Ian Paisley Jr accepted £100,000 holidays from Sri Lanka - Telegraph

by Sivakami
Sep 8, 2017

Updated 1120 GMT

The DUP MP, Ian Paisley Jr accepted holidays worth £100,000 from the Sri Lankan government while helping securing trade deals for the state, however, never disclosed the trips in the Commons register of interests, the Telegraph reported. 

According to the paper, Mr Paisley accepted two all-inclusive holidays for him and his four children, flying business class with VIP lounge access, six hotel across two trips and being chauffeur driven in a Mercedes. The trip was funded by the Sri lankan ministry of external affairs. A helicopter was also provided for Mr Paisley and his family to travel around the island, with Sri Lankan ministry of defence approval.

'During discussions with officials, he offered to help the state broker an oil deal, saying he had “significant arrangements with national oil suppliers” in Oman and Nigeria,' the paper claimed. Shortly after his trip to Sri Lanka, he called for the Queen to visit the island.

Mr Paisley is one of ten DUP MPs providing Theresa May's Conservative party a majority in parliament. 

With Sri Lanka high commissioner to discuss NI-Sri Lanka trade deal after Brexit pic.twitter.com/PCZvgln72f

— Ian Paisley MP (@ianpaisleymp) September 4, 2017

The Sri Lankan High Commission in London praised Mr Paisley, noting that he was in a particularly good position to help Colombo "enhance trade relations between Sri Lankan and UK". 

Describing the report as "disturbing" the Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh was quoted by the Telegraph as saying it appeared Mr Paisley was attempting to carry out a “back-door trade agreement.”

“Sri Lanka has a seriously bad human rights record. Why would anybody accept holidays for their family if they wanted to speak in defence of the regime?," she asked. "Surely they understand, and surely the regime understands, that it undermines the honesty and validty of the view they are expressing."

In a tweet rejecting any criticism, Mr Paisley said: "The Daily Telegraph article is defamatory. It is devoid of fact or logic. Referred to my lawyer."

"I will refer myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards," he added. 

With Liam Fox discussing our trade agreements post Brexit. — Ian Paisley MP (@ianpaisleymp) September 6, 2017
Tweet by Mr Paisley featuring a photograph of himself with MP Liam Fox who resigned after reports emerged of his dealings with the Sri Lankan government. 

 

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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