Rama Mani, NGOs, and Foreign Relations

The main focus of this article is on the external aspect of the Rama Mani case, more specifically on the damage that it can do to our foreign relations. But it is relevant for my purposes to begin with a brief observation on its internal aspect.

Reportedly Ms Mani had received a letter dismissing her with immediate effect from the post of Director at the ICES. Apparently no opportunity was given to her to defend herself against any charges prior to the issue of that letter, which can therefore be taken as outraging the norms of natural justice. However, she was reinstated in her post by a further letter and asked to continue for the full term for which she had contracted.

Worth emphasising is that she had received strong support from the ICES staff, who had given her a grand send-off even though it was known that she was being ordered out of the country by the Government.

There is in humanity a deep love of justice. There is also in humanity a deep love of injustice. Otherwise we cannot explain why injustices are committed all over the world practically all the time, and at the same time injustices are corrected.

Read more,
http://www.island.lk/2008/02/25/features5.html

The Government turns its’ back on fishermen

Over 10 thousand Sri Lankan fishermen, a large slice of the national economy, are suffering because of Government policies. The warning comes from Premasiri Manage, a member of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a party that contributed to the rise to power of current president Mahinda Rajapakse.

The politician, who is also a member of the All Island General Fisheries Federation, explained the problem during a press conference held in Colombo on February 22nd.

“The government – charged Manage – is not paying sufficient attention to this sector of workers”. The Federation is threatening a national protest, if Colombo continues to favour large foreign fishing fleet’s exploitation of Sri Lankan waters and does not block importation of fish products, which has led to the plummeting price of fish and made it impossible for local fishermen to compete. “One fishing trip of medium length – the politician underlined – costs our fisherman up to 1300 Euros”.

Read more,
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=11607&size=A

Indonesia issues tsunami warning after earthquake

INDONESIA issued a tsunami warning today after a powerful quake struck off the western coast of Sumatra island.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.2 and had the "potential to cause a tsunami," Indonesia's geophysics agency said in a statement.

Extracted from,
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200802/20080225/article_349933.htm
Tsunami Messages for the Indian Ocean here,
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/messages/indian/2008/indian.2008.02.25.085024.txt