Columns

Pakistan’s luscious mangoes are not just fruits to be devoured. They have long become a tool of diplomacy, delectable or otherwise.  With the mango season in full swing in his country, Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff this week sent 100 choicest mangoes by air freight to President Maithripala Sirisena. It was cleared by Customs and subjected to Quarantine. They too cleared it as safe. However, someone at the Presidential Secretariat, obviously unaware of diplomatic niceties, said the fruits would not be accepted.

It was a bit of a brain teaser for the Customs. Unlike other items not cleared, they could not detain the mangoes and auction them. Within days they would be spoilt. So they did the next best thing – had a feast of mangoes.

Just last week, Premier Shariff also sent a box full of mangoes to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. Despite the increasingly tense relations between Islamabad and New Delhi, the mangoes were accepted. It was the same week that Islamabad accused India of sending a spy plane to their territory in Kashmir.

In August 1988, the then Pakistani President General Zia uI Haq flew in a Hercules C-130 aircraft to Bhawalpur for a military ceremony. The then US Ambassador, Arnold C. Raphel, flew in his Embassy’s Cessna aircraft for the same event.
Gen. Zia invited Ambassador Raphel to return to Islamabad on his C-130 identified as Pak One. He said those accompanying him on the flight could have a mango party. Raphel agreed and joined President Zia. However, the aircraft exploded in mid-air killing all on board.

IGP trying to muzzle media; on trail of the Sunday Times
Police Chief N.K. Ilangakoon has let loose the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the Sunday Times to track down sources and the identity of a police officer. He wants this newspaper to reveal the source and the identity of an ASP, who figured in the political commentary six months ago or on January 18. The relevant part said “…….the Sunday Times can reveal today how telephone records of prominent opposition politicians, media personnel, former UPFA Government’s own ministers, ‘unfriendly’Military, Police officers, Colombo-based diplomats and other leading citizens were monitored blatantly violating the law. In terms of the law, a Court order has to be obtained by the Police before intercepting or tampering with the telephone records of subscribers. All mobile phone operators were issued written instructions by an official in the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development. They were directed to make available the monthly telephone bills of these persons to an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) for reasons of ‘national security.’

“Every month, Police officers would visit different mobile phone providers to collect these monthly bills. Thereafter, the ASP would supervise a team of Police officers examine every bill to determine to whom their targets speak. Under the cover of ‘national security’ the telephone bills were systematically analysed and a report prepared for scrutiny by the higher ups. The identification of those who are supporters of the present Government led to surveillance being mounted on them. There have been instances when some have even been threatened……”

It is ironical that the Police Chief of Sri Lanka would have to ask the Sunday Times for details about a division that comes directly under his own purview. A detective who claimed to be acting on the Police Chief’s directions said he (the IGP) had received an anonymous petition and that was why the probe was being conducted.

Firstly, if that claim is correct, Police Chief Ilangakoon had waited for more than six months to act on the matter. It is no secret that he receives hundreds of anonymous petitions. Yet, he thought it fit to question the media about their sources and the identity of one of his own officers after hand picking one such petition. Surely he cannot be unaware? Or is he ignorant? On the other hand, if the claim is only a pretense, it is a forewarning to the media that they could face visits from the CID every time a story about a division under the IGP appears and someone sends an “anonymous petition.” Are such “petitions” a new tool to intimidate or silence the media? Evidently Police Chief Ilangakoon does not believe or refuses to believe that President Sirisena, since being elected on January 8, has removed all the fetters on the media. True, even he became exasperated with the criticism he faced recently over his vacillation on the Mahinda Rajapaksa nomination issue and at one point publicly asking for the media to refrain from the ‘freedom of the wild ass’ privately tried to find the source of some leaks from his own quarters.

However, that is not for the IGP to take a cue and go after sources over leaks from his own department. Even when media practitioners were being harassed, intimidated, threatened and even murdered during the previous regime, occasions when journalists were questioned for their sources were rare. The man who has to investigate misdeeds on the media in this instance, like all other cases, has chosen to adopt new form of SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics). For whose benefit is this?

It can now be revealed that after the disclosures in the Sunday Times (political commentary), the Police officer concerned, who was to be included in the personal security detail of a VIP was dropped. Thereafter, it was none other than Police Chief Ilangakoon who had him transferred to a division far off from Colombo.

“If he (the IGP) was wholly ignorant, which is difficult to believe, the simple way to find out would have been for him to ask the State Intelligence Service (SIS) which comes under the Police Chief,” said a former top cop. “It seems he wants the media to do his intelligence gathering,” he added.

Chillie hot lassie in big polls deal after deal
For the progeny of the high and the mighty, advertising has become a lucrative trade. Why not when the elections are just ahead and there is so much propaganda work to do. Well, that is only for starters. One likened the ‘main course’ of the latest venture as ‘chillie hot’. They say the young lassie behind the venture was now the talk of the town. She was, they say, landing hot deals one after another. Little wonder the rivals are all red.

Even before business got off the ground, some billion rupee state ventures have become clients. That includes a communications giant. It was no different to similar operations in the past. As one wag remarked, the marked difference was that they were conducted by lasses then. He said the system continues though only the operators have changed. That, he added, was like a bun on a table where the flies were now different.

Sajin’s vulgar extravagance on public funds
Cognac, caviar and US$ 200 bottles of wine were evidently not enough to keep the former Monitoring MP to the Ministry of External Affairs happy.

He was checked in as “De Vaas Gunawardena, Hon Sajin” at the exclusive Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York, USA, from September 20-28, 2014, the time President Mahinda Rajapaksa was attending the UN sessions.

According to the receipt issued to his name, the Hon. MMP purchased sufficient movies from the hotel to keep himself entertained during the stay. The five films cost the public, on whose account he amused himself, a total of US$ 130.95 or Rs 17,531.59 (at the prevailing rate of exchange). The most expensive movies were US$ 34.99 or Rs. 4,684.46 each. Interestingly, the Astoria has an adult film collection of which, by the hotel’s own admission, a US$ 35 movie would “almost certainly” be one.

Hon. De Vaas Gunawardena also helped himself to several generously priced meals at the Astoria’s Peacock Alley restaurant, costing between US$ 90.57 (Rs. 12,125) and US$ 292.20 (Rs. 39,119). This is in addition to room service, which is billed separately. And he did not deprive himself drinks from the mini bar, either.

Election symbols like the zoo
Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya gazetted 156 symbols for use by political parties at the August 17 parliamentary elections.  They include well-known symbols like the Betel Leaf (UPFA), the Elephant (UNP), Hand (SLFP), the Bell (JVP), Tree (SLMC), the Rising Sun (Tamil National Alliance – TNA) and Panchayuda (NFF).

Some of the other newer symbols would no doubt be a challenge for the candidates. Imagine a candidate asking electors to cast their vote for a cobra, spider, mouse or the hiramaney (coconut scraper).

Other symbols include camel, rhinoceros, deer, rabbit, railway engine, hand bag, winnowing fan (Kulla), fish, owl, giraffe, horse, crab, cat, eagle, kangaroo, snail, tortoise, squirrel, jeep, football, shoes, crocodile, brinjal, comb of bananas and screw nail.

Rajitha’s stretch limousine for polls
Official caretaker Government spokesperson Minister Rajitha Senaratne who is contesting on the United National Party (UNP) ticket for Kalutara District has found a comfortable way to campaign. Among the fleet of vehicles is a stretch limousine that bears posters containing his photograph.

Now full-face helmets run head on to SLS
An extended court order has put on hold the use of full face helmets by motorcyclists.
However, they will now face a newer issue. Beginning September 1, the Consumer Affairs Authority has decreed that all manufacturers, importers, distributors and traders shall not manufacture, sell or distribute helmets that do not bear the Sri Lanka Standards certification. The new requirement has been gazetted.

Jumping Thonda now with Sirisena
Ceylon Worker’s Congress leader Arumugam Thondaman has switched his allegiance to President Maithripala Sirisena. Mr. Sirisena’s photographs adorn political platforms in the Nuwara Eliya District where Mr. Thondaman is contesting.