(One of the atrocities of the regime: Welikada killings)
(Statement by the United Front Of The Peradeniya University Lectueres And Alumni)
Friends, time has come to educate one another about the massive corruption that happens in Sri Lanka under the Present Regime. The Executive has taken the lead in this process resulting in massive debt, virtually mortgaging our mother land to foreign countries. Each individual and even the unborn in Sri Lanka owes close to Rs 400,000.00 as debt to China and other lending agencies. Country is in the threshold of bankruptcy.
Today more than 50% parliament members have not even passed the O/L examination. Present regime has no respect for education.
Country’s development could be achieved only by educating people. We emphasise that more than 6% of the GDP need to be allocated for education, which the emerging new leadership has promised.
Hence we strongly feel that the present regime should be removed for a more thoughtful, compassionate and considerate leadership to take reins to spearhead this beautiful nation to be a DEVELOPED NATION devoid of corruption, family favouritism and protected independent Judiciary.
This Government ………
1. Promised that the presidential system will be repealed, in the “Mahinda Chinthanaya”, instead extended the number of times a president could contest from two times to unlimited.
2. Robbed around 95 Million LKR from the “Tsunami” fund ( Helping Hambantota ) donated by the Japanese government. This was his first political robbery apart from what he made as the Minister of Fisheries.
3. Let all the ministers of his cabinet to rob at their will, hence he could blackmail them. He turned a blind eye when his Prime Minister imported Drugs and few members of his cabinet importing illegal ethanol and drugs.
4. Alienated the country towards China resulting in India developing bitterness with Sri Lanka.
5. Obtained loans from China at rates higher than Libor (London Interbank Offered Rate) to earn commissions. These commissions in billions were routed to Swiss bank accounts via Seychelles, where MR opened a branch of Bank of Ceylon and also an Embassy in a country where only 92000 thousand people live. Sri Lankan airline flies to Seychelles.
6. Built a port where no ships come. Air Port where no Airplanes land. He made billions of commissions doing these projects.
7. Made money building Roads : The cost per km of the Outer Circular Highway from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya financed by China is US$ 56 m(Rs.7.3billion) This cost is three times higher than the Kottawa Kaduwela extension of the Southern Highway financed by Japan ,which is Rs.2.4 billion per km.
8. The cost per km of Extension of the Southern Highway from Mattala to Hambantota
will cost Rs.2.14billion, whereas per km cost of the Southern Highway cost only
Rs.975m
9. Bid price of A9 road was Rs.140 m per km when the departmental estimate for an A
class road was Rs. 20m.
10. Construction of the Norochchole Coal Power Project was awarded to a well- established Chinese contractor at US$280.00M in 2005 by the previous regime. Soon after present regime came into power it cancelled the contract and awarded it to another inexperienced Chinese firm at US$520 million-almost double the previous price. Plant is inoperative even after 2years of completion.
11. On a dispute between Essential Services Commissioner and Asset Maritime (Pvt) Ltd
arbitrator-a retired High Court Judge awarded Rs.600,000.00 as compensation to the company. A Committee appointed by the President on the intervention of the First Lady awarded Rs.180 million to this company owned by Dhammika Perera and Nishantha Wickramasinghe- latter being a brother of First Lady.
12. Due to the ill-conceived Hedging deal of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation headed by
Asantha de Mel (a person connected to the political establishment) lost Rs. 230 billion in2007. No one has been held accountable for huge loss of public funds.
13. Failed to initiate investigations on 29 journalists murdered or disappeared. Lasantha
W, Pradeep Eknaligoda
14. Failed to initiate investigations into the deaths of Members of Parliament 1. Raviraj and one other.
15. Appointed 38 numbers of the Presidents family and extended family, to diplomatic missions.
16. Turned a blind eye on losses at Mihin Air to the tune of 6-8 Billion, made by his closest buddy Sajin vas Gunawardane who had been criminally charged previously. He appointed his brother in Law Nishantha Wickramasinghe to Sri Lankan Airlines who has no formal education and made losses to the tune of Rs 70 billion to date.
17. Influenced the judiciary to President’s benefit. Impeached the 43rd Chief Justice for no reason. Makes judicial appointments to his benefit.
18. Allows Presidents children to play (Car races) on the streets of Colombo at their will by closing roads. He over ruled Mahanayake Theroes to hold car races for his children in Kandy town.
19. Failed to nominate Election, Police, Public Service and Judicial services commissions.
20. Udayanga Weeratunga – Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia. Cousin of President Rajapakse. Accused of involving in a shady deal to purchase MIG Fighters for the Sri Lankan Air force.
21. Paid 700.00Million rupees to Prabhakaran to purchase weapons to kill innocent Sinhalese using Karuna Amman who is now a deputy Minister and a Vice President of the SLFP. He uses Kumar Pathmanathan alias LTTE arms dealer to his personal benefit.
22. How Karuna was sent to London
“ On August 30, 2007 the Department of Immigration and Emigration issued a diplomatic passport number D1944260 in the name of “Kokila Dushmantha Gunawardena” whose occupation on the passport was given as Director General of Wildlife Conservation. The photograph on the passport was that of Karuna Amman. The Department of Immigration, it is pertinent to note, comes under the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order of which Gotabaya Rajapakse is Secretary and President Rajapakse the Minister”.
23. Failed to conduct an impartial inquiry into killing of around 43 prisoners at the Welikada Prison.
24. Did nothing to improve the economy and failed to introduce workers charter.
Economy in shambles.
25. Arranged for his son to sit for the Law exams in an isolated air-conditioned room, away from the other candidates.
26. Killed protesters in Rathupaswala (8), Free Trade Zone (1) and Chilaw (4). He used maximum force on all protestors.