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He loved the wilds as much as he loved people

Published on 30/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments

Tony Gabriel

This appreciation is about Tony Gabriel in the last ten years of his life, when he resumed his love of the jungles and wildlife parks by joining ‘Venture Forth’, a group of ten whose only claim for recognition is that they all came from the same stables, and consequently have the same sense of values. Others will write about his great achievements as a surgeon, of his versatility as an actor, and his pride and joy of being a Volunteer Medical Officer in the Sri Lanka Army, where he retired as a Colonel and the Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corp (Volunteers).

Tony Gabriel was a unique character. He played many parts in life, and in all of them achieved a rare degree of distinction. As a young lad he was taken by his father to all parts of the country A?a??a?? the East coast, Trincomalee, Arugam Bay and down to Kumana Omnicef price walmart ; the wildlife parks of Yala, Udawalawe, Wilpattu and Minneriya; Continue reading ‘He loved the wilds as much as he loved people’

The Muslims and Eastern Elections

Published on 29/03/2008 in Blogs, parties, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments
by Shanie

With the election to the Eastern Provincial Council drawing near, all the parties seem to be wooing the Muslims who form the significantly large A?a??E?ethnicA?a??a?? group throughout the East. In one of the three districts of the East, Ampara, they are clearly the largest single group. Hence the sudden interest in Muslims among the other parties, large and small. The ongoing ethnic conflict affects the Muslims in a very real way. But successive Governments have paid little attention to the concerns of the Muslims and when negotiations take place and agreements are reached, the Muslims have generally been ignored as an interested party. But it is not strange to see the same parties who ignored, and sometimes were hostile, to the concerns of the Muslims, falling over each other to woo the Muslim vote at an election. And so it has been this time as well. Chief Ministerships and other political inducements are being offered; the same offers are being offered to Tamil groups without a twinkling of an eye!

The Muslim leadership since Ashraf has matured and the fez cap no longer turns to the direction in which the political winds blow. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, which Ashraf founded in 1986, initially did not find favour with the conservative Colombo-based Muslim leadership. But today, it undoubtedly represents a wide cross-section of the Muslim community throughout Sri Lanka, as elections over the past decade have shown. After AshrafA?a??a??s untimely death, it is a pity that a group has broken away on the question of leadership of the party. But it is only a question of time before the party re-unites. The present leadership has shown commendable responsibility in carrying forward AshrafA?a??a??s legacy. It is this that has made the party reject political overtures from groups across the political spectrum, that both in the past and now continue to disregard Muslim concerns. These groups seem to show concern for Muslims only at election time.

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The origins of Muslims in Sri Lanka


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Unfortunately, there is no clear historical evidence regarding the origins of the Muslims in Sri Lanka. But the common belief is that the Muslims migrated to Sri Lanka from a variety of Asian regions A?a??a?? from West Asia, South Asia and East Asia. Their ethnic origins are probably a mix of diverse elements, though perhaps a significant majority migrated, like many other Sri Lankans, from neighbouring South India. Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan once claimed in a presentation to the Royal Asiatic Society that the Muslims in Sri Lanka were ethnically Tamils. This caused an uproar among the Muslims. Clearly, Ramanathan made this claim with political considerations. The fact that the Muslims in Sri Lanka speak Tamil is no evidence of their ethnicity. But even though historians are yet uncertain of their ethnic origins, it is clear that the Sri Lankan Muslims today have a distinct and separate identity and must be recognised as such.

This also shows the hollowness of the claims to ethnicity of many groups who form the Sri Lankan community. Perhaps a generation or two ago, all Muslims, including Malays, spoke Tamil as their home language and A M A Azeez was to claim it was their mother tongue. But today, many Muslims, particularly in the Western Province, have been educated in Sinhala and some of the present generation Muslims speak little Tamil. But this is true of the Tamils as well. There are many Tamils who have been educated in Sinhala, have adopted Sinhala names and some even embraced Buddhism. )There was this recent controversy over a Tamil Buddhist girl, educated in Sinhala, who won a Fifth Grade Scholarship place but refused admission to Visakha Vidyalaya presumably because of her ethnicity.) Historians and anthropologists have pointed out that there are many Sinhala and Tamil groups living in different parts of the country, who now claim an ethnic identity which was different from that of their forefathers.

The Sri Lankan Muslims also fall into this category, like many other Sinhala and Tamil groups, who cannot be given a distinct ethnic identity. But they have a distinct identity as a community with particular concerns of their own. That is why they feel disappointed when they are excluded from negotiations to resolve the National Question. Without entering into the controversy over traditional homelands, just as Tamils have traditionally been in occupation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the Muslims have also been in traditional occupation of the same provinces. For trade and other reasons, both Tamils and Muslims occupy pockets in other Provinces as well; and in recent times after the opening up of irrigation schemes, the Sinhalese occupy pockets in the Northern and Eastern Provinces too. Whilst conceding the need for each group to preserve their identity and to resist attempts to assimilate them by chauvinists with a political agenda, it is necessary for us to acknowledge that Sri Lanka is now a mix with ethnic boundaries getting blurred.

Historic Grievances

The Muslims have traditionally been a pacifist group in Sri Lanka. They were settled in trade, farming and other occupations, did not engage in overt religious proselytisation and did not engage in any organised violence against other communities. On the contrary, they have been the victims of violence over the years. Although we rightly criticise the colonial rulers for the heavy-handedness with which they handled the 1915 disturbances, we must also acknowledge that the Muslims then were the victims of hate and violence. In more recent years, they have been the victims of chauvinists who A?a??E?ethnically cleansedA?a??a?? them from the North. Thousands of them still remain as internally displaced in the Puttalam district. The same chauvinists desecrated the Mosque at Kattankudy and killed hundreds of worshippers in cold blood. Irrigation schemes and the introduction of new colonists from outside particularly in the Ampara district saw acres of land tilled by the Muslims being taken away. This process is being re-asserted in recent times through an extremist group who are part of the present Government.

Agreements were reached in 1958 and again in 1965 between the Tamils and the then Governments to devolve power to the North and East. In both instances, Muslim concerns were not accommodated. Muslim (and other minority) interests have been ignored by successive Governments. Muslims quite rightly feel that unless specific guarantees are in place, even a devolved administration, which naturally will be dominated by Tamils, in the North and East will continue to ignore Muslim interests.

Devolution and the Muslims

Part of the difficulty in devolving power is that the Muslims do not occupy a contiguous area in the North and East. In the East where they share almost equal numbers with the Tamils, the Muslim and Tamil villages almost alternate each other along the coast from Valaichenai to Pottuvil. Under ideal conditions, this is a welcome mix but in the present political context, it presents severe administrative problems. Having a non-contiguous Council for the Muslims may involve insurmountable practical constraints. One way out may be to carve out two contiguous Regional Councils out of the present Eastern Province with one having a Muslim majority and the other, a Tamil majority, with clearly defined safeguards to ensure that minority interests (which will include the Sinhala minority as well) within each Regional Council are protected. But this is thinking into the future when hopefully there will be a political will to ensure peace and justice for all communities living in our country.

For the present, the Muslims along with other Sri Lankans have to grin and bear. The forthcoming provincial election is not going to bring them any solace. But the SLMC is right not to opt out of the election, however farcical it may turn out to be. Undoubtedly for reasons of political expediency, the SLFP has shamelessly entered into an agreement with the TMVP which, despite all the rhetoric, remains an armed militant group that terrorises the civilian population. Using the TMVP for short term political gains will surely lead to longer term problems for the country, as we learnt to our cost by the Premadasa Government arming the LTTE for short term gains.

True liberation for the people of the East (and indeed for the people of the North and the rest of the country) will come about only when true democracy is restored; when our political leadership realises that a resolution of a political problem cannot come about by military or militant action but only by a political will to ensure fair, just and good governance.

source:
http://www.island.lk/2008/03/29/features4.html

Death threats for Daily Mirror correspondent

Published on 28/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

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Pottuvil Correspondent of Daily Mirror newspaper, Mohamed Jaufer has alleged that there were death threats and other forms of intimidation to him and his family and has lodged at least two police complaints to that effect.According to a police complaint lodged in Pottuvil this month, Jaufer said while returning home in the night, youths on motorbikes had stopped him and have threatened to kill or abduct him.

The OIC, Pottuvil police assured him they would conduct investigations on this matter. In a separate incident on March 22, Jaufer said: while he was returning home with his family after visiting a funeral house, they had found the house ransacked. He had informed the Emergency Police, the OIC of the Pottuvil Police and the OIC, Special Task Force (STF) in Arugam Bay about the incident.

A?a??A?Early morning the OIC of Pottuvil Police visited the house with a team and assured that he will inquire about this matter and that investigations are already proceeding regarding this,A?a??A? he said.

Apart from reporting Jaufer was also engaged in business related to travel and tourism development in the Arugam Bay area of the Eastern Province.

Mr. Jaufer said he had lodged a complaint over the threats with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the Sri Cheap uroxatral drug Lanka Muslim Media Forum, the Peace Secretariat for Muslims and the ICRC.

source:
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=10388

Aid groups in Sri Lanka tackle ‘fat cat’ image

Published on 25/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, press coverage and Security & Safety. 0 Comments

Blogged by: Glenda Cooper

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author’s alone.

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International aid workers disembark at a jetty in Trincomalee in August 2006. File photo by REUTERS/Buddhika Weerasinghe
International aid workers disembark at a jetty in Trincomalee in August 2006. File photo by REUTERS/Buddhika Weerasinghe
There is a joke that goes round about aid agencies in Colombo. Try saying the acronym NGO in a Sri Lankan accent; it sounds very much like the word “enjoy” – and that, say many journalists, is the attitude aid workers have taken to their work in the country. Certainly that’s how many Sri Lankan newspapers have portrayed NGOs: as fat cats enjoying their dollar salaries, riding round in big cars and staying in the best hotels. Of course this is not an unfamiliar criticism: It’s one that agencies come across in many different countries. But the attacks on NGOs have been so sustained in Sri Lanka that agencies in Colombo are now coming together to talk about how to deal with this, thinking up imaginative solutions to build bridges with the press and get their message across to the Sri Lankan people. Simon Harris, who has worked as a senior manager and consultant with international NGOs in Sri Lanka for over 15 years, says the local media took a hostile attitude to aid groups fairly early on. “They began to refer to the NGO congestion of humanitarian space that was occurring as a ‘second tsunami’ – that was a catchphrase that was used quite a lot,” he says. “People started to ask what were all these people doing, what were the benefits of having them here? Added to that, Colombo hotels were at 100 percent capacity, restaurants were full of white faces and people started to ask questions.” Was that criticism justified? Ranga Kalansooriya of the Sri Lankan Press Institute says: “The media is no different from the rest of society; it reflects it… There is still an island mentality attacking international institutions.” And Harris believes that while the rapid proliferation of international post-tsunami NGOs undoubtedly complicated the delivery of humanitarian assistance, it also provided a convenient scapegoat for a politically partisan national media to distract domestic public focus from the shortcomings of the governments’ own relief efforts and the break-down of the peace process. But it didn’t help that the hundreds of new international NGOs on the ground required staff – and often lured them with higher salaries from local NGOs, the military and government. And aid agencies didn’t always prove their own best ambassadors. Journalists in Colombo complain about the fact that agencies have offices on Gregory’s Road (one of the smartest roads in Colombo), and as one journalist who works for an international media organisation puts it: “Why are all the aid workers in the Gallery Cafe (one of the best restaurants) at lunchtime?” The familiar white sports utility vehicles came in for particular criticism as a symbol of NGOs’ high living. But as one aid worker in Batticaloa says in exasperation: “Why do NGOs have to travel in these kind of big vehicles? It’s because of the security issues – and the government also impose rules and regulations. NGOs can’t simply use a commuter van to get around in – otherwise they are not immediately identifiable.” While many of the international NGOs worked hard after the tsunami to ensure their efforts in Sri Lanka were recognised back home, and media departments organised trips, footage and photographs to show donors that money was well spent, they did not always focus on explaining themselves so well to the Sri Lankan media, something that some NGOs now privately admit they need to do. The consequences of bad publicity in the Sri Lankan media are not just irritating – they can be dangerous, provoking riots or causing staff to come under attack. In January, after Dutch agency ZOA was accused of providing support to Tamil Tiger rebels (an allegation it strongly denies), an angry mob stormed its office. Then in February this year, diplomats from a dozen countries as well as UN agencies held a media conference to rebut these kind of allegations and warned that international NGOs were willing to quit the country if these kind of “irresponsible” stories persisted. But agencies have also turned to other ways to connect with the Sri Lankan people. Displeased with what the media is doing, they have turned to creating their own media. Television production company YATV (Young Asian Television) has formed partnerships with different agencies such as Norwegian Church Aid, CARE Sri Lanka and Plan International. Concerned that tsunami stories in the press focused on aid efforts that were behind schedule or where things had gone wrong, the U.S. Agency for International Development helped fund a series of programmes that began this March called “Coastal Rising”. It looked for unashamedly upbeat positive stories – what U.S. Ambassador Robert O’ Blake called at its launch “the other side of the story – stories of hope, courage and success”. The series, filmed in different parts of Sri Lanka, was made in Sinhalese, Tamil and English, and as well as TV programmes there were also radio programmes and articles in local newspapers to try to redress the balance. USAID also helped support a trilingual YATV soap-opera style drama, “The East is Calling”. Set in the aftermath of the tsunami, it shows Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims seeking refuge from the wave in a Buddhist temple. The director, Sri Lanka filmmaker Asoka Handagama, said the idea was to plant, deliberately and subtly, “culturally sensitive ideas” into the drama. Plan International produced a video with YATV called “After the Big Wave”, which was specifically designed to explain the science behind the tsunami to the children who had suffered from it. More conventionally, the Sri Lankan Press Complaints Commission has made it clear to NGOs that if they feel stories in the press are unfair they can complain to the independent body, which will then attempt to resolve the dispute. The Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies, an umbrella group for NGOs, has formed a media working group and earlier in the year an evening was organised in which journalists were invited to meet members of NGOs in an attempt to help both sides understand each other better. But there is still a long way to go. Those who attended that evening said there were lots of NGOs talking over the snacks and soft drinks, but – perhaps predictably – very few journalists turned up.Reuters AlertNet is not responsible for the content of external websites.

source:
http://www.alertnet.org/db/blogs/30708/2007/04/29-115751-1.htm

Comments on Reuter’s pages:

  1. Florian Westphal says:
    31 May 2007 08:10:31 GMT Thanks very much for the interesting Blog. However, I am bemused by your choice of photo which actually shows the ICRC’s evacuation of some 150 stranded people – including a few aid workers – from Jaffna peninsula which was almost entirely cut off at the time the photo was taken. In what way is the photo connected to the subject of the story?Florian Westphal ICRC
  2. AlertNet moderator says:
    31 May 2007 11:43:53 GMT Thanks for your note, Florian. The picture was not meant to imply a connection between the ICRC’s evacuation of stranded people from Jaffna and the subject of the blog. The intention was simply to show international aid workers in action in Sri Lanka, purely for illustrative purposes.
  3. Yafet says:
    Order sinequan side 31 May 2007 14:35:29 GMT The blog has reminded me of something about NGOs in my own country, Ethiopia. Here many Ethiopians, including me, appreciate being employee of NGOs in general and the international ones in particular. It is not that much tough to guess why. The big salary is the major cause.Regarding the activites being accomplished by NGos here, many have different views. Some comments NGOs are working to meet their respective hidden objectives besides the ones they are stating openly. According to these people, no country has so far achieved sustainable development through NGos. They quote the renowned book, ‘Lords of Poverty’ in supporting their arguments. The other argument these groups put forward as weakness is that NGOs use their fund to employ citizens of the country where that NGO is originated. If the NGO is from Britain, it is inevitable that there will be British employees at higher positions. The NGOs do not care whether they can find local professinals that can do with lower salary what the foreigners do. They solely stick to their ‘principle’ of employing foreigners with huge salary. Moreover, according to their ‘principle’, the vehicles, and other materials should be imported from that country where the NGO is originated. For instance, Save the Children UK should have Lndrovers or other vehicles manufactured in Britain.The same is true for other NGOs. Taking this in to consideration many African countries see NGOs in suspicion.
  4. Sunil Mendis says:
    05 Jun 2007 09:36:01 GMT You quote an aid worker in Batticaloa arguing that they need big SUVs because of a security issue. he goes on to say: ” NGOs can’t simply use a commuter van to get around in – otherwise they are not immediately identifiable.” However, the two local volunteers of the Red Cross who was shot dead in Sri Lanka were travelling by train! Perhaps, public transport is OK for them because they are not foreigners. The two men were picked up by gunmen from the Colombo Fort Railway station on June 1 and found shot dead the day after. Each SUV costs in excess of 20 million rupees in Sri Lanka. you can build 20 rural schools with that cash. or two rural hospitals…
  5. Deepa says:
    Gout celebrex treatment 05 Jun 2007 09:38:45 GMT I am glad that you have tackled a subject that has rankled Sri Lankans for quite a while. May I say that you have only scratched the tip of the iceberg. To refer to just one point in your blog, I take umbrage at what the exasperated aid worker in Batticaloa has to say. Have you seen what these SUVs look like? Huge, flashy road-hoggers which look every inch the US $180,000 to US$ 250,000 that they cost. We are not asking Mr. Exasperated and his ilk to use public transport, but why canA?A?A?a??A?a??t they travel in less ostentatious, cheaper vehicles, with, if they want, the logos of their agencies emblazoned all over to make them easily identifiable? And what security issues is he referring to? Only last week, two Sri Lankan employees of the Red Cross who had to hoof it back home to Batticaloa by train were abducted at the railway station and brutally killed. That brings the number of Sri Lankan aid agency employees murdered in the last 10 mon! ths by unknown killers to 19. How many foreign aid workers have met with the same fate here? Most of the A?A?A?a??A?A?security issuesA?A?A?a??A?A? that foreign workers encounter here are the hostility they engender among the poor when they alight from such grand chariots. And, Ms Cooper, you have forgotten to include ODEL and the city nightclubs among the beneficiaries who receive foreign aid in this sad island of ours.
  6. Sunil Mendis says:
    05 Jun 2007 11:28:39 GMT (CORRECTING earlier post, adding paragraph)You quote an aid worker in Batticaloa arguing that they need big SUVs because of a security issue. he goes on to say: ” NGOs can’t simply use a commuter van to get around in – otherwise they are not immediately identifiable.” However, the two local volunteers of the Red Cross who were shot dead in Sri Lanka were travelling by train! Perhaps, public transport is OK for them because they are not foreigners. The two men were picked up by gunmen from the Colombo Fort Railway station on June 1 and found shot dead the day after. Each SUV costs in excess of 20 million rupees in Sri Lanka. you can build 20 rural schools with that cash, or two rural hospitals. We are not even talking about the huge salaries foreign aid workers are paid. Ofcourse they need huge pay to come and work in a difficult place like Sri Lanka where caviar is duty free and Champagne is a tad too warm. It is clear that most of the NGO s are there to support their own staff.
  7. chamath says:
    08 Jun 2007 10:33:29 GMT Glenda, an excellent article tackling a very difficult issue and the first of its kind I have seen.I think the UN and other leading agencies need to set an example and they are the worst offenders driving around in massive land cruisers that the average person living in Sri Lanka simply cannot relate to. Average incomes in Sri Lanka are $60 per month for rural farmers. Income inequality in my opinion is the hidden problem in Sri Lanka that perpetuates the conflict which makes this article doubly relevant. Most analysts mention human rights issues and a minority fighting for rights and a government not willing to concede when talking about Sri Lanka. The other side to the story is about grinding poverty, cultural subjugation, language barriers, class barriers, traditional culture fighting for its place and perceived threats to Buddhism from western practices and Christianity. You may see from this how NGOs get linked to these problems, and therefore how their lifestyle and policies become a part of the conflict in Sri Lanka.
  8. Magnum says:
    08 Jun 2007 11:52:15 GMT “I also have close connections with Sri Lanka and visited the East Coast many times. I am in close contact with a correspondent based in Arugam Bay since 1977. Dr. Miller embraced the IRCS in January 2005 and offered all his facilities and premises to them – for free. What happened to this relationship? Why is the biggest Red Cross supporter now their biggest and most cynical critic? The same seems to have happened with the Swiss Red Cross – an investigation is on the way here in Swiss. I am informed a home grown, locaL report will soon be published on www.arugam.info And by all accounts the Red Cross will come out very badly indeed.
  9. Thomas says:
    08 Jun 2007 11:52:49 GMT I have seen the deplorable and dishonest way the Red Cross behaved at PottuVille and specially at badly affected Arugam Bay. Ask anyone there and you will earn that this formerly great organization has totally lost the initial respect of local residents. I have contributed my own personal observations to a forthcoming article on a local web site. What is written above is a huge understatement. I feel the public has to beef up the PR against the behaviour of the mighty ENJOY’s and counter their own well paid propaganda. Thomas, Colombo
  10. Sarathchandra says:
    24 Jun 2007 10:31:22 GMT I am glad that Glenda Cooper pointed out what most Sri Lankans (except those who directly work as local staff to NGOs) have come to loathe as the International Disaster Industry. On my visits to my hometown in Sri Lanka I have seen many examples of bogus aid programs by these NGOs. I also found that some NGOs transfer large sums of US dollars back to their home countries via black market foreign currency traders. Now, can someone tell me how aid workers can transfer piles of $70,000 back to their accounts, while having a luxurious holiday. There are many locals too who have jumped on this bandwagon and created their own kind of Tsunami Tourism Enterprises. A number of churches in the USA fly their members out periodically on these tsunami tours. The old ladies who dish out their dollars on Sunday have no clue where they go. NGOs should function ONLY with local staff in countries like Sri Lanka. Most of the foreign staff that! come are much less capable/qualifed than local staff but who cares they are only there for the tour!

psychological first aid

Published on 23/03/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people and press coverage. 0 Comments

SRI LANKA: Boosting capacity in “psychological first aid”

NEGOMBO, 23 March 2008 (IRIN) – When school teacher M. Shihama was put in charge of a class of unruly slow learners earlier this year, her heart sank.

“At first, I was reluctant to take them on,” said the social science teacher at Al-Falah high school in Negombo in the western Gampaha District, fearing they were just troublemakers “But then I found that the children were actually miserable because they had been told they weren’t as good as the others.”

Using skills she learnt at a workshop on post-disaster mental health, Shihama coaxed her students, some of whom are still shaken after the 2004 tsunami, to make the most of their talents. She was pleased when colleagues soon began to see changes in the behaviour of her charges.

Shihama is one of almost 7,000 Sri Lankans, among them about 1,000 teachers, who have been trained in “psychological first aid, community and personal mental health and stress management” under a US$5 million post-tsunami psychosocial programme funded by the American Red Cross (ARC).

“They have been trained to be the first responders who can help survivors by contributing to their long-term resilience and their ability to cope with what’s going on,” said Kelly Bauer, the ARC’s information and reporting delegate for Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Training for some 8,000

Working with its national counterpart, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS), the ARC has about nine months to go before the three-year project winds up in five tsunami-affected districts, Matara, Galle, Kalutara, Colombo and Gampaha. Some 8,000 people will have been trained by them and an estimated 250,000 people have benefited, according to Bauer.

“After the tsunami, we had just a handful psychiatrists and psychologists who had to handle the large number of people that needed help in coming to terms with their ordeal,” observed Avindra Jayawardene of the Faculty of Medicine at the Ruhunu University in Galle. “So, any attempt to sensitise individuals in communities to pick up the psychological effects of a disaster can be a good thing.”

Practical benefits

But he pointed out: “They must be linked to a process of actually using what they know – or when the next disaster strikes, they won’t have had the practical experience of dealing with different scenarios and in adapting what they have learnt,” he said.

In the severely tsunami-battered southern districts of Galle and Matara, Nadeeja Abeydheera, the SLRCS’ psychosocial support officer for the south, has seen the training in post-disaster psychological support for community responders pay off during recurrent tsunami alerts in the past two years.

“There is a great sense of participation and involvement in the communities,” she said. “The people we have trained take the lead to evacuate others, take them to safe places, pass on information and keep the community together.”

Neutralizing the victim mentality

Justin Curry, the programme’s regional technical adviser, told IRIN it has great psychological benefits. “It is designed to neutralise the victim mentality.”

The ARC’s psychosocial programme does not deliver traditional psychiatric treatment for mental health problems, Curry told IRIN, but focuses on knitting together communities that have become unravelled after a disaster has struck and equipping them to face future calamities.

“The basic principle underlying the programme is that a disaster not only impacts on individuals, but also pulls communities and support systems apart,” he said.

“We are not so much concerned with the different types of activities that are held, but that people are brought back together by promoting a sense of collective problem solving for a common goal,” said Curry, adding that the ARC first implemented its psychosocial programme after earthquakes hit El Salvador and Gujarat State in western India in 2001.

Promoting feelings of security, unity

Support officers and community facilitators organise a variety of events, cultural shows and festivals to promote feelings of security and unity.

Murals are painted on school walls depicting the five steps of psychological first aid – meet basic needs, listen, accept survivors’ feelings, assist them to move on, and refer for treatment.

At a nursery for pre-schoolers in Negombo, youngsters recently had the unusual opportunity of exchanging their toy guns and swords for more innocuous playthings such as flutes and balls. “We funded this project at the request of the teachers who noticed that the children were unusually aggressive towards each other,” explained Thanaluxmy Robinson, the SLRCS’ psychosocial project coordinator in Gampaha.

“One of our initial challenges was working with a diversity of ethnic and religious groups in all the affected areas,” said Curry. “What affected one group did not necessarily affect another, so the projects had to be tailored for each community.”

cj/bj[END]

A?A? IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.irinnews.org Order parietal scalp Purchase bystolic coupons

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Published on 22/03/2008 in accomodation, Blogs, cabanas, guesthouse, hotels, press coverage, restaurants and the bay. 0 Comments

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Sir Arthur C Clarke

Published on 22/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, people and press coverage. 0 Comments
Sci-fi writer Clarke laid to rest Uroxatral generic equivalent

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Mourners at Arthur C Clarke's funeral

Immediate family members gathered in Colombo for the writer’s funeral


British science-fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has been buried in his adopted country of Sri Lanka.Music from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was played at the funeral and members of the family which had adopted him cried as his coffin was lowered.

“Here lies Arthur C Clarke. He never grew up and did not stop growing,” his gravestone in Colombo is to read, in accordance with the author’s wishes.

Sir Arthur died from heart failure and breathing problems at the age of 90.

A nationwide minute’s silence was ordered by the Sri Lankan government to coincide with the ceremony.

Sir Arthur’s brother, Fred Clarke, attended the funeral along with members of the Ekanayake family, with whom the writer had lived in recent years.

Floral tributes to Arthur C Clarke
Your footprint will never fade. If anything, it will only magnify what we do
Family friend Tamara Ekanayake

Post-polio syndrome meant Sir Arthur had used a wheelchair since 1995.

Fred Clarke said his elder brother had “always loved” the “warm climate and the friendly people” of Sri Lanka.

“He said he had managed to escape 40 British winters and had no regrets,” Mr Clarke told AFP news agency.

Tamara Ekanayake, who grew up at Sir Arthur’s home in Colombo, paid tribute to him at the service, saying: “We feel so privileged that you left your mark on us.”

“Your footprint will never fade. If anything, it will only magnify what we do,” she told mourners.

Before the funeral, yellow roses were thrown on to Sir Arthur’s body as a final gesture of respect as it lay on a white bed beneath curved elephant tusks.

source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7309598.stm

Arugam Bay: Goodwill alive and well after disaste

Published on 21/03/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

For years, this bohemian beach town on scenic Arugam Bay was a colorful stamping ground for surfing fanatics, backpackers and pot-smoking Rastafarians in dreadlocks and Bob Marley T-shirts.

They drank at bars alongside local fishermen and rice farmers. About 60 thatch-roofed resorts and eateries such as the Aloha, Hang Loose Hotel and Cool Spot restaurant A?a??a?? run mostly by Sri Lankans A?a??a?? lined a busy thoroughfare where motorcycles buzzed past ox carts appearing like holdovers from another time.

Goodwill alive and well after disaster

JOHN M. GLIONNA

ULLE, SRI lANKA, JANUARY 14 For years, this bohemian beach town on scenic Arugam Bay was a colourful stamping ground for surfing fanatics, backpackers and pot-smoking Rastafarians in dreadlocks and Bob Marley T-shirts.
They drank at bars alongside local fishermen and rice farmers. About 60 thatch-roofed resorts and eateries such as the Aloha, Hang Loose Hotel and Cool Spot restaurant A?a??a?? run mostly by Sri Lankans A?a??a?? lined a busy thoroughfare where motorcycles buzzed past ox carts appearing like holdovers from another time.

Then the tsunami struck, turning this hip little resort into a rubble-strewn wasteland. More than 1,000 of the villageA?a??a??s 6,000 residents are dead along with many tourists. A thousand residents are missing A?a??a?? A?a??E?A?a??E?taken by the sea,A?a??a??A?a??a?? as the locals say.

Only three hotels remain A?a??a?? The Ali, MermaidA?a??a??s Village, DeanA?a??a??s Place and Rustling Palms. The ghostly ruins of the Stardust have been left to sink into the sand. Its owner, a Dane named Peer Goodman, drowned in the water. Amid the adversity that would drive away some less determined entrepreneurs, the few hotel owners whose buildings survived have become the townA?a??a??s ambassadors of goodwill.

Places such as the Hideaway, a grand turn-of-the-century house surrounded by several thatched cabanas, have turned themselves into free-of-charge headquarters for foreign doctors and relief workers, journalists and Sri Lankan military men. At the Siam View Hotel, the French Red Cross has set up a clinic and pharmacy at the site of a former Internet cafe, where each night at the second-floor bar, beers are tapped from warm kegs and relief workers, reporters and others anxiously keep up with the developments of the international relief effort on cable TV.

As the relief workers and physicians arrive from around the globe, those Sri Lankans who have the means to do so A?a??a?? natives as well as transplants A?a??a?? have made the newcomers feel welcome.

At the Hideaway, which has seen its share of damage, two cabanas and acres of gardens were lost to the rush of water. The waves washed up on the grand front porch, turning the once-secluded resort into beachfront property. Now, electricity is scarce and owner Vernon Tissera can afford to run his generator for only a few hours each day.

But rather than gouge visitors, the Hideaway has thrown away the bill. Three times a day, a local chef working for the Tisseras serves up spicy Sri Lankan delicacies and gourmet meals to people who are little more than strangers.

The hotelA?a??a??s Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the few remaining privately owned vehicles in this town.

Now the vehicle has become a makeshift taxi, and Tissera, his two sons and grandson ferry relief workers and supplies to and from the beachhead. The Tisseras have enlisted a dozen villagers, homeless and unemployed after the tsunami, to help put the hotel back together. A?a??E?A?a??E?We need to help people A?a??a?? you canA?a??a??t be material-minded,A?a??a??A?a??a?? said Marlene Tissera, VernonA?a??a??s wife.

Relief workers say such hospitality makes a difficult job more do-able. A?a??E?A?a??E?It makes it a pleasure to do this,A?a??a??A?a??a?? said Mark Stinson, a San Francisco-area doctor working with Relief International who is a guest at the Hideaway. At the Siam View Hotel, which is playing host to the French Red Cross, agency nurse Jean-Michel Pin likens owner Manfred Netzband-Miller to Mother Teresa. A?a??E?A?a??E?Without him, weA?a??a??d be living in tents, or worse,A?a??a??A?a??a?? Pin said.

Still, Marlene Tissera has a hard time fathoming how the waves that once drew so many tourists here have transformed the tropical paradise. A?a??E?A?a??E?WeA?a??a??re just shattered, all of us,A?a??a??A?a??a?? she said. When she talks about the destructive wall of water, Angela MitchellA?a??a??s eyes widen. Just before 9 am on December 26, the Hideaway manager recalls, she heard people shouting: A?a??E?A?a??E?The sea is coming! The sea is coming!A?a??a??A?a??a?? And the tourists and villagers came too, in droves, fleeing the oncoming wave.

More than 100 stood on the roof of the old hotel. Mitchell, a 54-year-old native, moved the crowd and several vehicles behind the building for more protection. Her plan worked: No one at the Hideaway was killed.

Hotel owners such as Vernon Tissera promise to rebuild both their own land and the town. Down at the Siam View Can i order aciphex online , owner Netzband-Miller embodies the keep-on-partying spirit of the old Ulle. A?a??a?? LAT-

source:
http://www.lankalibrary.com/news/arugambay3.htm

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More rains

Published on 20/03/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and the bay. 0 Comments

More rains forecast

Mohammed Naalir, Akkaraipattu Group, V.P. Sivappragasam and Maskeliya Group Correspondent K.Duraisami

COLOMBO: More rains were forecast by the Meteorology Department in the coastal areas of Kalutara, Galle and Matara while the prevailing weather pattern is to continue in most parts of the country marked by thunder showers in the afternoons and evenings.

Meanwhile, Ampara district Secretary Sunil Kannangara said that rains eased in the Ampara Venlor shipping district, one of worst hit by the recent floods.

He said they are waiting for reports from the relevant flood affected Divisional Secretaries to carry out relief work.

Ampara Kalmunai, Karaithivu, Ninthavur, Thirukkovil, Karawapattru, Saintahamaruthu and Alayyadivembu in the Ampara District and Manmunai North, Manmunai south, Eruwil Pattru, Porathivu Pattru, Manmunai Pattru, Oddamavadi, Eravur Town, Eravur Pattru and Manmunai South were among the areas that were affected by the floods.

There is an urgent need in Thirukkovil, Alayadivembu, Akkaraipattu Addalaichchanai and Karavapattu for pure drinking water, the District Secratary said.

Meanwhile an officer attached to the Batticaloa District Secretariat Disaster Management Unit yesterday said 329 flood displaced families numbering 1161 persons have been housed in four welfare camps in Manmunai North.

Those in welfare centres are being provided cooked meals and dried rations, he added.

It is reported that the Mousakele , Castlereigh , Laxapana, and Canyon reservoirs were overflowing while pilgrims to Adams Peak too have been affected by the heavy rains.

A shortage exists of rice, vegetables, fish and meat in certain flood affected areas in the Batticaloa district.

The Periyamugatthuwaram bridge is damaged and a part of the road too has been washed away due to invasion of sea waters in the Price for cialis 5mg australia Pottuvil area.

Simple Wisdom

Published on 16/03/2008 in Money Matters, people, press coverage, presse-deutsch, services, the bay and wild life. 0 Comments
Liebe Freunde,
Nach langer Zeit mA?A?chte ich wieder mal ein Lebenszeichen und ein Update A?A?ber unsere Projekte in Sri Lanka schicken.
Die letzten 3 Monate habe ich in Sri Lanka und diesmal auch in Indien verbracht und Yoga unterrichtet.
Ich werde mich kA?A?nftig nicht mehr so lange auf der Insel aufhalten und mich mehr auf Yoga-Workshops in A?a??sterreich und Europa konzentrieren. (Workshoptermine siehe www.simple-wisdom.net)
Dank meiner verlA?A?sslichen Mitarbeiter in Sri Lanka und meines neuen A?A?sterreichischen Mitarbeiter Martin Hartl(siehe unten), werden dennoch die Sozial-Projekte bis auf weiteres weiterlaufen.
Die Situation auf Sri Lanka wird zunehmend dramatischer. Der Konflikt wird immer blutiger, die wirtschaftliche Situation bei 25 % Inflation immer schlechter, und die Skepsis gegen auslA?A?ndische Organisationen die auf der Insel sozial aktiv sind immer grA?A?sser.
Folgende Projekte werden derzeit von uns betreut oder sind in Planung:
  • Gerade wird ein Damm fA?A?r die Ureinwohner gebaut (siehe Foto) und ein weiteres Dammprojekt ist im konfliktbelasteten nA?A?rdlichen Zentralland in Planung.
  • An der OstkA?A?ste unterstA?A?tzen wir weiterhin Camps und KriegsflA?A?chtlingsfamilien (siehe den Blogauszug im Pdf-Anhang).
  • Ein WA?A?rterbuch fA?A?r die Veddha-Sprache der Ureinwohner in Sri Lanka ist in der Endphase.
  • Einige small-scale businesses (NA?A?hmaschinen) sind im Entstehen und
  • die Schulbeihilfen von ca. 40 SchA?A?lern/innen und GehA?A?lter fA?A?r Lehrer / KindergA?A?rtnerinnen gehen weiter.
  • Unser Teilzeit-Mitarbeiter Shanil, der gegenwA?A?rtig in Australien studiert, hat in Zusammenarbeit mit einer Sri Lanka UniversitA?A?t ein Konzept fA?A?r erneuerbare Enerigien durch Biogas fA?A?r ein Dorf entwickelt. Auf der seiner Suche nach Patnern werden wir dieses Projekt entsprechend unserer finanziellenA?A?MA?A?glichkeiten unterstA?A?tzen. Mehr Info dazu findet Ihr im Anhang; Shanil kannA?A?auch direkt erreicht werden unter: shanil.samarakoon@gmail.com
Simple Wisdom hat seit letztem Jahr einen neuen Mitarbeiter: Martin Hartl ist fA?A?r ein effektives Handy-Projekt entwickelt bei demA?A?kaputte Handys A?A?ber eine Behinderte-WerkstA?A?tte in A?a??sterreich wieder in Stand gesetzt und A?A?ber e-bay verkauft werden. Der ErlA?A?s daraus wird unseren Projekten zur VerfA?A?gung gestellt.
Martin ist zZ auf einer Projektreise in Sri Lanka und wird nach seiner RA?A?ckkehr einen zusammenfassenden Bericht im Internet verA?A?ffentlichen.
Falls jemand von Euch ausgediehnte oder deffekte Handys zu Hause oder in Eurem Bekanntenkreis A?A?brig hat, kA?A?nnenA?A? wir diese mit wenig Aufwand aber groA?A?en Ertrag in Projektengelder umwandeln.

Bitte an meine Addresse schicken: Florian Palzinsky, Kasten 31, 4893 Zell am Moos.

Wir suchen auch direkte Kontakte zu Schulen die an Handy-Sammelaktionen interessiert sind; und an Kontakten zu Netzbetreibern (wie A1, T-Mobile, One, 3, etc) undA?A?Handy-Shop-Leiter,A?A?A?A?ber die wir eine grA?A?A?A?ere Mengen an Handys beziehen kA?A?nnen.A?A?
mit herzlichen GrA?A?ssen aus Sri Lanka,
Florian
PS zum angehA?A?ngten Foto, das wA?A?hrend der Damm-Vermessung im Februar gemacht wurde:
Rechts: Wanniyala Etho, der HA?A?uptling der Ureinwohner
Links: Thushara, mein Hauptmitarbeiter
Zweiter von Rechts: Suren, der fA?A?r das Dammprojekt verantwortlich ist.

Bitte um Benachrichtigung, falls keine weiteren Simple Wisdom Projek-Infos erwA?A?nscht sind. Buy dulcolax tablets online india

Tim is not in Taunton, but in Arugambay

Published on 15/03/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, people, press coverage, surf and the bay. 0 Comments

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Car Park Charity


devon.editorial@archant.co.uk
12 March 2008 Buy seroflo inhaler

LOCAL charity Paddle 4 Relief is celebrating receipt of a cheque of one day’s takings during Saunton Beach car park’s recent charity week.The A?A?662.50 will help to continue the vital relief work the charity is undertaking for the forgotten victims of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Sri Lanka.Charity committee member Paul Martin collected the cheque on behalf of founder Tim Tanton, who is currently in Sri Lanka, working in Arugam Bay on building projects and water well installations.He said: “Tim will be delighted to hear of such a donation from Saunton Beach car park.””Paul, Lucy and team at the car park have supported the charity from day one and continue to do so. We are very grateful to have been one of the charities chosen for their charity week.”

Paddle 4 Relief recently received a cargo of surfboards, donated by local surfers, that have been sent out to Sri Lanka for use by the children and young adults of Arugam Bay.

For more information on Paddle4Relief, visit the website at www.paddle4relief.co.uk

source:
http://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/northdevongazette/news/story.aspx?
brand=NDGOnline&category=news&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=newsndga&i
temid=DEED12%20Mar%202008%2008%3A22%3A37%3A533

Wild Elephants

Published on 11/03/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and wild life. 0 Comments

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THE SANCTUARIES OF SRI LANKA

Down through the centuries, Sri Lanka (the words mean “resplendent land” in ancient Sanskrit) has been called many things. Ceylon is probably the most familiar, but one earlier name, “Serendip” A?a??a?? which provided the inspiration for the word “serendipity” A?a??a?? seems especially appropriate . . . because no matter what you expect from this large, friendly island off India’s southern tip, you’re sure to be delightfully surprised by totally unforeseen pleasures, too!

MOTHER’S cosponsor for the tour will be Journeys, an organization which A?a??a?? through its Earth Preservation Fund A?a??a?? supports small-scale, community-based conservation projects in many parts of the world. This particular 21-day trip (from July 4 to 24, 1981) will emphasize cross-cultural contacts and visits to Sri Lanka’s rural areas … where Buddhism flourishes in its purest form.

This is also where A?a??a?? in the third century B.C. A?a??a?? King Devanampiyatissa established the world’s first wildlife reserve, a sanctuary which can still be visited and enjoyed today!

The attractions that we’ll visit include the spectacular ruins of Polonnaruwa, the twelfth century’s finest Asian city . . . Lahugala, one of the best places in the world to find concentrations of wild elephants Prazosin 1 mg cost . . . Rahunu National Park, an isolated refuge for many rare species of birds and animals . . . and the Royal Botanical Gardens in romantic Kandy A?a??a?? the last capital of the Sinhala kings A?a??a?? where we’ll also see the world’s largest orchid collection.

source:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/1981-03-01/Mothers-Enchanting-
Educational-Excursions.aspx

Arugam Bay is Cut Off. Again.

Published on 10/03/2008 in Blogs, From our own Correspondent, Money Matters, press coverage, services and the bay. 0 Comments

Since Dec/2004

Road Access:

Bidge OK - Causeway washed away

Bidge OK – Causeway washed away

March, 2008

Electric Power:

Power Cuts are frequent

Power Cuts are frequent

Continue reading ‘Arugam Bay is Cut Off. Again.’

12,000+ Problems solved ….

Published on 10/03/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters and press coverage. 0 Comments

More than 12,000 problems solved at Ampara Janatha Sathkara Seva programme

Shirley Wijesinghe

Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Karu Jayasuriya appealed to all political parties to refrain from any undemocratic action such as boycotting the Provincial Council Election and give their fullest support to restore the democratic administration of the Province.

Minister Jayasuriya made this appeal addressing a gathering of the 9th Janatha Sathkara Seva programme held at D.S. Senanayake National School, Is altace the generic or trade name Ampara recently. The 9th Janatha Sathkara Seva programme was represented by 156 Government Departments, Corporations and Non-Government all organisations.

More than 12,000 problems Ditropan price related to the public of Ampara were resolved within two days under the direction of respective officers of the organisations. Continue reading ‘12,000+ Problems solved ….’

Watching out for the Tigers – in Ella

Published on 10/03/2008 in Blogs, people, press coverage and stop over Ideas. 0 Comments

watch out for the tigers..

Purchase haldol and pregnancy ,
Flag of Sri Lanka
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008A?A?A?A?08:43

Entry 53 of 53 | show all | Cost of amaryl print this entry


So, the warning are out there, keep your eyes peeled.. The tigers are on the move.. The Tamil Tigers that is, bombs have killed close to 200 people here in Sri Lanka since the year has begun, and although things have quieted off a little now, trouble has struck all over the country..

It was a little disconcerting on one of my last evening in Hikkaduwa, when the regional authority decided to have a conference in the hotel opposite the dive shop I was working at, road blocks were set up, the AK’s were unpacked and police roamed the street on the lookout for the “evil” tigers..

All very mixed up I feel, why have a security sensitive event in your prime holiday destination, then why make all the local bars shut early so the ministers or officials can party till the sunrises (keeping me awake with the music).
But that is Sri Lanka at its best, short term gain over long term investment.. if something had happen during that conference, that would have been it for a long time, no one would want to visit..

Anyhow, IA?a??a??m out of Hikkaduwa for the time being, I say for the time being, because I have to head back there and pick up my rescue diver cert, passed the test and all the exercises, then the boss managed to run out of paperwork for me to fill out, so IA?a??a??ll have to head back and dot the iA?a??a??s and cross the tA?a??a??s..A?A? Up in the hill country currently and the weather has changed from the heat and humidity of the coast, a fresh chill now filters through the sky, itA?a??a??s the cleanest air that IA?a??a??ve even tasted, itA?a??a??s crisp and sharp, full of goodness..

Yala national park was visited, http://padayatra.org/yala.htm and also the FCO,
A?a??A?as well as coastal areas of Ampara district east of the A25 and A27 roads.A?A? We define the areas around Yala National Park as those east of the A2 and south of the A4.A?A? See the Terrorism and Local Travel sections of this advice for more details.A?a??A?

Eak! But it was worth it, even if we had to start an hour later because the army have to sweep the road for bombs, and by losing that hour in the morning we lost our main chance of spotting a leopard in the wild, although it was that wild out there really, hair raising around in a 4×4 land rover whilst 4 or 5 other vehicles all do the same, itA?a??a??s one hell of a noise that is kicked up.. The animal have to build up a tolerance to it, but only after time..

Breakfast time was a interesting, we stopped at the tourist rest area, which was made up of 3 concrete slabs and a plaque of remembers,A?A? 22 Japanese tourist were killed here when the tsunami struck, around 40 people in total were killed as the wave washed inland 1.5km.

We had a good day, besides the sore arse from bouncing about in the jeep for 6 hours..

Ella is somethingA?A? else though, up in the highest inn, run by an Aussie couple it has been a refreshing break from the usual faceless guesthouses that are on offer, they have turned the place into their home and warmly welcome guest, iggy popA?a??a??s A?a??A?a lust for lifeA?a??A? was bellowing from the hifi as we entered, what a luxury, music A?a??a?? loud music, music from back home.. itA?a??a??s weird how the small things make the difference..

More to follow..

We stayed at the Highest Inn, Ella

source:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jhnhtt/berlin/1204033380.html

Arugambay Seaweed

Published on 09/03/2008 in Blogs, Money Matters, press coverage and wild life. 0 Comments

Government gets tough on …..
By Nadia Fazlulhaq

In the wake of reports that an academic attached to a research institute had allegedly attempted to smuggle samples of endemic plant genes out of the country, Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka has said steps will be taken to plug the loopholes in the law to curb bio-piracy.

He said that under Sri LankaA?a??a??s wildlife laws, it was an offence to export plant or species substances without the prior approval of the Conservator General of Forest.A?a??A?Bio-piracy has been taking place in the country for many years. Since plants are quarantined, those who are involved in bio-piracy take gene extracts in capsules masqueraded as lipsticks or perfumes, though a small quantity of ten millilitres is allowed,A?a??A? Mr. Ranawaka said.

Plants protected for patents

Forest Conservator General Sarath Fernando said permission should be obtained if a researcher wants to extract a gene sample to take abroad for research purposes.A?a??A?The professor who was nabbed recently had obtained no permission to either conduct a research or make a sample. It is a violation of the law,A?a??A? he said adding that an export sample should be inspected by Forest Department officials who would give a no-objection letter to the Customs.

According to Mr. Fernando, a regulation passed in 2002 under the Forest Ordinance says that the export of gene samples should be done with the prior approval of the relevant authorities. The regulations were passed in order to preserve Sri LankaA?a??a??s exclusive patent rights over endemic flora and fauna.

Mr. Fernando said if these samples were sent abroad for research purposes, there should be a clear-cut agreement over intellectual property rights if some medicinal drug was developed using Sri Lankan plants.A Customs official said that taking abroad a rare endemic plant without a permit is an offence.A?a??A?Professors and academic involved in research should know that there is a set of guidelines and procedures to follow when taking these samples abroad,A?a??A? he said.

When asked to give specific details of the recent case, the official say Seaweed collected from Arugambay Purchase lanoxin medication and Kirinda had been taken to labs in Kandy and cultured before gene samples were extracted into a capsule.A?a??A?Plant chromosomes sent abroad are used in the production of medicinal drugs and later patent rights are claimed on plants which are sometimes rare and endemic to Sri Lanka,A?a??A? the official said.

After the professor was nabbed at the airport, Customs official said they raided the labs of the Institute of Fundamental Studies and found about 40 chromosomes or gene samples. The samples had been sent to the Government Analyst, the Customs official said. The IFS is governed by a board whose Chairman is the President of the country. It was established under Parliament Act No.55 in 1981.

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When contacted, IFS Director Keerthi Tennakoon denied the allegation that an IFS professor had tried to smuggle the plant substance.A?a??A?He was taking a sample to US for research. Customs have the right to seize the product,A?a??A? he said.

source:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/080309/News/news0019.html