estate community)’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/tea-estate-community-530442.html
• Sri Lanka tea plantations claim support growing for new wage model
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-tea-plantations-claim-support-growing-for-new-wage-model-129824/
• Planters Association commends growing Ceylon Workers’ Congress support for reforms towards a Revenue Share Model
– sundaytimes.lk/online/news-online/Planters-Association-commends-growing-support-for-reforms-towards-a-Revenue-Share-Model/2-1143062
• Sri Lanka migrant worker departures slightly down in 2Q, passport issues still high
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-migrant-worker-departures-slightly-down-in-2q-passport-issues-still-high-129726/
• Sri Lanka sees sharp increase in workers’ remittances in July 2023
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/sri-lanka-sees-sharp-increase-in-workers-remittances-in-july-2023/
• Pan Asia Bank facilitates worker remittances thru Western Union, Ria, or Small World
– ft.lk/business/Pan-Asia-Bank-facilitates-worker-remittances/34-752493
• On-arrival visas for Indians and Chinese, but Lankans don’t receive reciprocity
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/dep-speaker-gets-tough-mps-like-this-can-be-found-in-jungles-530819.html
• Vocational training to make kosu-idal (brooms and ekel-brooms) impractical
‘But the competition from bigger manufacturers and also the distance to his home had been too much’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/hope-of-a-little-boutique-brings-light-to-his-life-530350.html
• Buonavista College
– island.lk/school-meeting-point-of-the-past-present-and-future/
• Formal training for preschool teachers and teaching assistants – State Minister
– island.lk/formal-training-for-preschool-teachers-and-teaching-assistants-state-minister/
• The Scapegoating of Humanities and Social Sciences: A Convenient Cover-up?
– island.lk/the-scapegoating-of-humanities-and-social-sciences-a-convenient-cover-up/
• Korea aid agency KOICA Knowledge Dissemination for University of Sri Jayawardenapura
– island.lk/koica-akofe-knowledge-dissemination-programme-2023/
• England to provide grants for health support and fellowships to Sri Lanka
‘Deputy High Commissioner Lisa Whanstall was accompanied by a delegation from Fleming Fund of England’s Department of Health and Social Care.
• International Education Center – Sugath Kulatunga.
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/international-education-center/
• The cynical logic of brain drain
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/The-cynical-logic-of-brain-drain/172-266249
• High cost of scuttling English language skills we once had – Goolbai Gunasekara
– island.lk/high-cost-of-scuttling-english-language-skills-we-once-had/
• Dutch feminist policy to help unlock female economic potential in Sri Lanka
‘a forum hosted by the Women’s Policy Action Network (a policy action group supported by the Netherlands) and US Advocata Institute on August 30’
– economynext.com/dutch-feminist-policy-to-help-unlock-female-economic-potential-in-sri-lanka-129702/
• EducationUSA Fair by US Fulbright Commission shills 13 US colleges and universities
– island.lk/u-s-university-fair-in-colombo-on-sept-05-at-bmich/
• Presidential Commission on Youth (1990) chaired by Professor Lakshman Jayathilake
– island.lk/random-reflections-on-some-conversations-with-prof-jayathilake/
• From Royal Ironsmiths to Homeless Nomads, Gadia Lohars’ Decline Has Been Drastic
‘Lohars served as blacksmiths in Maharana Pratap’s army in Mewar… They then took to travelling across India by bullock cart, crafting and repairing agricultural tools and kitchenware for villagers…’
– newsclick.in/royal-ironsmiths-homeless-nomads-gadia-lohars-decline-has-been-drastic
• Rich Percussion of Craftsmanship, Heritage Echoes in Telangana
– newsclick.in/rich-percussion-craftsmanship-heritage-echoes-telangana
• The Countries with the Most STEM Graduates
‘China had 4.7 million recent STEM graduates in 2016. India, another academic powerhouse, had 2.6 million new STEM graduates last year’
– forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/02/02/the-countries-with-the-most-stem-graduates-infographic
• France: Voices from Below
‘in… the social movement against the French government’s pension reform (setting the legal retirement age at 64 years instead of 62), official discourse has been constantly commented on…’
– socialistproject.ca/2023/08/france-voices-from-below/
• Modern US meritocracy excludes people on the basis of academic achievement
– nytimes.com/2023/08/02/opinion/trump-meritocracy-educated.html
• Corporations hoarding homes thank Canadians for enthusiastically blaming immigration
– thebeaverton.com/2023/08/corporations-hoarding-homes-thank-canadians-for-enthusiastically-blaming-immigration/
• When Trans Activism Becomes Government Policy
‘Le May, who identifies as “transmasculine non-binary,” is seeking a phalloplasty (an artificial penis) but not a vaginectomy (vagina removal). In other words, Le May is a biological woman who wants to have both a vagina and a penis, at taxpayer expense.’
– quillette.com/2023/08/21/when-trans-activism-becomes-government-policy/
• Former Teacher Shani Robinson Tells Her Story of Prosecution By Fani Willis
– blackagendareport.com/former-teacher-shani-robinson-tells-her-story-prosecution-fani-willis
• Hollywood Workers are Fighting to Save Creativity in Entertainment
– newsclick.in/hollywood-workers-are-fighting-save-creativity-entertainment
*
______________________________________________________________________
D6. 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.
• Sun directly overhead Kovilan point and Mallakam (Jaffna District) today (28)
– island.lk/sun-directly-overhead-kovilan-point-and-mallakam-jaffna-district-about-12-11-noon-today-28/
– island.lk/sun-directly-above-some-places-in-sl/
• Sun directly overhead Palavi (Kilinochchi District) & Chalai (Mulathivu District) today (29)
– island.lk/the-sun-directly-overhead-palavi-kilinochchi-district-and-chalai-mulathivu-district-at-12-11-noon-today-29/
• Sun directly overhead near Adappankulam (Vavuniya District), Dutuwewa (Anuradhapura District) and Nilaveli (Trincomalee District) about 12.11 noon today (31)
– island.lk/sun-directly-overhead-near-adappankulam-vavuniya-district-dutuwewa-anuradhapura-district-and-nilaveli-trincomalee-district-about-12-11-noon-today-31/
• Drought costs 4.3% of Yala crop
– island.lk/drought-costs-4-3-of-yala-crop/
• Drought deals second blow as Sri Lanka struggles back from crisis
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/drought-deals-second-blow-as-sri-lanka-struggles-back-from-crisis/
• No set plan for distribution of water resources for human consumption and irrigation
‘reports that despite warnings of the crisis by one ministry, it was not heeded by others.’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/tackling-the-water-crisis-530420.html
• Kattakaduwa reservoir drying up, water available for only few days
– island.lk/kattakaduwa-reservoir-drying-up-water-available-for-only-few-days/
• Dredge tanks and wewas before the rains
– island.lk/dredge-tanks-and-wewas-before-the-rains/
• Sri Lanka can’t reduce water charges, economical usage encouraged: State minister
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-cant-reduce-water-charges-economical-usage-encouraged-state-minister-129779/
• C. R. Panabokke: A Tribute
‘MF Chandraratne, AWR Joachim, Ernest Abeyratne, JWL Pieris CS Weeraratna, and Chris Panabokke, all of whose contributions to Agricultural Sciences are an indelible record’
– island.lk/c-r-panabokke-a-tribute/
• US Expert Tells Sri Lanka to consider debt for nature swaps as part of debt restructuring deal
– dailymirror.lk/business/SL-told-to-consider-debt-for-nature-swaps-as-part-of-debt-restructuring-deal/215-266428
• Sri Lanka abolishes wheat flour import licensing, hikes tax: Minister
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-abolishes-wheat-flour-import-licensing-hikes-tax-minister-129546/
• Govt. opens wheat flour imports to competition
– island.lk/govt-opens-wheat-flour-imports-to-competition/
• Sri Lanka food prices fall 30 to 40-pct, wheat taxes hiked to keep up rice prices
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-food-prices-fall-30-to-40-pct-wheat-taxes-hiked-to-keep-up-rice-prices-129567/
• India collaborates with Sri Lanka: Will millets make a comeback to the culinary tradition?
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/India-working-in-collaboration-with-Sri-Lanka-Will-millets-make-a-comeback-to-the-islands-culinary-tradition/172-266405
• Sudath Perera appointed Surveyor General
– island.lk/sudath-perera-appointed-surveyor-general/
• Raising Shakti 2023 dealer confab sets stage for agricultural innovation
‘Hosted by Indian agricultural machinery manufacturer Shaktiman with key partners Hayleys Agriculture, Overseas Automotive, DSL Holdings, and AMW, to sell the Sugar Cane Harvester 3737-Tejas and Paddy Transplanter’
– island.lk/raising-shakti-2023-dealer-confab-sets-stage-for-agricultural-innovation/
• Treasury has reduced the special commodity levy on imported eggs
‘So far only the state sector has been importing eggs from India. Egg prices have been dropping steadily after the removal of price controls and the import of eggs from India’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/customs-duty-on-imported-milk-powder-reimposed-530861.html
• 92.1 million more eggs to be imported from India
– island.lk/92-1-million-more-eggs-to-be-imported-from-india/
• Sri Lanka to import more eggs from India after price controls kill chicken
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-to-import-more-eggs-from-india-after-price-controls-kill-chicken-129852/
• Customs duty on imported milk powder reimposed
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/customs-duty-on-imported-milk-powder-reimposed-530861.html
• Export Agriculture Dept. earns over Rs. 86bn in first half of 2023
‘Crops such as cinnamon, cloves and black pepper have contributed mainly, while a lot of foreign exchange was also earned through the export of date palm’
– adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=93093
• Single entrepreneur – the difficult years and the Russian tea trade
– island.lk/single-entrepreneur-the-difficult-years-and-the-russian-trade/
• Chinese project to make charcoal from forest timber stirs Thanamalwila rage
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/chinese-project-to-make-charcoal-from-forest-timber-stirs-thanamalwila-rage-530849.html
• Ex-MEPA (Marine Environment Protection Authority) boss says X-Press Pearl insurer’s offer wholly inadequate
– island.lk/ex-mepa-boss-says-insurers-offer-wholly-inadequate/
• Some plastics used in SL hard to recycle
– island.lk/some-plastics-used-in-sl-hard-to-recycle/
• Deliberate attempts to provoke jumbos & create chaos? Video…
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/25/deliberate-attempts-to-provoke-jumbos-create-chaos-video/
• Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte Wetland Sanctuary Destroying another ‘Colombo Wetland’ in the guise of conservation
– dailymirror.lk/news-features/Sri-Jayawardenapura-Kotte-Wetland-Sanctuary-Destroying-another-Colombo-Wetland-in-the-guise-of-conservation/131-266317
• Wildlife Threats to Aviation Industry
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/27/wildlife-threats-to-aviation-industry/
• Why we, the public, need to understand Climate Change – I
– island.lk/why-we-the-public-need-to-understand-climate-change-i/
• What Asia can do to fight climate change
– island.lk/what-asia-can-do-to-fight-climate-change/
• 56 Banana Exporting Companies Associated with Drug Trafficking in Ecuador
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332921-banana-companies-associated-with-drug-trafficking-in-ecuador
• Deconstructing the 2023 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report
‘in order to narrow politically social territory for democratic deliberation and to preserve what’s left for a technocracy, the depoliticisation of policy has had to be well organized and supported by incentives’
– socialistproject.ca/2023/09/deconstructing-the-2023-ipcc-report/
• The Fight for Ecological Transition is Now
– socialistproject.ca/2023/08/fight-for-ecological-transition-now/
*
_____________________________________________________________________
D7. 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.
• Scientists and scholars – Nalin de Silva
‘Colombo’s Royal College students laughed at the way Indians pronounce English’
– kalaya.org/2023/09/blog-post.html
– kalaya.org/2023/09/blog-post_2.html
• 18 Centuries ago we built Yodha Ela, Today we are begging dollars
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/09/01/eighteen-centuries-ago-we-built-yodha-ela-on-a-gradient-of-ten-centimeters-in-a-kilometer-today-we-are-begging-dollars-on-the-streets-of-the-entire-world-not-for-long-we-can-bring-about-economic-d/
• SLPP dissidents ask AG if Adani Group represents govt. of India
– island.lk/slpp-dissidents-ask-ag-if-adani-group-represents-govt-of-india/
• Auditing MNC Deloitte resigns as auditor of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ)
– newsclick.in/adani-latest-expose-points-secret-share-manipulations
• Sri Lanka’s graphite: A potential player in the global electric vehicle revolution
– ips.lk/talkingeconomics/2023/08/22/sri-lankas-graphite-a-potential-player-in-the-global-electric-vehicle-revolution/
– island.lk/sri-lankas-graphite-a-potential-player-in-the-global-electric-vehicle-revolution/
• Government to end monopoly in drug procurement
– dailymirror.lk/top-story/Government-to-end-monopoly-in-drug-procurement/155-266457
• Side effects of drugs: GMOA accuses health officials of making ‘uneducated guesses’
– island.lk/side-effects-of-drugs-gmoa-accuses-health-officials-of-making-uneducated-guesses/
• Petition seeks appointment of special committee to look into substandard drug imports
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/petition-seeks-appointment-of-special-committee-to-look-into-substandard-drug-imports/
• No faith-motion against Keheliya: Mixed reaction from health sector
– island.lk/no-faith-motion-against-keheliya-mixed-reaction-from-health-sector/
• Proposed amendments to Ayurveda Act puts ‘traditional medicine under threat’
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/Proposed-amendments-to-Ayurveda-Act-puts-traditional-medicine-under-threat/231-265825
• Bid to expose alleged corrupt deal at Colombo Port: State Minister’s attack on his boss couldn’t have happened at a better time – Mujibur
– island.lk/bid-to-expose-alleged-corrupt-deal-at-colombo-port-state-ministers-attack-on-his-boss-couldnt-have-happened-at-a-better-time-mujibur/
• Scamming Indian supplier of SL liquor stickers gets digital ID card contract
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/indian-supplier-of-sl-liquor-stickers-gets-digital-id-card-contract-530430.html
• Forensic audit on CPC can proceed despite ex-top official hiding in Canada
– island.lk/forensic-audit-on-cpc-can-proceed-despite-ex-top-officials-absence/
• Govt. increases fuel prices, abolishes quota system
– island.lk/govt-increases-fuel-prices-abolishes-quota-system/
• Fuel Distributors Association threatens legal action against CPC
‘“The owners of selected 22 gas stations are not willing to enter into agreements with Sinopec.’
– island.lk/fuel-distributors-association-threatens-legal-action-against-cpc/
• Sinopec officially begins fuel operations in Sri Lanka with discount offer
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/31/sinopec-officially-begins-fuel-operations-in-sri-lanka-with-discount-offer/
• China’s Sinopec starts selling fuel Rs3 below state formula price
– economynext.com/chinas-sinopec-starts-selling-fuel-rs3-below-state-formula-price-129687/
• Sinopec introduces competitive prices shaking up fuel market
– ft.lk/front-page/Sinopec-introduces-competitive-prices-shaking-up-fuel-market/44-752521
• Govt. discontinues QR code system
– ft.lk/front-page/Govt-discontinues-QR-code-system/44-752523
• Sri Lanka hikes petrol to Rs361, diesel to Rs341
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-hikes-petrol-to-rs361-diesel-to-rs341-129723/
• Sri Lanka’s Litro to buy LP Gas from current supplier until privatization
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-litro-to-buy-lp-gas-from-current-supplier-until-privatization-129858/
• CEB bleeds Rs. 2.7 Billion over Samanala Wewa Reservoir’s water leak
– dailymirror.lk/breaking-news/CEB-bleeds-Rs-2-7-Billion-over-Samanala-Wewa-Reservoirs-water-leak/108-266462
• Lanka looking for cheaper three-year private power to plug capacity gap
– island.lk/lanka-looking-for-cheaper-three-year-private-power-to-plug-capacity-gap/
• Power Engineering Company LTL Holdings gearing for IPO
‘LTL Holdings subsidiary Lakdhanavi, WindForce, and Singapore renewable energy company The Blue Circle, plan a US$ 152 million, 100 MW solar power plant with a transmission facility in Siyambalanduwa in Monaragala the largest renewable energy project awarded to the private sector by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on August 16’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/ltl-holdings-gearing-for-ipo-530424.html
• Progress of 6 large-scale renewable energy projects reviewed
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/progress-of-6-large-scale-renewable-energy-projects-reviewed/
• ‘Offshore Wind Roadmap for Sri Lanka’ launched
‘with assistance of World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) & ProBlue – World Bank’s blue economy program.’
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/offshore-wind-roadmap-for-sri-lanka-launched/
• Govt. continues to violate RTI Act on infrastructure project info: Verité
‘In 2022, 18% of the information was available in English, but only 5% in Sinhala and 4% in Tamil.’
– ft.lk/front-page/Govt-continues-to-violate-RTI-Act-on-infrastructure-project-info-Verit%C3%A9/44-752476
• Construction industry struggles in July amid hints of recovery in coming months
– ft.lk/front-page/Construction-industry-struggles-in-July-amid-hints-of-recovery-in-coming-months/44-752530
• Freight container transportation charges increase by 5%
– ft.lk/front-page/Freight-container-transportation-charges-increase-by-5/44-752522
• Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) urges govt. rethink to allow import of old buses
– island.lk/cmta-urges-govt-to-rethink-its-decision-to-allow-coimport-of-old-buses/
• After 3 three years of import restrictions, David Pieris Motor Co. reintroduces Bajaj
– island.lk/bajaj-sri-lankas-most-loved-bike-brand-for-5th-consecutive-year/
• Kandy Transport Hub to be built with World Bank loans
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Kandy-Transport-Hub-to-be-built-with-World-Bank-assistance/273-266380
• Chinese project to make charcoal from forest timber stirs Thanamalwila rage
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/chinese-project-to-make-charcoal-from-forest-timber-stirs-thanamalwila-rage-530849.html
– dailymirror.lk/expose/Controversial-charcoal-production-venture-causes-stir-in-Thanamalwila/333-266201
• Illegal interference by foreigners in local gem business; Parliamentary committee urges Govt. to take action
“Chinese businessmen have been buying gemstones in Sri Lanka at a low price in Ratnapura, Beruwala and Ginthota, carrying them to other countries and selling them at a high price.”
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/news/illegal-interference-by-foreigners-in-local-gem-business-parliamentary-committee-urges-govt-to-take-action-530842.html
• Sajith accuses SLPP of sinister moves in Parliament, alleges corruption in driving licence printing process
– island.lk/sajith-accuses-slpp-of-sinister-moves-in-parliament-alleges-corruption-in-driving-licence-printing-process/
• Sri Lanka’s focus on export economy manufacturing at Complete Plastics Exhibition (COMPLAST 2023)
– island.lk/sri-lankas-focus-on-export-economy-manufacturing-highlighted-at-complast-2023/
• 8th Edition of SL Medical Association (SLMA) Guidelines & Information on Vaccines 2023
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/sarrah-sammoon-joins-international-mobility-committees-530628.html
• G77 & China at Sept 15 Havana Summit: ‘Current challenges of development. Role of science, technology & innovation’
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/nacionales/332798-g77-and-china-summit-in-havana-looking-toward-cop28-and-the-sdg-summit
• Science mega-projects: India’s moon mission
– island.lk/science-mega-projects-indias-moon-mission/
• Indian Rocket Chandrahayan 3 landed on Moon on August 23, 2023 – ‘epoch-making’ triumph
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/25/indias-tryst-with-destiny/
• How science & tech flourished in ancient India
– island.lk/how-science-tech-flourished-in-ancient-india/
• From Bridges to Bytes: Striking Balance in Engineering
‘India cannot ride the Fourth Industrial Revolution by focusing only on computer science engineering and sidelining the foundational streams.’
– newsclick.in/bridges-bytes-striking-balance-engineering
• The Countries with the Most STEM Graduates
– forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2017/02/02/the-countries-with-the-most-stem-graduates-infographic
• Huawei Chips Demonstrate the Perils of Technology Protectionism
– moonofalabama.org/2023/08/huawei-chips-demonstrate-the-perils-of-technology-protectionism-.html
• Huawei Mate 50 Pro, upgrades include satellite-calling support
– gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/huawei-mate-60-pro-price-cny-6999-launch-sale-specifications-features-4341549
• China’s chip imports see biggest drop in 2022 with accelerated decline in October amid US restrictions and weak demand
– scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3198726/chinas-chip-imports-see-biggest-drop-2022-accelerated-decline-october-amid-us-restrictions-and-weak
• Behind Huawei Mate60’s ‘pure domestic chip’: SMIC foundry, mining machine chip training into an army
– taiwan.postsen.com/business/71207/Behind-Huawei-Mate60%E2%80%99s-pure-domestic-chip-SMIC-foundry-mining-machine-chip-training-into-an-army-.html
• SMIC’s 5nm process breakthrough foundry Huawei Kirin 9000S? Facts make fans heartbroken
– archyde.com/smics-5nm-process-breakthrough-foundry-huawei-kirin-9000sfacts-make-fans-heartbroken-technews-technology-news/
• China’s Baidu rolls out ChatGPT rival ERNIE to public
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Chinas-Baidu-rolls-out-ChatGPT-rival-ERNIE-to-public/273-266384
• Iran foils sabotage plot against its defense industry
“Under direct orders from Mossad, this network, by selling the equipped parts, intended to convert the produced missiles into explosive devices to harm industrial lines and employees working in this field.”
– radiohc.cu/en/noticias/internacionales/332821-iran-foils-sabotage-plot-against-its-defense-industry
• Russia Leveraging Development & Educational Aspects of National Projects
‘recently created Agency for Strategic Initiatives and the other is the Znanie (Knowledge) Society whose roots go back to 1863’
– karlof1.substack.com/p/russia-leveraging-development-and
• The German economy: from European leader to laggard
– economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/17/the-german-economy-from-european-leader-to-laggard
• Germany to pay €2bn to ThyssenKrupp, Germany’s biggest steelmaker, to keep steel mills going
– economist.com/finance-and-economics/2023/08/17/the-german-economy-from-european-leader-to-laggard
• Germany gives €15bn in subsidies to attract Intel and TSMC, two semiconductor makers, to build plants in former East Germany
– economist.com/europe/2023/08/17/germany-is-becoming-expert-at-defeating-itself
• Scramble for advanced manufacturing and supply chains unleashing a torrent of subsidies to foster home-grown industry
– economist.com/leaders/2023/08/17/is-germany-once-again-the-sick-man-of-europe
• The history of General Electric in Peterborough
– thepeterboroughexaminer.com/life/the-history-of-general-electric-in-peterborough/article_f59acfa2-285c-5e0d-8650-164ce8fd4f5b.html
• How Musk, Thiel, Zuckerberg, and Andreessen—Four Billionaire Techno-Oligarchs—Are Creating an Alternate, Autocratic Reality
– vanityfair.com/news/2023/08/musk-thiel-zuckerberg-andreessen-alternate-autocratic-reality
*
______________________________________________________________________
D8. 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.
• Hindenburg 2.0: OCCRP Alleges Mauritius-Based Opaque Funds Invested in Adani Stock
‘fresh allegations by an international investigative organisation funded by people such as George Soros and Rockefeller Brothers Fund…’
– newsclick.in/hindenburg-20-occrp-alleges-mauritius-based-opaque-funds-invested-adani-stock
• Adani hits back at new ‘stock manipulation’ report
– dailymirror.lk/business-news/Adani-hits-back-at-new-stock-manipulation-report/273-266383
• People’s Bank reports 1H consolidated pre-tax profit of Rs. 9.4 b
– ft.lk/front-page/People-s-Bank-reports-1H-consolidated-pre-tax-profit-of-Rs-9-4-b/44-752436
• CBSL & HSBC alert as financial scams become prevalent
‘HSBC SL CEO – Mark Surgenor and Dilan Siriwardana, Senior Assistant Director / Head of Intelligence Analysis Division 1 & 2, Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka’
– island.lk/hsbc-staff-put-on-alert-as-financial-scams-become-prevalent/
• CBSL cancels license of Bimputh Finance PLC
– english.newsfirst.lk/2023/9/1/cbsl-cancels-license-of-bimputh-finance-plc
– ft.lk/front-page/CBSL-announces-cancellation-of-Bimputh-Finance-licence/44-752525
– island.lk/cbsl-cancels-licence-issued-under-finance-business-act-no-42-of-2011-to-bimputh-finance/
• Metaverse Foreign Exchange (MTFE) Pyramid app flops, 1000s lose money in Ponzi scheme
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/business-times/mtfe-pyramid-app-flops-thousands-lose-money-in-ponzi-scheme-530439.html
• ‘Sri Lankan companies facing grim challenge of finding financial professionals’ – Chartered Financial Analysts Association of Sri Lanka (CFA)
– island.lk/sri-lankan-companies-facing-grim-challenge-of-finding-financial-professionals/
• Sri Lanka launches Capital Market Club in 100 schools; central bank reports to be discussed
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-launches-capital-market-club-in-100-schools-central-bank-reports-to-be-discussed-129718/
• Extension of bond exchange date casts gloom on share market (A28)
– island.lk/extension-of-bond-exchange-date-casts-gloom-on-share-market/
• T-Bill yield rates see mixed reaction in primary and secondary markets
– island.lk/t-bill-yield-rates-see-mixed-reaction-in-primary-and-secondary-markets/
• Sri Lanka rupee opens at 323.85/324.25 to the US dollar (A29)
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-opens-at-323-85-324-25-to-the-us-dollar-129481/
• Sri Lanka’s shares edge down in mid day trade
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-edge-down-in-mid-day-trade-129495/
• Sri Lanka rupee closes at 324.00/25 to the US dollar, bond yields up
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-closes-at-324-00-25-to-the-us-dollar-bond-yields-up-129528/
• Sri Lanka’s shares edge down on lowered investor sentiments
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-edge-down-on-lowered-investor-sentiments-129530/
• Sri Lanka rupee opens at 320.20/50 to the US dollar (A31
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-opens-at-320-20-50-to-the-us-dollar-129674/
• Sri Lanka’s shares edge up in mid day trade)
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-edge-up-in-mid-day-trade-129678/
• Sri Lanka’s shares close down low on poor investor sentiment
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-close-down-low-on-poor-investor-sentiment-129704/
• Sri Lanka rupee closes at 319.50/320.50 to the US dollar
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-closes-at-319-50-320-50-to-the-us-dollar-129709/
• Date extension in domestic debt restructuring talks continuing to prove a dampener
– island.lk/date-extension-in-domestic-debt-restructuring-talks-continuing-to-prove-a-dampener/
• Sri Lanka rupee opens stronger at 319.00/25 to the dollar, bond yields up (S1)
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-opens-stronger-at-319-00-25-to-the-dollar-bond-yields-up-129743/
• Sri Lanka’s shares edge down in mid day trade
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-edge-down-in-mid-day-trade-129770/
• Sri Lanka’s shares gain after five sessions on buying interest
– economynext.com/sri-lankas-shares-gain-after-five-sessions-on-buying-interest-129813/
• Sri Lanka rupee closes at 319.50/320.00 to the US dollar (S1)
– economynext.com/sri-lanka-rupee-closes-at-319-50-320-00-to-the-us-dollar-129822/
• CSE rebounds on moderate activity
– ft.lk/front-page/CSE-rebounds-on-moderate-activity/44-752524
• Hayleys and Lanka IOC stocks revive negatively-prone share market
– island.lk/hayleys-and-lanka-ioc-stocks-revive-negatively-prone-share-market/
• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and US Department of Justice (DOJ) Doing Damage Control for 5-Count Felon JPMorgan Chase
– wallstreetonparade.com/2023/08/the-sec-and-doj-are-doing-damage-control-for-5-count-felon-jpmorgan-chase/
• Gary Gensler’s SEC Is Drawing a Dark Curtain Around Child Sex Trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, His Money Man Leslie Wexner and Their Ties to JPMorgan
– wallstreetonparade.com/2023/08/gary-genslers-sec-is-drawing-a-dark-curtain-around-child-sex-trafficker-jeffrey-epstein-his-money-man-lesley-wexner-and-their-ties-to-jpmorgan/
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D9. 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’
• Indian Customs recovers gold smuggled from Mannar
– island.lk/indian-customs-recovers-gold-smuggled-from-mannar/
• Businesswoman caught attempting to smuggle out Rs. 290 mn worth of gems
– island.lk/businesswoman-caught-attempting-to-smuggle-out-rs-290-mn-worth-of-gems/
• 5th round of Sri Lanka-Thailand bilateral political consultations next week
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/26/5th-round-of-sri-lanka-thailand-bilateral-political-consultations-next-week/
• Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) needs new constitution: Eran
– island.lk/slc-needs-new-constitution-eran/
• Tourism industry needs Govt. intervention to recover
– ft.lk/columns/Tourism-industry-needs-Govt-intervention-to-recover/4-752442
• Govt. should rethink minimum room rates policy: US Advocata
– ft.lk/front-page/Govt-should-rethink-minimum-room-rates-policy-Advocata/44-752529
• England’s National Air Traffic Service (NATS) restricts traffic flow due to technical issue
– island.lk/uks-nats-restricts-traffic-flow-due-to-technical-issue/
• Startup hoping to simplify how houses are bought and sold, still trying to stop bleeding money
– bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-22/opendoor-open-faces-an-expensive-path-to-profitability-in-real-estate
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D10. 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.
• Freedom People’s Congress (FPC), Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya (ULS) & JVP Talks
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/columns/setback-for-sjbs-alliance-moves-as-dullas-woos-wimals-group-and-jvp-530767.html
• JVP on the Presidential track before race is announced
– dailymirror.lk/opinion/JVP-on-the-track-before-race-is-announced/172-266406
• Alleged JVP-Alles overseas funds deal: Minister says Nagamuwa hiding
– island.lk/alleged-jvp-alles-deal-minister-says-nagamuwa-hiding/
• MP Wimalaweera rebukes development assistants
– island.lk/wimalaweera-rebukes-development-assistants/
• Searching for Anil
‘Moonesinghe took up the fold of Sinhala anti-imperialist nationalism – an ideology that predates Dharmapala, and goes back to the 1848 rebellion – and combined it with the Marxism of his youth’
– island.lk/searching-for-anil/
• Anil Moonesinghe saw the need for a national transport policy…- Prime Minister
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/30/anil-moonesinghe-saw-the-need-for-a-national-transport-policy-prime-minister/
• Special Referenda at National Intermediate Level – Sugath Kulatunga
– lankaweb.com/news/items/2023/08/28/special-referenda-at-national-intermediate-level/
• Bad Idea, Terrible Timing: Critiquing Rajan Philips’ Reform Agenda – Jayatilleka
– island.lk/bad-idea-terrible-timing-critiquing-rajan-philips-reform-agenda/
• Civil Society Collective for Democracy (CSCD) takes up battle cry for elections
– island.lk/cscd-takes-up-battle-cry-for-elections/
• Committing the uncommitted – Uditha Devapriya
– island.lk/committing-the-uncommitted/
• Amirthalingam & SWRD: Two Sides Of The Same Coin – Vishwamithra
– island.lk/amirthalingam-swrd-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/
• US mired in Trump, Chinese puzzle in Africa, India over the moon, Sri Lanka so-so – Philips
– island.lk/us-mired-in-trump-chinese-puzzle-in-africa-india-over-the-moon-sri-lanka-so-so/
• Follow-up on the Buddhist-Tamil Dialogue in Europe and USA – David
– island.lk/follow-up-on-the-buddhist-tamil-dialogue-in-europe-and-usa/
• Election preparations must not stall reconciliation process – USAID NPC
– island.lk/election-preparations-must-not-stall-reconciliation-process/
• Sir Oliver tosses ball back into cabinet court: Dahanayaka chosen as new PM
‘The Cabinet decided to reimpose death penalty and to repeal Suspension of Capital Punishment Act.’
– island.lk/sir-oliver-tosses-ball-back-into-cabinet-court-dahanayaka-chosen-as-new-pm/
• K.H.J. Wijayadasa, Secretary to 2 Presidents of Sri Lanka, died on August 17, 2023
‘During his tenure as the GA, Polonnaruwa District produced the highest yields per acre and was adjudged the best in the island during PM Dudley Senananyake’s Green Revolution of 1965-70’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/sunday-times-2/a-tribute-to-a-beautiful-spirit-and-a-consummate-administrator-530600.html
– island.lk/k-h-j-wijayadasa-a-distinguished-public-servant-and-an-admirable-friend/
• Luxurious Villa owned by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s Family on Egyptian Coast
– punchng.com/luxurious-villa-owned-by-ukrainian-president-volodymyr-zelenskyys-family-discovered-on-egyptian-coast/
• Follow the Money Trail that Got Unknown Ramaswamy in a Nationally-Televised Republican Presidential Debate
– wallstreetonparade.com/2023/08/follow-the-money-trail-that-got-unknown-ramaswamy-in-a-nationally-televised-republican-presidential-debate/
• Koch Data Mining Company Helped Inundate Voters With Anti-Immigrant Messages
– theintercept.com/2019/09/09/koch-anti-immigrant-data-i360/
• The Dangerous and Invisible Hand in the 2020 Election: Charles Koch’s i360
– wallstreetonparade.com/2020/11/the-dangerous-and-invisible-hand-in-the-2020-election-charles-kochs-i360/
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D11. 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.
• Will India be Able to Deal with Google’s Adtech Monopoly?
‘Indian media houses and publishers are losing revenue due to Google’s monopoly… Alphabet Inc.’s digital giant Google has established itself as the largest digital advertising platform in India ‘
– newsclick.in/will-india-be-able-deal-googles-adtech-monopoly
• India’s film giant Lyca Productions debuts in Sri Lanka
– ft.lk/front-page/India-s-film-giant-Lyca-Productions-debuts-in-Sri-Lanka/44-752446
• Sinhala Slang
– http://kiyumkerum.blogspot.com/p/sinhala-slang.html?
• Unveiling the tale of Koneswar Temple on Swami Rock, Trincomalee
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/unveiling-the-tale-of-koneswar-530294.html
• Royal Asiatic Society of SL (RASSL) lecture: All about Sri Lanka’s lesser known languages
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/rassl-lecture-all-about-sri-lankas-lesser-known-languages-530297.html
• SL Association of Commonwealth Literature & Language Studies: Continuing Postcolonialism
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/looking-back-on-a-varied-canvas-of-postcolonial-literature-530313.html
• Sunera Foundation & Christie
‘A world-leading art and luxury business, Christie’s has a physical presence in 46 countries, throughout the Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific’
– sundaytimes.lk/230827/plus/christies-supports-auction-to-help-sunera-foundation-530305.html
• Lankan film industry celebrate Poruthota and discuss future of cinema
– island.lk/lankan-film-industry-gathers-to-celebrate-late-rev-fr-ernest-poruthotas-92nd-birth-anniversary-and-discuss-future-of-cinema/
• ‘Hounding of NewsClick Form of McCarthyism, Press Freedom Imperilled’: N Ram
– newsclick.in/hounding-newsclick-form-mccarthyism-press-freedom-imperiled-n-ram
• “Information Designed To Show …”
‘Yesterday CNN published another Russiagate like nonsense story: Newly declassified US intel claims Russia is laundering propaganda through unwitting Westerners’
– moonofalabama.org/2023/08/information-designed-to-show
• Another Day, Another CIA Press Release Disguised as News
– caitlinjohnst.one/p/another-day-another-cia-press-release
• The NYT & WSJ’s Critical Articles About Kiev’s Counteroffensive Explain Why It Failed
– nakedcapitalism.com/2023/08/the-nyt-wsjs-critical-articles-about-kievs-counteroffensive-explain-why-it-failed.html
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email: econenews@gmail.com
blog: eesrilanka.wordpress.com
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