‘SUPER CYCLONE' ELECTIONS COMMISSION THE CURIOUS CASE THURSDAY BARRELS TOWARDS TELLS SUPREME COURT OF SOUTH ASIA'S MAY 21, 2020 BANGLADESH, INDIA IT CANNOT HOLD POLLS ‘LOW' CORONAVIRUS VOL: 4 - ISSUE 365 ON JUNE 20 DEATHS PAGE 02 HOT TOPICS GLOCAL PAGE 04 EYE ON ASIA 30. PAGE 03

Registered in the Department of Posts of Sri Lanka under No: QD/146/News/2020

A NASA Earth Observatory image Tropical Cyclone Amphan at 16:15 Universal Time (9:45 p.m. India COVID-19 and Standard Time) on Tuesday (19) as it moved north-northeast over the Bay of Bengal. The image is a curfew in Sri Lanka composite of brightness tempera- ture data acquired by the Moderate • One new case of COVID-19 was confirmed yesterday Resolution Imaging Spectroradi- (20), taking Sri Lanka’s tally of the novel coronavirus in- ometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra fection to 1028. Thirty five cases were confirmed by late satellite, overlaid on Black Marble Tuesday (19) night. Four hundred thirty five individuals night-time satellite imagery. Mil- are receiving treatment, 584 have been deemed complete- lions of people battened down yes- ly recovered and nine have succumbed to the virus. terday (20) as the strongest cyclone • Curfew to continue in the Colombo and Gampaha Dis- in decades slammed into Bangladesh tricts till further notice, but with the resumption of civilian and eastern India, killing at least life and economic activities. three and leaving a trail of devasta- • An 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. curfew is in force in all districts tion. Authorities scrambled to evacu- expects Colombo and Gampaha. ate more than three million people • Director General of Health Anil Jasinghe orders a total from low-lying areas, but the task ban on movement of sailors within the Welisara naval was complicated by the need to pre- facility, where nearly 600 security personnel have tested vent the spread of coronavirus. As positive. it made landfall, Cyclone Amphan • Colombo Municipal Council to begin parking fee collec- tore through coastal villages, flatten- tion in Colombo from today (21). ing mud houses, blowing off roofs, • The Health Ministry issues new recommendations for uprooting trees and laying waste to general public on wearing mask. Says there is no need for crop fields. In Bangladesh officials public to wear N95 masks. confirmed three deaths including a • A 95-year-old woman, the oldest coronavirus infected five year-old boy and a 75-year-old person recovers and is discharged from hospital. man, both hit by falling trees, and a • NIC last digit based system - those who have 7 and 8 as cyclone emergency volunteer who the last digit can walk to nearby shop for purchase of es- drowned. Two other fatalities were sential items, but not drive. reported by Indian media, includ- ing an infant crushed when the mud wall of the family's hut collapsed in Coronavirus toll heavy rain in Odisha state. Houses "look like they have been run over by a bulldozer”, said Babul Mondal, 323,370 deaths at 35, a villager on the edge of the Sun- derbans, a vast mangrove forest area 1100 GMT yesterday home to India's biggest tiger popula- PARIS - The novel coronavirus has killed at least 323,370 tion. Amphan is the first "super cy- people since the outbreak first emerged in China last De- clone" to form over the Bay of Bengal cember, according to a tally from official sources compiled since 1999, and packed winds gusting by AFP at 1100 GMT yesterday (20). up to 185 kilometres (115) per hour. At least 4,910,110 cases of coronavirus have been reg- Forecasters also warned there could istered in 196 countries and territories. Of these, at least be storm surges of several metres - Handout / NASA Earth Observatory AFP 1,813,300 are now considered recovered. The tallies, using data collected by AFP from national authorities and information from the World Health Or- ganization (WHO), probably reflect only a fraction of the actual number of infections. Many countries are testing only symptomatic or the WHO reports most coronavirus cases in most serious cases. The United States has the highest number of deaths overall with 91,938 from 1,528,661 cases. At least 289,392 people have been declared recovered. a day as cases near five million Britain has the second highest toll overall, with 35,341 deaths from 248,818 cases. It is followed by Italy with GENEVA - The World Health Or- eral TedrosAdhanom Ghebreyesus Tedros acknowledged having re- vent coronavirus infection. 32,169 deaths and 226,699 cases, France with 28,022 ganization (WHO) expressed con- told a news conference. “We are very ceived a letter from Trump, but Tedros said he was committed to deaths and 180,809 infections and Spain with 27,778 fa- cern yesterday (20) about the rising concerned about rising cases in low declined to comment further. “The accountability. The WHO has an- talities for 232,037 cases. number of new coronavirus cases in and middle income countries.” answer is simply we have received nounced a review into the response France revised down its toll on Tuesday (19) after chang- poor countries, even as many rich Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO’s the letter and are looking into it,” he to the pandemic, which emerged in ing the way it recorded nursing-home fatalities. nations have begun emerging from emergencies program, said: “We will said. China late last year. China - excluding Hong Kong and Macau - has to date lockdown. soon reach the tragic milestone of In comments that could annoy “I said it time and time again that declared 4,634 deaths and 82,965 cases. It has 78,244 re- The global health body said five million cases.” Trump further, the head of the WHO calls for accountability more covered cases. 106,000 new cases of infections The WHO has come under fire WHO’s emergency program, Dr. than anyone. It has to be done and Europe has a total of 168,725 deaths from 1,938,946 cas- of the novel coronavirus had been from US President Donald Trump, Mike Ryan, told the press confer- es, the United States and Canada have 97,949 deaths and recorded in the past 24 hours, the who accuses it of having mishandled ence that people should avoid using when it’s done it has to be a compre- 1,607,773 cases, Latin America and the Caribbean have most in a single day since the out- the outbreak and favouring China. the malaria medicine hydroxychlo- hensive one,” he said of the review, 32,386 deaths and 578,921 cases, Asia has 12,879 deaths break began. This week Trump threatened to roquine, except for conditions it is while declining to give a timeline for and 384,874 cases, the Middle East has 8,384 deaths and “We still have a long way to go in withdraw from the WHO and per- proven to treat. Trump has said he it starting. 299,734 cases, Africa has 2,919 deaths from 91,443 cases, this pandemic,” WHO director-gen- manently withhold funding. is taking hydroxychloroquine to pre- -Agencies and Oceania 128 deaths from 8,426 cases. -AFP 2 dams fail in Michigan, Prototype vaccines Raising stakes for Israeli annexation forcing thousands to protect monkeys from Abbas says security evacuate DETROIT - Two dams in Cen- levels, and that it was continu- coronavirus cooperation to end tral Michigan were breached by ing to rise. The service said that WASHINGTON- A prototype naviruses affect monkeys — and rain-swollen floodwaters Tues- life-threatening flooding along JERUSALEM — Raising the security agreements. day (19), forcing the evacuation the river would continue during vaccine has protected monkeys whether vaccines might fight from the coronavirus, research- the pathogens. Their report was stakes over Israel’s drive to annex Abbas said his move was a re- of thousands of residents and the day. Bridges across the river land the Palestinians have long sponse to the new Israeli govern- prompting officials to warn of were closed and many roads were ers reported yesterday (20), a published in Science. finding that offers new hope for The scientists started by stud- claimed, President Mahmoud Ab- ment’s push to annex large por- life-threatening danger. under water, Midland County of- bas of the Palestinian Authority tions of the West Bank. The failures of the Edenville ficials said. effective human vaccines. ying whether the monkeys be- Scientists are already testing come immune to the virus after on Tuesday (19) angrily declared In the recent Israeli election, Dam and the Sanford Dam, about In Sanford, a village of about it free of its commitments under Prime Minister Benjamin Netan- 140 miles northwest of Detroit, 580 people in Midland Coun- coronavirus vaccines in people, getting sick. The team infected but the initial trials are designed nine unvaccinated rhesus ma- the Oslo peace process, including yahu campaigned for right-wing led the National Weather Service ty, water coursed through the security understandings that have support on a promise to extend Is- to issue a flash flood warning for streets, video from local news to determine safety, not how well caques with the new coronavi- a vaccine works. The research rus. protected Israelis and preserved raeli sovereignty over the Jordan areas near the Tittabawassee Riv- agencies showed. Some single- the authority’s political hold over Valley and Jewish settlements to- er, with downstream effects ex- story structures were submerged published yesterday offers in- The monkeys developed symp- sight into what a vaccine must do toms that resembled a moderate the occupied West Bank. taling about 30% of the territory. pected from Midland to Saginaw. nearly over doorways, and water For a change, several senior Pal- In his speech, Abbas referred di- Residents in nearby towns, in- had swept across a bridge over to be effective and how to meas- case of COVID-19, including in- ure that. flammation in their lungs that estinian officials insisted, Abbas rectly both to the coalition agree- cluding Edenville, Sanford and the Tittabawassee River, photos was not making a mere threat. ment and to Netanyahu’s inaugu- Midland, were evacuated. and video showed. “To me, this is convincing that led to pneumonia, but recovered a vaccine is possible,” said Dr. after a few days. Barouch and his “The Palestine Liberation Or- ral address on Sunday (17), which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said at President Donald Trump ganization and the State of Pales- he said “did not include anything a news conference Tuesday that tweeted yesterday morning that Nelson Michael, director of the colleagues found that the ani- Centre for Infectious Diseases mals had begun making antibod- tine are absolved, as of today, of about commitment to the signed downtown Midland, with a popu- the Federal Emergency Manage- all agreements and understand- agreements” but did repeat Net- lation of more than 41,000, could ment Agency and the military Research at Walter Reed Army ies to the coronavirus. Institute of Research. Some of them turned out to be ings with the American and Israeli anyahu’s intention to apply Israeli be under 9 feet of water by yes- had been deployed to Michigan governments,” Abbas declared sovereignty over parts of the West terday (20) morning. to assist with disaster response. Dr. Dan Barouch, a virologist so-called neutralizing antibod- at Beth Israel Deaconess Medi- ies, meaning that they stopped in a speech in Ramallah after a Bank. Yesterday, the Weather Service But he also used the occasion to much-anticipated meeting of offi- By making annexation a prior- said that the Tittabawassee River repeat his criticism of Whitmer cal Centre in Boston, and his the virus from entering cells and colleagues have started a series reproducing. cials of the authority, the PLO and ity, Abbas argued, Israel had “an- had reached 34.72 feet just before for not lifting coronavirus restric- Fatah, the political faction that nulled the Oslo agreement” and 9 a.m., a full 10 feet above flood of experiments on monkeys to -NYT tions faster. -NYT get a broader look at how coro- dominates them both. Those un- the ensuing pacts that built upon derstandings, he said, include all it. -NYT Trending News Quote for Today USA: President Donald Trump in hit Latin American country. say a top football club accused of national chorus of opposition. There an early morning tweet, again lash- using sex dolls to fill empty seats in is no influence like the influence of habit. India: In a further easing of na- Italy: The country transport min- -Gilbert Parker es out at China over the coronavi- tional lockdown restrictions, the its stands will face disciplinary pro- ister says all airports will be able Word for Today rus pandemic, blaming Beijing for country’s aviation minister says ceedings this week. to reopen from June 3 after many "mass worldwide killing." domestic air travel will resume on Canada: A 17-year-old accused of were closed to stem the spread of Chariness [chaireenis] – noun scrupulous integrity - Authorities say two men suspected May 25 after a two-month shut- murdering a woman at a Toronto the coronavirus outbreak. Today in History of helping the former Nissan chief down imposed to stop the spread of massage parlour becomes the first Burundi: Burundians vote in Carlos Ghosn flee Japan in Decem- coronavirus. person in the country to be charged tense elections to replace their 1991 – Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi is ber, where he was facing financial Algeria: Human rights groups say with terrorism over his suspected long-ruling president, with the op- assassinated by a female suicide bomber near Madras charges, were arrested in Massa- courts have handed tough jail sen- ties to the misogynist "incel" move- position crying foul over arrests and chusetts. tences to three opposition activists ment. intimidation, and little attention Today is... Brazil: The country registers 1,179 whose Facebook posts they deemed Israel: The UN's special Mideast paid to the coronavirus pandemic. Global Accessibility Awareness Day coronavirus deaths in the past 24 potentially damaging to the nation- envoy calls on the leaders to drop Afghanistan: The leaders of Tali- A day that is all about getting people thinking and talking hours, as the pandemic exacts its al interest. plans to annex parts of the occupied ban say they are committed to a about making the web accessible for those with different worst daily toll yet in the hardest- South Korea: K-league officials West Bank, joining a growing inter- landmark deal with the US. disabilities 2 THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 DAILY EXPRESS HOT TOPICS

By Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard By Ronen Bergman and David M. Halbfinger Taiwan president In exchange of cyberattacks rejects Beijing rule Israel hack of Iran China says ‘reunification' inevitable port is latest salvo TAIPEI - Taiwan cannot accept becoming part of China under its “one country, two systems” offer of TEL AVIV — Israel was behind a cy- autonomy , President Tsai Ing-wen said yesterday berattack May 9 that disrupted opera- (20), strongly rejecting China’s sovereignty claims tions at a major port in Iran, according and likely setting the stage for an ever worsening to high-ranking intelligence officials and of ties. experts in the Middle East who are kept China responded that “reunification” was in- informed of covert Israeli actions in the evitable and that it would never tolerate Taiwan’s region. independence. The attack on the computer systems at In a speech after being sworn in for her second the ShahidRajaee port in the strategically and final term in office, Tsai said relations be- important Strait of Hormuz was limited tween Taiwan and China had reached an histori- in scope, creating traffic jams of delivery cal turning point. trucks and some delays in shipments but “Both sides have a duty to find a way to coexist causing no substantial or lasting damage. over the long term and prevent the intensification Israel and Iran have recently been en- of antagonism and differences,” she said. gaged in an exchange of attempted and Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party won successful cyberattacks, and the purpose January’s presidential and parliamentary elec- of Israel’s relatively small-scale effort at the port, according to intelligence offi- tions by a landslide, vowing to stand up to China, - Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP which claims Taiwan as its own and says it would cials, was to send a message to Tehran: be brought under Beijing’s control by force if Residents walk along a street to a shelter ahead of the expected landfall of cyclone Amphan in Digha, West Bengal, yesterday Don’t target Israeli infrastructure. needed. (20). India and Bangladesh began evacuating more than two million people as a cyclone barrelled towards their coasts, with The hacking of the port’s computers “Here, I want to reiterate the words ‘peace, par- officials racing to ready extra shelters amid fears of coronavirus contagion in cramped refuges came in direct response, those experts fa- ity, democracy, and dialogue’. We will not accept miliar with the decision-making process the Beijing authorities’ use of ‘one country, two by Sam Jahan and Dibyanshu Sarkar in Digha said, to a failed Iranian cyberattack on an systems’ to downgrade Taiwan and undermine the Israeli water facility last month. cross-strait status quo. We stand fast by this prin- Officials in Israel initially decided the ciple,” Tsai said. country should not retaliate for the at- China uses the “one country, two systems” pol- tack on the water system, according to ‘Super cyclone' barrels towards the intelligence sources, because its ef- icy, which is supposed to guarantee a high degree of autonomy, to run the former British colony of fect would have been minor even if it had Hong Kong, which returned to Chinese rule in succeeded. 1997. It has offered it to Taiwan, though all major But when the story of the attempted Taiwanese parties have rejected it. Bangladesh, India attack was published in Israeli media, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, responding to government officials, led by Naftali Ben- Tsai, said Beijing would stick to “one country, two nett in his last days as defence minister, systems” - a central tenet of Chinese President Xi thought Israel should react in the same Jinping’s Taiwan policy - and “not leave any space 2.4 million evacuated in Bangladesh token by targeting Iranian civilian infra- for Taiwan independence separatist activities”. structure and then leaking that story to “Reunification is a historical inevitability of the KHULNA, Bangladesh / DIGHA, The Indian met office warned of pos- Infection numbers are still soaring in international news media. great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” it said. India - Several million people sheltered sible flying objects, "extensive" damage both countries and hospitals are strug- Israel’s responsibility for the cyberat- “We have the firm will, full confidence, and suf- and prayed yesterday (20) as one of the to communications and power lines, gling to cope. tack on the port was first reported by The Washington Post. ficient ability to defend national sovereignty and fiercest cyclones in decades roared to- and trees being ripped out of the ground Sulata Munda, a tribal villager in territorial integrity.” wards Bangladesh and eastern India, by the wind. The incident that prompted the Israeli Bangladesh where Amphan was forecast attack on the port happened April 24, China views Tsai as a separatist bent on formal with forecasts of a potentially devastat- Kolkata was battered by heavy rain to make landfall, said she and fellow vil- independence for Taiwan. Tsai says Taiwan is an ing and deadly storm surge. and the muddy Hooghly river was rising when a pump at a municipal water sys- lagers had decided not to go to a shelter tem in the Sharon region of central Israel independent state called the Republic of China, its A few hours ahead of the predicted under dark skies, while in the coastal re- because of the risk. official name, and does not want to be part of the arrival of Amphan, the Bangladeshi sort of Digha, large waves were pound- stopped working. The facility’s computer "We fear the cyclone, but we also fear system resumed pump operation in a People’s Republic of China governed by Beijing. Red Crescent reported the first death, ing the shore. the coronavirus," the mother of four China has stepped up its military drills near Tai- after one its volunteers drowned while "There is strong wind and it's raining. short time but also recorded the occur- told AFP. "If needed we will move later." rence as an exceptional event. wan since Tsai’s re-election, flying fighter jets into moving villagers to shelter when strong Scores of trees and electric poles have Although outside Amphan's predicted A security company that investigated the island’s air space and sailing warships around winds capsized a boat. been uprooted," hotel owner ParthaTri- path, there are fears for the almost one discovered that malware had caused Taiwan. Tsai said Taiwan has made the greatest Authorities have scrambled to evacu- pathi told AFP by phone. million Rohingya refugees in southeast- the shutdown. Because water is defined effort to maintain peace and stability in the nar- ate low lying areas in the storm's pro- Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to row Taiwan Strait that separates the democratic ern Bangladesh - most living in flimsy, as “critical infrastructure” in Israel, the jected trail of destruction, but their task 30 million people, and India's east are incident was reported to the Israel Na- island from its autocratic neighbour China. is complicated by the need to follow pre- regularly battered by cyclones that have makeshift shacks. “We will continue these efforts, and we are will- The first coronavirus cases were re- tional Cyber Directorate and other intel- cautions to prevent the spread of coro- claimed the lives of hundreds of thou- ligence agencies in Israel. ing to engage in dialogue with China and make navirus. sands of people in recent decades. ported in the teeming camps last week, more concrete contributions to regional securi- and by Tuesday (9), there were six con- According to Israeli experts with "At least 50 people took shelter in my The eastern Indian state of Odisha knowledge of the investigation, Israeli ty,” she added, speaking in the garden of the old concrete-built house," said Abdur Ra- was hit by a super cyclone that left firmed infections. Japanese governor’s house in Taipei, in front of a The UN said food, tarpaulins and wa- officials identified the malware as com- him, a Bangladeshi shrimp farmer on nearly 10,000 dead in 1999, eight years ing from one of the offensive cyberunits socially-distanced audience of officials and diplo- the edge of the Sundarbans mangrove after a typhoon, tornadoes and flooding ter purification tablets had been stock- mats. piled, while authorities said the refugees of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. forest that is expected to bear the full killed 139,000 in Bangladesh. In 1970, While some unprotected pumps con- Taiwan has become a rising source of friction brunt. Cyclone Bhola killed half a million. would be moved to sturdier buildings if between China and the United States, with the nected to the internet were not properly "There is panic. The women are wor- While the storms' frequency and in- needed. protected, the facility’s computer system Trump administration strongly backing Taiwan ried," he told AFP. "A few months ago tensity have increased - a phenomenon "We are fully prepared. But right now, even in the absence of formal diplomatic ties. identified the malfunction and restarted Cyclone Bulbul smashed our village, blamed partly on climate change - deaths there is no need to take them to cyclone the pump, and no damage or interfer- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sent his destroying at least 100 homes. We hope have fallen thanks to faster evacuations, shelters," said MahbubAlamTalukder, congratulations to Tsai on Tuesday (19), prais- ence with the water supply to residents Allah will save us this time." better technology and more shelters. Bangladesh's refugee commissioner. and farmers in the region was recorded. ing her “courage and vision in leading Taiwan’s Amphan is only the second ‘super cy- But Bangladesh authorities still fear There were also fears for some of the vibrant democracy”, in a rare high-level message The attack and its quality were de- clone’ to form over the Bay of Bengal that Amphan will be the most power- hundreds of Rohingya thought to be out scribed by an intelligence official as from Washington direct to Taiwan’s government. since records began, and the first since ful storm front since Cyclone Sidr killed China’s Foreign Ministry condemned Pompeo’s at sea in rickety boats that have been “miserable.” 1999. about 3,500 people and causing billions denied entry by Thailand and Malaysia The main push for an Israeli counter- remarks, and said the government would take At midday (0630 GMT) the vast vor- of dollars in damage in 2007. “necessary countermeasures”, though did not in recent weeks because of coronavirus response came from Bennett, the outgo- tex - visible from space - was 125 kilo- Enamur Rahman, Bangladesh's jun- restrictions. ing defence minister, who had advocated elaborate. metres (80 miles) offshore and forecast ior minister for disaster management China cut off a formal talks mechanism with "Heavy rains, flooding (and) the de- an assertive line against Iran in his seven to slam into the coast in the afternoon and relief, said 2.4 million people and struction of homes and farmland will in- months in office, both in actions and in Taiwan in 2016 after Tsai first won election. or evening. over half a million livestock had been Yao Chia-wen, a senior adviser to Tsai, said the crease the likelihood of the virus spread- his public statements. Gusts of 185 kilometres per hour (115 brought to some 15,000 shelters. ing, particularly in densely populated “We must not let go of Iran for a mo- chance of talks with China were small given ongo- miles per hour) were predicted when it India has evacuated around 400,000 ing tensions. areas like the refugee camps in Cox's ment,” Bennett said Monday in his fare- does, the equivalent of a Category Three in the states of West Bengal and Odisha. well remarks to the ministry as Israel “We are ready to engage with them any time, but hurricane, with a storm surge of several Because of coronavirus, authorities in Bazar," ActionAid said. China is unlikely to make concessions to Taiwan,” "It will also undoubtedly increase the swore in a new government. “We need metres, forecasters said. Such walls of both countries said that they were using to increase political, economic, military, he said. “In the next four years there’s little chance water can cascade several kilometres extra shelter space to reduce crowding, number of lives and livelihoods already for the cross-strait relationship to improve.” technological pressure and do that in inland, and are often the main killers in while also making face masks compul- lost to this pandemic." even more and bigger dimensions,” he -Agencies any cyclone, typhoon or hurricane. sory and setting aside isolation rooms. - Agence France-Presse said. The site in Iran was specifically chosen as a non-central target, with an intent to By Poornima Weerasekara Virtual reality send a warning that attacking Israel’s ci- vilian infrastructure would not go unan- Singapore sentences man to death via Zoom call swered and was crossing a red line, the intelligence officials said. Cry hard with SINGAPORE - A man convicted of tine measures since early April, follow- Singapore, which has a zero-tolerance Activity at the ShahidRajaee port has drug-trafficking offences has been sen- ing a surge in the number of coronavirus policy for illegal drugs, is one of only been severely hampered by the U.S. sanc- tenced to death in Singapore via a Zoom cases linked to migrant worker dormi- four countries known to still execute tions imposed on Iran after the United a vengeance video-call, the city-state’s first case tories. Court cases considered essential people for drug-related offences, ac- States abandoned the nuclear deal. No where capital punishment has been de- have been held remotely, though many cording to Amnesty International. more than 20 freight ships reach it every livered remotely. others have been adjourned. “This case is another reminder that month. Rights groups condemned the sen- Genasan’s lawyer, Peter Fernando, Singapore continues to defy interna- Soon after the cyberattack began, the Chinese woman sends tencing of PunithanGenasan, a 37-year- said his client received the judge’s ver- tional law and standards by imposing port’s authorities detected it. They failed old Malaysian, as inhumane, and a re- dict on a Zoom call and is considering the death penalty for drug trafficking, to fix it immediately but switched to tonne of onions to ex minder of the country’s continued use an appeal. He said he did not object to and as a mandatory punishment,” said manual management of unloading and of the death penalty for drug-related the use of video-conferencing since it the group’s death penalty adviser, Chi- loading. BEIJING - A jilted Chinese woman has sent an offences. was only to receive the judge’s verdict, ara Sangiorgio. The restrained nature of the recent unusual revenge gift to an ex-lover who broke up Genasan was found to have been which could be heard clearly, and no Four people were executed in the cyberattacks seem to indicate that both with her days before Chinese Valentine's Day - complicit in trafficking at least 28.5g of other legal arguments were presented. city-state last year, compared with 13 in sides want to avoid escalation. dumping a truckload of onions on his doorstep to heroin by coordinating two couriers in Rights experts described the decision 2018. On the Israeli side, this is somewhat bring him to tears. 2011. He denied any connection to the to hold the case remotely as callous. Zoom did not immediately respond to similar to the way that the country is The woman in eastern China's Shandong prov- pair, but his defence was rejected on “The absolute finality of the sentence, a request for comment made via its rep- waging war against Hezbollah in Leba- ince bought the tonne of onions online and had Friday (15). and the reality that wrongful convic- resentatives in Singapore. non and Syria, where it is careful to them delivered to her former boyfriend's house, A spokesperson for Singapore’s Su- tions do occur around the world in A similar case in Nigeria, where a man bomb and destroy equipment but only saying it was "his turn" to cry. preme Court said the case involving death sentence cases, raise serious con- was sentenced to death via Zoom for after verifying that there is no danger to She ordered the delivery drivers to pile the Genasan was conducted online “for the cerns about why Singapore is rushing to murdering his employer’s mother, has Hezbollah’s personnel. eye-watering vegetable up on her ex-boyfriend's safety of all involved in the proceed- conclude this case via Zoom,” said Phil also been criticized by rights groups. An intelligence official said that Israel doorstep and leave without ringing the doorbell, ings.” Robertson, the deputy director of Hu- -The Guardian/Agencies hopes the attack on the port will end this reported Shandong Net, a news outlet affiliated to The country has been under quaran- man Rights Watch’s Asia division. cyber exchange but that, according to the local government, on Sunday (17). one intelligence assessment, the Revolu- "I cried for three days, and now it's your turn!" tionary Guard will respond by attacking she wrote in a note alongside the stinging gift. Ahead of repatriation Israel again. The woman in Shandong, surnamed Zhao, told In a ceremony Tuesday (19) evening, Shandong Net that she had been in a relationship Gen. Aviv Kochavi, the chief of staff of with her ex-boyfriend for nearly a year before the Israel honours dead Chinese envoy the Israel Defence Forces, appeared to man decided to "unilaterally" break up. allude to the cyberattack on the Iranian "It caused me a lot of pain, but he refused to TEL AVIV - The body of China's am- The coffin was placed on a black altar Du had taken his post in Israel in port. “We will continue to use a diverse cry!" Zhao said. bassador to Israel, who died earlier this surrounded by white wreaths of flow- February, with part of his duties includ- array of military tools and unique war- So she said she decided to send a gift that would week, was handed to Chinese authori- ers ahead of the body's repatriation to ing advancing cooperation in high-tech fare methods to hurt the enemy,” he said. "squeeze out his tears." ties in a ceremony at Israel's Ben Guri- China. and other sectors. “While we do everything in our might "Money is nothing. But the feelings between two on international airport yesterday (20). Ambassador Du Wei was 57 when he Israel's new Foreign Minister Gabi to avoid harming civilians, the enemy people are precious. I can't be the only one cry- Soldiers from Israel's military police, was found dead at his home in Herzliya, Ashkenazy, who took charge of the makes every possible effort to harm ci- ing," she added. wearing surgical masks, white peak north of Tel Aviv, on Sunday (17). ministry the day after Du's death, ex- vilians,” he said, adding, “The dozens Zhao's reaction was "excessive," her ex-boy- hats and armbands over their olive The Chinese foreign ministry said pressed his "sincere condolences" and of strikes that we have conducted, both friend, who declined to be named, said. green uniforms carried the ambassa- that "health reasons" were the pre- offered his "deepest sympathies" to the recently and in the past, have already The acrimonious breakup has raised a big stink dor's wooden coffin, covered by the red sumed cause of Du's death, and Israeli ambassador's family over his "sudden proved the superior nature of the intel- in the entire neighbourhood. and yellow Chinese flag, an AFP corre- police had not conducted a criminal in- and tragic passing." ligence and fire abilities of the IDF.” - Agence France-Presse spondent reported. vestigation into the incident. -AFP -New York Times DAILY EXPRESS THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 3 GLOCAL

Express Newspapers (Cey) Pvt. Ltd., By Ruki Fernando 185, Grandpass Road, Colombo 14, Sri Lanka Telephone: 0117 322 705 (Editorial) 0117 322 731 (Advertising) May 18 0117 322 789 (Circulation) Email – [email protected]/[email protected] A thousand lamps Epaper - http://epaper.newsexpress.lk Facebook –News Express Sri Lanka to remember a dark past and inspire a Elections Commission tells Supreme Court it better future The Catholic Church in the tiny village of Irana- palei in the Mullaithivu district was lit up with cannot hold polls on June 20 1000 lamps on Monday (18). The thousand lamps were to remember the tens of thousands, COLOMBO– The National Elections Com- named as a respondent by the petitions. However, the Secretary had informed the a media communication received about the possibly even more than a hundred thousand mission (NEC) yesterday (20) dropped a Counsel for the Commission, President’s Elections Commission that the President holiday, but it now appears the nominations that had perished during the last stages of the bombshell in the ornate ceremonial court Counsel SaliyaPieris told the court that did not intend to seek the advice of the Su- received on those dates are invalid. war. Iranapalei and its surroundings had expe- of the Supreme Court proclaiming it cannot it would not be possible for the Elections preme Court on the matter. In response President’s Counsel M. rienced some of the bloodiest moments of the conduct the General Elections on June 20 Commission to hold the poll on June 20 “Subsequently the June 20 election date A.Sumanthiran withdrew one of his peti- war in 2009 and many had died, disappeared, as earlier announced, redirecting the focus as planned due to logistical issues. He said was fixed on the assumption that the island- tions, filed by CharithaGuneratne, as his been physically and mentally scarred. Everyone of the current hearings to the refusal by the Commission would require 9-11 weeks after wide curfew would be lifted by April 27 as only prayer was the change of the date of in Iranapalei was displaced in 2009 and they president to recall the recently dissolved the health authorities give the Greenlight for announced by the government. Today it the election. All the other petitioners are were only allowed to return in 2011 or 2012. Parliament. an election in order to make preparations, is May 20 and 23 districts still have night also challenging the president’s refusal to Conscious of COVID-19, the parish priest had A five-Judge bench of the Supreme Court, explaining that curfew and restrictions on curfew. All-day curfew is still in place in rescind his order dissolving Parliament. held an early morning mass with handful of chaired by Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya is movement were resulting in a serious reduc- two districts. Normally officials involved in Counsel have argued that according to Catholic sisters and lay persons. But individual considering eight Fundamental Rights peti- tion of manpower and working hours. election preparation work are on duty 16-18 the dissolution order a new Parliament has persons, mostly war survivors and families of tions that challenged the June 20 poll date The Elections Commission told the Su- hours, now they can do no more than 10 or to convene on or before June 2 according to those killed and disappeared, had visited the and the refusal of the President to reconvene preme Court “it was mindful that it was a 12,” Peiris told the court. the Constitution that stipulates the House church throughout the day. The church also left the eighth Parliament. The other judges creature of the Constitution and therefore Making submission on behalf of EC mem- can stay dissolved for only three months. a pot of Kanji for people who came by – Kanji are Supreme Court Justices BuwanekaAlu- had advised the Secretary to the President ber RatnajeevanHoole, AsthikaDevendra, Sumanthiran and others have told court being the only basic meal many starving civil- wihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jaya- to request the president to seek an opinion explained the issues surrounding the March without Parliament there cannot be a de- ians could afford to eat during last stages of war. wardena and Vijith K. Malalgoda. from the Supreme Court on the matter of 17-19 holiday declaration, informed the mocracy.Further hearing was postponed for Like the people of Iranapalei, the parish The National Elections Commission is the delay in elections.” Court though the Commission had acted on today (21). -economynet.com priest had also experienced multiple displace- ment, hunger, fear, fired at in no fire zones, sought shelter in bunkers and helplessly wit- On fiscal stimulus, import controls, COVID hit nessed mass death and destruction. There was an offer to evacuate the clergy, but this priest S & P downgrades Sri Lanka rating to ‘B-’ was amongst a small group of heroic Catholic clergy who had opted to stay with the civilians COLOMBO– Standard and Poor’s has year, the deterioration will worsen the risks in the war zone, till everyone left. 11 years ago, downgraded Sri Lanka’s sovereign rating associated with Sri Lanka’s government the reward for his decision was 100 days of de- to ‘B-’ as tax cuts made in January in ‘fiscal debt burden. tention at the end of the war. On Monday, the stimulus’ which were further worsened by S&P also said that with COVID-19 damp- reward for lighting 1000 lamps was to be sum- import controls, raised doubts about budget ening domestic economic activity and lower moned by the local police. and debt repayment ability as a coronavirus excise duty earnings due to broad import re- Throughout the Tamil majority North and crisis slowed growth. strictions, they now expect that government East, including in Mullivaikkal where the war The outlook at the lower level is ‘stable.’ revenues to decline to below 10% of GDP in came to a bloody end, commemorations were “We expect the COVID-19 outbreak to 2020. S & P said it was keeping the outlook held to remember war dead and mourn collec- push Sri Lanka’s economy into a recession at the lower rating level stable as it expected tively. Due to COVID-19, there were no large in 2020, against earlier expectations of a re- bilateral financing to come in. gatherings like the last few years. But on Mon- bound,” S & P said. “This would weaken Sri “The stable outlook reflects our expecta- day and days leading to it, there were many Lanka’s already-fragile fiscal position.” tion that the government still has access to reports of Tamil remembrances in the north Some progress in government budget had various multilateral and bilateral resources - ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP and east facing obstructions, intimidations and been made under an International Mon- that could augment their foreign exchange threats by police and army, even in private of- etary Fund (IMF) program but the process reserves to meet immediate debt obliga- Waves crash on the dyke along the Galle Face promenade under monsoon winds in Colombo fices. had been hampered recently. tions,” the agency said. yesterday (20). The Met Department has warned of heavy rains and strong winds in various From Colombo, the president and the prime Instead of waiting for a cyclical recovery S&P said the impact of coronavirus in Sri parts of the country, although the threat from Super Cyclone Amphan has abated with the minister issued statements to mark the end of to take place after a currency collapse in Lanka was uncertain though numbers were storm moving away from Sri Lanka and heading towards India and Bangladesh the war. Both had focused on the war victory 2018, Sri Lanka slashed taxes from January still low compared to other countries. and saluting the military, which along with the in fiscal ‘stimulus.’ “While Sri Lanka’s number of COVID-19 LTTE, stands accused of serious and systemic “We lowered our ratings on Sri Lanka cases, as measured by official statistics, re- rights violations. A war heroes’ commemora- based on our assessment that the country’s main lower than many other countries in Amphan Super Cyclone moves tion held in Colombo on Tuesday (19), was pre- fiscal position has weakened substantially the region, and containment measures are sided over by the President Gotabaya Rajapaks. amid a COVID-19-induced recession,” the being eased, it remains difficult to predict Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s message rating agency said, noting that with the fis- the trajectory of the pandemic,” S&P said, away from Sri Lanka said the war was not waged against Tamils, but cal space already limited by the wide-rang- warning that it creates substantial near- there was no message of solidarity or reference ing tax cuts announced at the end of last term economic risks. -ENCL COLOMBO – Super cyclonic storm Am- wa, Central and North-Western Provinces,” to the large numbers that died, disappeared and phan had moved 1250 kilometres away from it said, warning heavy showers about 100 injured in the war, most of whom were Tamils. the coast of Trincomalee but it will still gen- mm were likely in the western slope of the Both had also ignored the emotionally charged Over 60,000 arrested for violating COVID-19 curfew erate high rainfall and lightning in several ar- central hills, particularly in Nuwara-Eliya, remembrances by Tamils across the North and East. The remembrances were not covered in COLOMBO - Over 60,000 people had been Sri Lanka imposed a countrywide 24-hour eas of the island, the Meteorological Depart- and in Kalutara, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Galle ment said yesterday (20). High winds and and Matara Districts. any of the news broadcasts by Colombo based arrested from across the country for violat- curfew on March 20, which was loosened state or private TV channels that I watched on ing a coronavirus curfew imposed to prevent later in districts other than Colombo and its heavy rains have already killed three people The Met Dept also warned that wind speed in Matara and RatnapuraDistricts, the Disas- could increase up to (40-50) kmph at times Monday night. the spread of the virus. Although relaxed in outskirts due to a less threat of the spread May 18 has become a day that indicates how most districts, the curfew has been in place of the virus. ter Management Centre (DMC) said. over the island. Amphan, now moving towards India and The storm was around 1000 kilometres ethnically divided Sri Lankans are and this year indefinitely in Colombo and its outskirts In Colombo and the outskirts of Gampa- was no exception. On May 18 , and the days be- since March 24. ha, the 24-hour curfew has continued in- Bangladesh where evacuations have begun off Sri Lanka on Tuesday (19), but the heavy amid a Coronavirus crisis, is said to be the rains saw the Kalu Ganga reaching minor fore and after, many Tamils in the North and In a statement issued yesterday (20), the definitely since March 24, as these areas East are inclined to mourn their lost loved ones police said 60,425 people had been arrested have been declared "high risk" areas from second Super Cyclonic Storm to hit North- flood levels near Ratnapura. Floods and eastern Bay of Bengal region since records landslides have been reported in several ar- and many Sinhalese in the South and rest of the since the curfew was imposed on March 20, the virus. However, while the curfew is in country are inclined to celebrate the govern- for loitering on the roads, gathering and place, authorities opened Colombo for the began. eas in the Southern, Western and Sabaraga- The Met Dept said the Storm was very muwa Provinces. ment’s war victory. But for many who suffered, consuming alcohol at public grounds, trav- resumption of economic activities last week, remembrances, and an environment where this elling by vehicle on the roads and behaving permitting only employees from private likely to move further north-north-eastwards The Met Dept has also asked multi-day away from the island across West Bengal boats and vessels in the seas off Sri Lanka can be done without obstacles, intimidations, in an unruly manner while intoxicated, de- and public sector to travel to and back from threats and fear, will be an important part of fying curfew rules. Police said 660 people work. coast during the afternoon yesterday. to be cautious with warnings of winds gust- “Due to the influence of the system, show- ing of over 100 kmph in the northern Bay of moving on. were arrested on Tuesday (19). Sri Lanka, has to date, detected over After 11 years, prospects for a political solu- Over 12,000 vehicles have also been 1,000 COVID-19 infected patients out of ers or thundershowers will occur at several Bengal area. places in Southern, Western, Sabaragamu- -economynext.com/ENCL tion to address root causes of the war remain seized since March 20. which over 500 have recovered and been bleak. Many Tamils have been trying to deal with Police said all those arrested have been discharged. Over 400 are under observa- post-war challenges such as increasing milita- and will be produced before local courts in tion in the designated hospitals while nine rization, finding disappeared family members, the coming days. deaths have been reported. -Xinhua getting military occupied land released, engag- INS Jalashwa to repatriate Indians ing in sustainable livelihoods, housing and cop- Director General ing with violence and discrimination based on stranded in Sri Lanka gender and caste. Sinhalese and Muslims who Health Services says In Brief have suffered during the war, including injured soldiers and families of dead soldiers, particu- Adrift in Indonesian waters COLOMBO – Indians stranded in Sri repatriation it said was the next in the series larly wives, have also been struggling to move COVID-19 situation in Thirty Sri Lankan multi-day trawl- Lanka due to the COVID-19 flight bans and of SamudraSetu, an exercise in which Indian on. They too grieve the dead, look for disap- ers with 180 fishermen on board have airport closures will be shipped to Turicorin Naval Ships have been deployed to bring back peared loved ones, struggle to resettle in their Sri Lanka under control drifted towards Indonesian waters due from Colombo on board the naval vessel INS stranded Indians abroad under the Vande traditional lands after displacement, face gen- to inclement weather, the Department Jalashwa on June 1, in the second phase of Bharat Mission. der based violence and economic hardships. COLOMBO - Director General Health Ser- of Fisheries said, but noted no injuries the repatriation of Indian nationals stranded The statement said a passenger manifest The 11 years has seen some determined and vices, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, has proclaimed the or casualties had been reported. Depart- in Sri Lanka. As with the first batch to be re- would be prepared for the voyage based on inspiring struggles, such as by families of dis- COVID-19 situation under control in Sri ment said it had taken measures to notify patriated, priority will be given to pregnant the registrations received by the Mission, and appeared and communities struggling to regain Lanka, as no community transference of the women, elderly and those with compelling information regarding the voyage will be up- military occupied lands. There has also been novel coronavirus had been reported from the Indonesian and Nicobar Islands au- cases in distress, including migrant workers/ dated on the High Commission of India web- thorities as well as the Indian authorities some rare, but inspiring instances of solidarity any part of the country, apart from the cases labourers who have been laid off, short term site. It also said passengers will bear the cost across ethnicity and geography, particularly by cropping up among navy personnel. about the fishermen. visa holders faced with expiry of visa and of travel as well as for mandatory quarantine women. Despite the darkness around us, these “It is clear that, apart from navy infections, Gang rape of 15-year-old those required to return to India due to death facilities on arrival in India. Information re- struggles and acts of solidarity, like the 1000 the COVID-19 outbreak situation in Sri Lan- Police have arrested six suspects, aged of family member, and students. garding quarantine facilities and Standard lamps in Iranapalei, fuels hope of healing pains ka is currently under control,” he is quoted as between 17 and 20, over the alleged gang The Indian High Commission in Colombo, Operating Procedure followed by respective and the possibilities of co-existence of different saying in the local media. rape of a 15-year-old girl in Sevenagala, in in a statement issued yesterday (20) said the States/UT Governments is available on the communities with rights and dignity for all. He has also said the focus is on controlling the Monaragala Districts. The Embilipiti- INS Jalashwa, will carry Indian nationals High Commission of India website, it said. -This article was originally featured on the infection within the Sri Lanka Navy and ya Magistrate’s Court had remanded the who are from the State of Tamil Nadu. The -ENCL groundviews.org containing the virus from spreading outside. suspects until May 26.The teenage victim Dr. Jasinghe had also noted that all 35 per- has been hospitalized and further investi- sons who were confirmed as COVID-19 posi- gations are under way. Sajith says tive on Tuesday (19) to have were navy per- Warning of twin crisis sonnel. -ENCL Director General of Health Services, Dr. Anil Jasinghe has warned Sri Lanka No Govt. succeeded in laying technological could face a twin crisis if the spread of dengue virus is not prevented. He has said that while steps are being taken to groundwork for e-learning contain the spread of the coronavirus, failure to ensure breeding grounds for COLOMBO– Successive govern- school children, but it wasn’t im- cessed through mobile networks proposals on a number of issues the Aedes mosquito are not eliminated ments including the previous Ya- plemented at the ground level. I’m using a smartphone, which pertaining to education including will result in the spread of dengue. hapalana coalition failed to lay the not making excuses, but in a coa- Premadasa, however, said it was English-language proficiency, the FBI hunt Lankan born American technological groundwork needed lition government, contradictory important to forge ahead with the grade five scholarship exam, sex The Federal Bureau of Investigation for a hassle-free and equitable approaches inevitably resulted in resources available. and reproductive health educa- (FBI) is hunting for a Sri Lankan born transition from traditional edu- policy stagnation,” he said. “We must also ask ourselves if tion, and disparities and systemic American wanted over the rape of a mi- cation to distance education or e- Quoting a recent study con- we’re going to go ahead with what discrimination in the country’s nor. ChamindaPrabhathPalliyaguru is learning in Sri Lanka, former op- ducted by the Education Forum we have, or not do anything at all. decades-old free education sys- wanted for his alleged rape of a six-year- position leader SajithPremadasa Sri Lanka (EFSL) on distance edu- We can use TV, radio, the postal tem. old victim on March 7, 2020, in Franklin said. cation in Sri Lanka, the Samagi service etc. in a pandemic. It’s Among Premadasa’s proposals While countries like Singapore Jana Balavegaya (SJB) leader said anomalies in implementation that County, Ohio. to reinvigorate the country’s edu- Treasury yields flat have found the switch to e-learn- policymakers must consider tra- have resulted in this stagnation,” ing amid the COVID-19 pandemic ditional approaches to distance cation system is to utilize proac- Sri Lanka has sold Rs 30 billion of he said. relatively easy, Sri Lanka is strug- education such as television, radio The former presidential candi- tive measures in corporate social Treasury bills with yields largely un- gling due to disparities in access to and the postal service. date was responding to questions responsibility (CSR) initiatives, changed across maturities, data from the information and communication A survey of mobile use in Sri he took from a panel of expert’s working together with both gov- state debt office showed. The debt office technology (ICT), Premadasa said Lanka by LIRNEasia in 2018 yesterday morning on education ernment and non-government do- which is a unit of the central bank sold Rs in an online discussion yesterday found that only 40% of house- reform in Sri Lanka. nors, locally and internationally, 1.4 billion of 3-month bills to yield 6.71%, (20) morning. holds with children aged 5-18 had Besides e-learning, Prema- to address weaknesses inherent to down from 6.74% a week earlier after of- “We talked big about providing an Internet connection. More than dasa was questioned at length for the education system. fering Rs 8.0 billion. computers and IT education to 90% of these connections were ac- over two hours about his policy -economynext.com 4 THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 DAILY EXPRESS EYE ON ASIA

By P. K. Balachandran A question of militarization How the military has gained ascendancy in South and South East Asia COLOMBO - After de-colonization, many countries in South and South East Asia have been subjected to military rule, both direct and indirect. These countries have also gone through ‘de-militarization’ and ‘re- militarization’ depending upon a variety of domestic Health workers and external development impinging on the ruling collect test samples elites’ notion of ‘national security.’ in Colombo on The reasons for a country’s military seizing political May 14, days after power or its continuance as a ruler have been diverse. The most common reasons are external and external the government threats to national security and a manifest failure of ci- relaxed the weeks- vilian regimes to ensure stability, democracy and func- long coronavirus tional efficiency in governance. The development of a lockdown, allowing a vested interest in having a hand on the levers of power limited resumption of is another important reason. civilian life Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Indone- sia and the Philippines have seen military governments; attempted military coups; and the military’s playing a role in civilian politics by supporting or denying sup- port to political groups. In Pakistan and Bangladesh the failure of early civil- ian governments to provide stability, democracy and economic growth brought the military to the political sphere. Though the Pakistani military is back in the barracks for now, it does exercise control over civilian governments. It has also developed a vested interest in political power having to safeguard it economic interest as a major corporate investor. In Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia and Philippines,

-J. Sujeewakumar/ENCL though the military is currently not occupying centre stage, no government can survive without its blessings. In Myanmar, the military (called Tatmadaw) has repre- By Asad Hashim sentation in Parliament, which can tilt legislation one way or the other. In Sri Lanka, the military has gained political support among the majority Sinhala community as a result of internal and external threats to the existing order. At The curious case of South Asia's ‘low' first, the threat was from an indigenous Tamil separa- tist militancy. After militancy was crushed in 2009, the threat was from the Western powers and the UN who were intervening in favour of the minority Tamils by heaping allegations of war crimes against the military. coronavirus deaths After the April 21, 2019 terror strikes in Colombo, in- ternational Islamic terror groups are seen as a threat. ISLAMABAD- Scientists and public health experts The bodies of those confirmed to have been infect- "Is it the environment around us? Different envi- The military is set to become part of the power base are continuing to conduct research into why some ed with COVID-19 at the time of death are dealt with ronmental factors that have changed our immune of Sri Lankan politicians as Prime Minister Mahinda South Asian countries - despite their ramshackle through strict measures at government hospitals, system in some way? We have chronic infections like Rajapaksa indicated in his War Heroes’ Day message health infrastructure and dense populations - have with officials in full protective kits bathing the body tuberculosis and others [in this part of the world], or on May 19, where he said the soldier has now become witnessed lower coronavirus mortality rates com- as part of traditional Islamic burial. a part of the Sri Lankan society, and therefore, is a le- it may be because of vaccinations," says Mahmood. gitimate part of the national political constituency. In pared with many Western countries. "The district [officials] come to receive the dead "We don't know the answer to that particular one." other words the military cannot be considered to be By early May, the world's richest countries ac- body, and we pack it in a body bag. There needs to Adnan Khan, the public health researcher, believes “apolitical” and kept away from politics. counted for more than 90% of all reported deaths be better mechanisms for transporting the dead, there could be higher immunity due to exposure to “The Ranaviru (War Heroes) constituency is now from COVID-19, according to a paper published in because this is something that people don't want to other infections, but that any correlation with vac- an integral part of the Sangha (Buddhist priesthood), The Lancet medical journal. Adding China, Brazil [happen]," says Jamali. cine use would have to be borne out by further study. Weda (the Ayurvedic doctor), Guru (the teacher), Govi and Iran to that list takes the number up to 96%. "Bathing [the dead body] is a very important ritual Pakistani children receive expanded immuniza- (the farmer), Kamkaru (worker) social line up of former By contrast, many densely populated develop- for Muslims in Pakistan, so it is not possible that you tion, with vaccinations against nine different diseas- times. So, whenever we happen to be in power, there ing countries in South Asia and parts of Africa have to completely sideline people and say you will bury es being administered in several rounds before the will always be former members of the armed forces and fared far better when it comes to the mortality rate [their family members] yourselves." age of 18 months. police holding various positions in the government,” he from COVID-19, data from Johns Hopkins Univer- Nevertheless, Jamali and other experts agreed that Dr Sultan agrees that this could be a factor, but said. sity (JHU) shows. this appeared to result in only a modest decrease in cautioned against jumping to conclusions - as many It is important to note that the prime minister said In Europe, the observed case fatality ratio (CFR, the reporting of deaths - whether COVID-19-related have hastily concluded that use of the BCG tubercu- that “whenever we (meaning members of the Sri Lanka or the percentage of deaths among confirmed coro- or not. losis vaccine gives greater resistance to COVID-19. PodujanaPeramuna -SLPP) happen to be in power….. navirus patients) has been high, with France report- Dr.Faisal Sultan, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran "People talk about how our exposure to various showcasing how the party has arrogated the military to ing a rate of 15.2%, the United Kingdom 14.4%, Italy Khan's focal person on the coronavirus crisis, says pathogens or patterns of immunization change how itself, thereby politicizing it. 14% and Spain 11.9%, according to JHU data. In the the government has put systems in place to ensure our immune system is," he says. "All of these things In fact, the Gotabaya-Mahinda Rajapaksa govern- United States, the CFR is 6%, the data shows. that all deaths are being accounted for, including di- are possible, but no one has been able to categorically ment already has former armed forces personnel in key By contrast, in South Asian countries, those rates rect coordination with provincial health authorities prove it." positions from defence Secretary to the Chairman of have been far lower. India has a CFR of 3.3%, Paki- and community outreach using Pakistan's extensive Another possible factor could be the environment the Ports Authority, Health Secretary and the powerful stan 2.2%, Bangladesh 1.5% and Sri Lanka 1%. network for polio vaccination. in South Asian countries, he said, indicating that re- Task Force to control COVID-19. The president’ inter- national affairs advisor is also a former navy chief. "The rest of the world - historically far more used "The health system is so sensitised right now to gions with higher average temperatures and levels of to being depicted as the reservoir of pestilence and COVID that in the present situation, the possibility Both the prime minister and the president pledged sunlight and its associated ultraviolet radiation have that they will prevent persecution of Lankan forces per- disease that wealthy countries sought to protect of [large numbers of] underreported deaths is un- shown relatively lower death rates so far. themselves from, and the recipient of generous likely," he said. sonnel by domestic and international organizations. Researchers have, based on the data available so While Mahinda Rajapaksa lashed out at the opposition amounts of advice and modest amounts of aid from Dr. Faisal Mahmood, head of infectious diseases at far, downplayed the possibility that the strains of the rich governments and foundations - looks on warily for side-lining and persecuting the armed forces when Karachi's Aga Khan University Hospital, the largest virus affecting South Asia are different in any mean- as COVID-19 moves into these regions," write Rich- it was in power, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared research hospital in the country, concurred, saying ingful way from those hitting European and other ard Cash and Vikram Patel, public health experts at that he would withdraw from international organiza- results from a preliminary survey at the city's grave- countries where death rates are higher. Harvard University, in The Lancet. yards had not suggested a rise in deaths as opposed tions which denigrated the Sri Lankan armed forces. "Biologically we know that the coronaviruses do “In a situation where even leaders of powerful coun- Doctors and scientists say there are a number of to the previous year. possible explanations for the discrepancy in how not mutate that much - whenever a virus replicates, tries have emphatically stated that they would not allow Al Jazeera also interviewed doctors and officials at there is a bit of mutation built in, but the coronavi- any action against their war heroes, in a small country COVID-19 is affecting populations in different parts major government hospitals in Karachi, the eastern of the world, whether due to varying demographics, ruses have error-proofing enzymes, so they tend to like ours where our war heroes have sacrificed so much, city of Lahore, the capital Islamabad and the south- mutate less," said Dr Mahmood. "And these muta- I will not allow anyone to exert undue pressure on them different levels of exposure to similar viruses or even western city of Quetta - where a number of coro- incomplete data on mortality in some countries re- tions don't always affect how virulent the virus is […] or harass them. If any international body or organiza- navirus cases have been reported. None noted any they are more useful in terms of identifying the strain tion continuously target our country and our war he- sulting in faulty conclusions. marked increase in patients who were dead on ar- roes, using baseless allegations, I will also not hesitate In Pakistan, home to 220 million people and rick- than affecting its [lethality]." rival, whether from the coronavirus or other causes. Whatever the reason, all researchers Al Jazeera to withdraw Sri Lanka from such bodies or organiza- ety health infrastructure that offers just six hospital However, Dr. Mahmood cautioned: "It may be spoke to said it was far too early to say categorically tions,” the President said in his War Heroes Day mes- beds per 10,000 people, the first case of the corona- that our death rate is not low, but that our epidemic why certain countries were seeing lower levels of sage on May 19. virus was reported on February 26, a returning trav- is slow or that we are earlier in our epidemic, and deaths from the coronavirus. eller from neighbouring Iran. that eventually, we will have the same death rate." Asian Experience Since then, the virus has spread rapidly, with at "I want to be clear: we don't know exactly what is The Rajaratnam School of International Studies least 45,898 cases reported countrywide as of yester- Younger populations going on right now [with the lower deaths]," said Dr Monograph No. 25 on ‘Demilitarizing the State: The day (20), making Pakistan the 20th in the world in If the data on the number of deaths is relatively Sultan. South and Southeast Asian Experience’ gives an idea of accurate, that leaves several other possible explana- terms of the total number of cases. It has reported Wide prevalence, lower deaths militarization and demilitarization in several countries 985 deaths, making it 26th worldwide on that list, tions for why Pakistan is seeing so few deaths com- in the region. pared with other countries. On the other end of the spectrum from examining In Pakistan, political instability in the early years of with a CFR one-third that of the US, and up to 13% deaths, Dr.WajihaJaved, the head of public health lower than some European countries. The US, for example, at the same stage in its out- independence brought Gen. Ayub Khan to power. In break (66 days since 100 cases were confirmed) had and research at Getz Pharmaceuticals in Karachi, has later years, the military became a key player in politics Is the data accurate? reported more than 65,000 deaths. Pakistan's 985 is been examining the prevalence of the virus among apart from directly ruling for a good number of years. The first question researchers have asked when two orders of magnitude below that number. Pakistanis. Her findings tend to bolster the conclu- Ayesha Siddiqa’spaper shows how the Pakistani army examining the data is whether the number of deaths Dr. Adnan Khan, a public health researcher and sion that something is causing people in Pakistan - has better organizational capacity than its civilian being reported in Pakistan and other countries is, in infectious disease specialist, says much of the ex- and the region generally - to react differently to the counterparts. The military often used the leitmotif of fact, accurate. ploration of correlations with coronavirus mortality virus. national security threats to sustain its involvement in South Asia coronavirus cases: rates is "conjecture" at this point without the backing Pakistan, like many developing countries, is per- politics. It has also forged close ties with civilian elites of hard facts and comprehensive study, but that the forming limited numbers of tests per day, which are to build a strong military-civilian nexus. Country Coronavirus Coronavirus almost exclusively Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) In Bangladesh, the ideological and political mistakes cases deaths demographics of South Asia's population, and South Asians' physiology, may have the answer. swab tests. The country has conducted 387,335 tests of the country’s founder, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, led India 106,886 3,303 "The younger population hypothesis is more cred- since the outbreak began, according to government to his assassination in 1975 and the subsequent military ible [than other theories]," he says, citing Pakistan's data. Those tests are being conducted largely only on takeover by Gen. Ziaur Rahman. According to Bhumi- Pakistan 45,898 985 relatively younger demographics as compared with those who have exhibited symptoms. tra Chakma, Generals Ziaur Rahman and H.M.Ershad Javed, however, found that the prevalence of legitimized their rule by adopting Islam as the basis Bangladesh 26,738 386 countries where COVID-19 has claimed more lives. of military rule. The civilian governments of Begum "Many of the deaths in developed countries have re- asymptomatic carriers of the virus in her surveys has Sri Lanka 1,027 9 been far higher than expected. In results from 4,000 Khalida Zia and Sheik Hasina adopted the strategy of portedly happened in elderly people living in nursing ensuring the military’s loyalty by spending money on homes." tests carried out on factory and office workers, her Nepal 402 2 data shows that between 7 and 8% were testing posi- it.Civilians have also intervened in military appoint- In the UK, more than 37% of the country's 33,614 ment, thus politicizing the military. Maldives 1,143 4 coronavirus-related deaths have occurred in elder tive. Paul Chambers, in his chapter on Thailand, ob- care homes, according to the UK's Office of National "This was in 'normal' people, not people who are Bhutan 21 0 serves that the military’spower is a longstanding pillar Statistics. In the US, that number is also about one- going to the hospital, who are even sick or have any of monarchical control. Weak civilian elites and weak third of all coronavirus deaths, according to a report symptoms whatsoever," she said. Out of her sample, In neighbouring India, for example, some have democracy have allowed the military to reassert itself in the New York Times. roughly 90% had not exhibited any symptoms at all, frequently. External support from the US and the tussle questioned whether deaths are being accurately doc- By contrast, Pakistan - and South Asia in general she said. umented, with as many as 78% of deaths not being with Cambodia helped the military to be at the centre - has a far younger population than those countries, "Our disease is different. We have people who are stage. medically certified under normal circumstances. with a median age of 22.5. exhibiting mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. In Pakistan, too, this is a possibility - although "This may be one of the reasons, because if you That might show that we have some sort of innate medical experts working with the government in look at the population pyramid, we have fewer el- immunity that is protecting us from going into severe its fight against the pandemic suggest the error rate derly people as compared with the US and Europe, or moderate disease," she added, stressing that those would be far lower. and we know those are the folks who are dying more who do experience severe forms of the disease have "There is such a stigma around the whole business frequently," said Dr. Mahmood. the same risk of death. of COVID, that people do not want to bring their pa- "That doesn't mean we are not infected, and that tients to the hospitals," said Dr.SeeminJamali, head Varying immune responses we are not infecting others." of the largest government hospital in Karachi, the Another factor that has been suggested is differ- country's most populated city. ences in the population's immune characteristics. - Al Jazeera

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