By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Sri Lanka won the cricket World Cup once, but never again. We started down the slippery slope almost the morning after we had reached the zenith of achievement. That was because we dismantled the winning combination which included Ana Punchihewa and Davnell Whatmore. The most crucial mistake we made was in the …

Continue reading ‘Why the “Vice -Captain”Dinesh Gunawardena Should Be Given the “Captaincy” of Being Nominated as the Common Opposition Candidate at the Next Presidential Election.’ »

By Namini Wijedasa The Human Rights Commission’s (HRC) Chair Deepika Udagama this week denounced what she said were sinister efforts to interfere with the work of her institution and to bully it into adopting specific positions. In recent weeks, the HRC–and, in particular, its Chair–was targeted by nationalist politicians. The attacks were so inflammatory that …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Head Dr.Deepika Udagama Welcomes Constructive Criticism But Strongly Condemns Attempt to De-legitimze SLHRC Through The Prism of Ethnic Politics and Patriotism.’ »

By Mark Townsend The UN has been sending alleged war criminals to act as peacekeepers in conflict zones, a confidential report claims. The document, seen by the Observer, and sent to the UN’s Department of Peacekeeping Operations last month, claims that senior Sri Lankan officers accused of war crimes have been deployed to UN operations …

Continue reading ‘41 Page Confidential Report Compiled by South Africa Based International Truth and Justice Project Claims UN has Deployed Alleged War Criminals from Sri Lanka as Peace Keepers.’ »

By M.A. Sumanthiran (This article is an excerpt of a keynote speech on April 3, 2018 at the Research Congress, Inaugural session of the Post Graduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Peradeniya) The topic given to me is about constitutional reforms and the constitution making exercise from a Northern perspective, and looking …

Continue reading ‘Constitutional Reforms and the Constitution Making Exercise From a Northern Perspective.’ »

Sri Lanka is firm on executing convicted drug dealers, and will brook no opposition President Maithripala Sirisena said as civil liberties groups and several European countries warned against resuming hangings. The work on resuming the death penalty will go ahead whatever the opposition there is, a statement from President’s office quoted him as saying. A …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Determined to Go Ahead With His “Hang ’em High” Plans Despite National and International Opposition to Re-imposing Capital Punishment.’ »

By Ajita Kadirgamar Cities are home to all citizens — men, women, children, the elderly and the differently- abled. This past week I attended a presentation and panel discussion on ‘Women-Friendly Cities Challenge’ hosted by the National Chamber of Commerce and World University Service Canada (WUSC) with support from the newly- formed non-profit Stand By …

Continue reading ‘Can The Cities In Sri Lanka Be Regarded as “Women -Friendly” Cities?’ »

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana UNESCO has warned that it will remove the world heritage status given to Sinharaja, Dambulla and Galle Fort if they are not preserved properly, National Heritage Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe told Parliament. The minister made this statement during a heated argument on the proposed demolition of the Mahinda Rajapaksa pavilion …

Continue reading ‘UNESCO Warns Sri Lanka That World Heritage Site Status Given to Dambulla Cave Temple,Siharaja Rain Forest and Galle Fort Precincts Will Be Abolished if They are not Preserved Properly.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The fact that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had accepted sponsorship from tainted primary dealer Perpetual Treasuries for the holding of the 2016 Law Asia conference led to incredulous responses in some quarters when this fact was initially disclosed some weeks ago. Before long however and in the nature …

Continue reading ‘Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Showed Lack of Good Judgement By Accepting Sponsorship Funds From Tainted Perpetual Treasuries Ltd To Hold 2016 Law Asia Conference’ »

By Namini Wijedasa A year-long effort by the Airline Pilots Guild of Sri Lanka (APGSL) to secure details of salaries, allowances and other benefits of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Head of Human Resources and the Chief Commercial Officer of SriLankan has borne fruit, with the details being released to the Right to Information …

Continue reading ‘Information Obtained Throught RTI Petition Shows Sri Lankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Suren Ratwatte Was Getting 3.27 Million Rupees Monthly Salary With Benefits Like Vehicle With Driver,Fuel Costs and Club Membership etc’ »

By M.A.Sumanthiran (Text of Speech by M A Sumanthiran, MP in Parliament on 20th July 2018 in Response to recent allegations made regarding Experts Panel Report of Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee) I have obtained permission to make a personal explanation in view of certain statements made in this House yesterday while I was not here, …

Continue reading ‘“Story Being Spread That Suren Fernando, Dr.Jayampathy Wickramaratne and I Drafted the Expert Panel Constitution Draft Document is Entirely False” – M. A. Sumanthiran MP’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake There were no Members of Parliament from the Medamulana Raja Pavula when the New York Times report of China funding the last Mahinda Rajapaksa presidential poll was debated in Parliament this week. The quorum bell had a weird and crooked ring when it failed to gather enough members to continue the debate …

Continue reading ‘Does “No Quorum” For China Funding Nahinda Election Campaign Issue Debate in Parliament Indicate That MPs on Both Sides of the House are not Interested in Clean Government and Politics?’ »

(Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, who has been nominated as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Russia, participated as a panelist at the international conference on “21st Century, Towards the New Humanism” on 23rd January 2012 at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture.Dr. Jayatilleka’s speech was delivered during the first session chaired by Mr. Hans d’Orville (Assistant Director-General …

Continue reading ‘“The Search For a Humanistic Worldview is Not Only Some Ideal Exercise But a Very Practical Answer To The Global Crisis Of Today” – Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka’ »

A Sri Lankan deported by Australia even though his partner had refugee status there was charged upon his return with illegally leaving his home country. Thileepan Gnaneswaran, who was separated from his wife and 11-month-old daughter, arrived in Colombo Tuesday along with another 17 who had also their asylum applications rejected by Australia. “They were …

Continue reading ‘18 Sri Lankan Asylum Seekers Deported From Australia Were Arested Upon Arrival, Produced in Courts For Leaving the Country Illegally and Released on Bail.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lanka’s Tamil leaders are pulling in different directions on crucial issues of common concern to the Tamils of the island. The Chief Minister of the Tamil majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, is stubbornly adhering to his position that a political solution of the Tamil question should precede economic development. Giving priority to economic …

Continue reading ‘TNA Leader Sampanthan Remains “Silent” While Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Continues With Controversial Utterances and Action.’ »

Debunking what seems to be fake news circulating in social media, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had not issued any statement on the Joint Opposition’s Presidential candidate for 2020.

Amidst continuing controversy over the proposed implementation of capital punishment to curb the narcotic trade, the Catholic Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has said that the resumption of judicial execution should be the last option, if at all. The Sri Lankan Church Leader said that the Holy Father Pope Francis has not accepted the …

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Issues Clarification Stating That His Sinhala Newspaper Interview About Capital Punishment Had Been Mistranslated in English and That He Like Pope Francis Opposes The Death Penalty’ »

A Democratic Unionist MP in the UK is facing calls to quit after a watchdog recommended his suspension from the House of Commons for failing to register two family holidays funded by the Sri Lankan government. Ian Paisley had already apologised for what he said was his “unintentional failure” to register the hospitality, which he …

Continue reading ‘British MP Ian Paisley who Received Two Family Holidays Funded by Sri Lanka Under Pressure to do the “Honourable Thing” and Resign from Parliament.’ »

(Text of a Press Release issued by the Media office of the Tamil National Alliance) The Visiting Belgium-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group met with the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance today at the office of the Leader of the opposition in parliament. Briefing the delegation MrSampanthan highlighted that the present Sri …

Continue reading ‘Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan Tells Visiting Belgian Delegation that a New Constitution Must be Adopted if Country is to Move Forward in Every Aspect.’ »

A British legislator faced suspension Wednesday for failing to disclose free luxury holidays he and his family received from the then government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in exchange for backing Colombo at the human rights council. Ian Paisley Jr of the Democratic Unionist Party was suspended from 30 sittings of the House of Commons, or …

Continue reading ‘Democratic Unionist Party MP Ian Paisley Jr Suspended for 30 Sittings of British House of Commons Due to Receiving Luxury Holiday Trip From Rajapaksa Regime in Exchange for Support at UN Human rights Council.’ »

By S .S. Selvanayagam The Court of Appeal yesterday reserved for 8 August its judgment on the alleged offence of Contempt of Court against Ven. Gnanasara Thero. The Bench comprised Justices P. Padman Surasena (President/CA) and Arjuna Obeysekera. Senior Counsel Manohara de Silva with Anusha Perusinghe appeared for Ven. Gnanasara Thero. Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha …

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal Reserves Judgement for August 8th in Contempt of Court Case Concerning Bodu Bala Sena Gen – Secy Ven.Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero’ »

(Text of a media releae issued on behalf of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa by his media secretary Rohan Welivita on July 18th 2018 under the heading “Alert regarding false Media Release”) It has come to our notice that a forged document purporting to be a media release issued by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Has not Yet Officially Selected Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as Presidential Candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Party States Ex-President’s Media Secretary’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka The recent ‘Friday Forum’ statement signed by distinguished scholars and retired civil servants, condemns “…a personal attack by retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara on Dr. Deepika Udagama, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL)…Weerasekara denounced Dr. Udagama as an LTTE supporter and a traitor to this country, with the …

Continue reading ‘In a Future Fascistic Dispensation Cabinet Will Be Dominated by Ultra- Nationalist Ex-Military Officers While Civilian Democratic Politicians Including Mahinda Rajapaksa Will be Reduced To Figureheads and Hostages’ »

Sri Lanka’s police Tuesday arrested a man for sharing a bottle of beer with his one-year-old son and detained three others for filming what police consider to be cruelty to a child and releasing it on Facebook. Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said police carried out investigations following the viral video made at the village of Meehalewa …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Police Arrest Father who Shared a Bottle of Beer with his One Year old Son along with Three Others who Filmed and Posted the “Feeding” on Face Book.’ »

by Cyril Wimalasurendre The Anglican Church of Ceylon has taken exception to the government’s decision to resume judicial executions of repeat drug offenders. A joint statement issued by the Bishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dhiloraj Canagasabey and the Bishop of Kurnegala Rt. Rev. Keerthi Fernando says, ‘The Church of Ceylon (Anglican Church) cannot, in any …

Continue reading ‘Anglican Bishops of Colombo and Kurunegala Disagree with Govt Decision to Resume Judicial Executions of Drug Dealers While Pointing out that “Sprats” and Not “Sharks” in Drug Trade are Getting caught’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Dr. Deepika Udagama’s father, Dr. Premadasa Udagama, and my uncle, Prof Ebert Fernando, were not only neighbors but much more importantly, the core members of the pro-SLFP, pro-Left caucus of academics at Peradeniya in the run-up to the 1970s elections. Dr. Udagama, an educationist, became the Secretary to the Ministry of Education …

Continue reading ‘“Sinhala Fascism Cannot be Defeated by Frontally Opposing Sinhala Buddhism or Sinhala nationalism.Sinhala Buddhist– nationalism Must be Internally Reworked to Fairly and Justly Accommodate Pluralism”’ »

Thirty-seven civil society organisations and 170 individuals yesterday released a statement condemning the threats against Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama. Given below is the full statement: We are appalled at statements akin to death threats, violence and hate speech against the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘37 Organizations and 170 Individuals Issue Statement Condemning Rear Admiral(Retd) Sarath Weerasekera’s “hate Speech”against Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Head Dr.Deepika Udagama.’ »

(Text of a press release issued by Finance and Media minister Mangala Samaraweera) In response to a question on the restoration of Capital Punishment for drug dealers at a press conference last week, while reiterating my opposition to Capital Punishment, I said that certain individuals connected to the drug trade try to cover their sins …

Continue reading ‘Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera Expresses Regret and Apologizes for Inadvertent References to Members of Lions and Rotary and Religious Organizations in Making Comments About Drug Dealers.’ »

By Ajita Kadirgamar Long before the advent of the internet, social media and professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, Sri Lankans were masters of the networking game. Networking, whether social or professional is basically, ‘the exchange of information and ideas among individuals or groups that share a common interest’. It has evolved into an art, …

Continue reading ‘My Father Lakshman Kadirgamar Was Possibly One of The Most Prolific Networkers in Sri Lankan History.’ »

By Gangani Weerakoon President Maithripala Sirisena, last week, said that he would sign required orders to execute capital punishment for convicted drug traffickers who carry out large scale drug smuggling operations while in detention. The President’s office quoted the President as saying that although there are certain opinions regarding capital punishment in a Buddhist society, …

Continue reading ‘Can President Sirisena Actually Implement Capital Punishment Even Though He Announces That He wants To Do So?’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s prison authorities will soon call for applications to fill a long-time vacancy — they need two hangmen. The requirement arose after President Maithripala Sirisena recently said he might sign orders on the execution of convicted drug peddlers currently in prison. Though Sri Lankan courts continue to impose the death penalty …

Continue reading ‘After Decades of Conflict An Already Brutalised Society Would be Further Brutalised by the Grisly Spectacle of Individuals Being Intentionally Killed by the State,’ »

By Sharmini Serasinghe President, Maithripala Sirisena dropped a bombshell out of the blues last week, sans all ‘maître’ (loving-kindness) when he launched a coup de mainon drug offenders. He threatened to use his powers to place his signature to execute the death sentence on those sentenced for drug offenses. Drug trafficking carries the death penalty …

Continue reading ‘Capital Punishment:What Moral-Right Has Any Man to Decide if Another Should Live or Die!’ »

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya While much ink has already been spilled over The New York Times’ recent piece on Chinese bribes allegedly given to the Rajapaksa camp ahead of the 2015 presidential election, some interesting questions remain to be addressed. Setting aside, for now, the report’s inaccuracies (such as describing the Port City project as a …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Politicians of all Parties Seem Content to Continue with the Present Unregulated System of Election Campaign Financing’ »

by C.A.Chandraprema Last Thursday, the Professionals’ National Front (PNF) which brings together professionals from the medical, engineering, banking, IT, architectural, and many other spheres held a seminar to a packed audience at the Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mandiraya in Thunmulla on the SL-Singapore Free Trade Agreement ahead of the debate in parliament on the same matter …

Continue reading ‘Professionals National Front(PNF)Strongly Criticises National Trade Policy Formulated by Malik Samarawickrema and the Sri Lanka -Singapore Free Trade Agreement.’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed — and thus clamorous to be led to safety — by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H.L. Mencken (In Defence of Women). Julampitiye Amare is now a forgotten man. Not so just six …

Continue reading ‘Why Dont Those Who Advocate The Return of the Rajapaksas As The Only Solution Check Their facts First?’ »

Sri Lanka’s top drug dealers are not languishing in jails, but holding high posts in social services organisations such as Lions, Rotary and some Buddhist charities, Finance minister Mangala Samaraweera said. The outspoken minister noted corruption involving law enforcement as well as the criminal justice system and said what was needed was better enforcement of …

Continue reading ‘“The Big Drug Businessmen of Sri Lanka are in Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and Buddhist Organizations.They are the ones who Should be Arrested”Says Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

(Excerpted From the “Sunday Times” Political Column) The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has started investigations into allegations in The New York Times report that China’s state owned China Harbour Engineering Company paid at least US$ 7.6 million from its account at the Standard Chartered Bank to affiliates of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presidential election campaign. The focus, …

Continue reading ‘CID Commences Investigation Into “New York Times” Allegation Chinese Company Paying US 4 7.6 Million Through Standard Chartered Bank To Mahinda rajapaksa’s Election campaign’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayewardene Curiously, each time that Sri Lanka announces that it would put an end to the country’s more than thirty years moratorium on implementation of the death penalty, an immediate practical problem surfaces for the administration of Colombo’s Welikada Prisons. The grisly realities of the job This is the insuperable difficulty of …

Continue reading ‘Links of Politicians to the Drug Mafia and Underworld is an Accepted Fact’ »

By THE FRIDAY FORUM The recent public statements by Rev Vendaruwe Upali Thero, Anunayake of the Asgiriya Chapter at a celebration of Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s birthday, Ms Vijayakala Maheswaran, former State minister at a public meeting in Jaffna, and a personal attack by retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara on Dr Deepika Udagama, Chairperson of the …

Continue reading ‘From “Eliya” (Light) to “Andura” (Darkness) and on to a “Vipath Maga”(Road to Disaster)’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake There are new employment opportunities opening in the country – for hangmen. The prison authorities are already calling for applications for two hangmen. Why stop at two? There are so many persons involved in drug trafficking in our prisons, engaged in a fruitful business from within those walls. Why not many more …

Continue reading ‘Is Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Going Against Pope Francis By Supporting President Sirisena’s Proposal to Re-introduce the Death Penalty?’ »

By Austin Fernando Born on 12th June 1942, having had my primary education at Hikkaduwa Sinhala School, post-primary education at Richmond College, Galle, I was admitted to University of Ceylon, Peradeniya in July 1960. As a young graduate I entered the teaching profession in May 1963 and joined the Ceylon Administrative Service (CAS) in October …

Continue reading ‘“Therefore, if I could not adjust myself to politics because I am not a politician and inconvenienced him (President Sirisena) I regret”- Ex-Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando’ »

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an order directing the Department of Official Languages to provide the Sinhala and Tamil transcripts of the video footage pertaining to the alleged offensive statement made by former State Minister Vijayakala Maheshwaran regarding the resurgence of the LTTE at a public gathering held in Jaffna. …

Continue reading ‘Colombo Chief Magistrate Directs Official Languages Dept to Provide Sinhala and Tamil Transcripts of Ex-State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran’s Controversial LTTE Resurgence Speech Video Footage.’ »

By Charumini de Silva * Dismisses allegations made by former President and Finance Minister on fuel pricing formula and Govt. revenue *Reiterates economy progressive and despite latest revision fuel prices still lower than MR era *Recalls how Rajapaksa exercised executive powers to disregard SC ruling for lowering fuel prices *Challenges MR to a public debate …

Continue reading ‘Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera Launches Scathing Attack on Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa For Misleading the Public on Fuel Price Rise Without Acknowledging all the Facts.’ »

Colombo International Container Terminals Limited (CICT), in a statement issued yesterday said that Rs.19,410,000/- (equivalent to US$150,000) had been donated in 2012 to the Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation, in good faith, for the construction of houses for the less privileged. The statement was issued in the wake of New York Times allegations that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s …

Continue reading ‘Colombo International Container Terminal Ltd Says It Donated US $150,000 Dollars In Good Faith to the Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation To Construct Houses for the Less Privileged’ »

(Text of Press release issued by Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa under the heading “Fleecing the public through fuel price manipulation”) Fuel prices have been increased yet again within a period of about eight weeks – a situation we have never experienced earlier. Now the price of petrol is Rs. 145 and diesel Rs. 118 while …

Continue reading ‘Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa Says His Govt Sold Petrol in 2008 at Rs 120 and Diesel at Rs 70 When World Price was US $97 per Barrel but Present Govt Selling Petrol at 145 Rs &Diesel at 118 Rs Even Though World Price had Dropped to US$74 Per Barrel.’ »

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, has opted out of the Presidential Task Force on economic development of the Tamil-speaking Northern and Eastern Provinces, saying that the Tamils need a political solution for their long-standing problems before they embark on economic development. In a letter to Sri Lankan President Maithripala …

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Opts Out of Presidential Task Force on North -Eastern Economic Development saying Political Solution is Necessary Before Economic Development.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara writes that “After the 2015 Presidential elections, for reasons better known to DJ, he approached GR and joined Viyath Maga.” That’s a blatant lie. As Dullas Alahapperuma and Matale mayor Mohammed Hilmy will attest, “After the 2015 presidential election” I met ex-President Rajapaksa at Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa’s residence …

Continue reading ‘“Rear Admiral Weerasekara is Not Merely a Sinhala Buddhist Ultra-nationalist.He and His Co-thinkers Are Quite Simply, Dangerous Fascists” – Dayan Jayatilleka’ »

by Rear Admiral (Retd) Dr Sarath Weerasekera VSV RWP USP There was a swollen headed Brahmin called “Akkosha Bharadvaja” who, after studying a few Vedic stanzas and theories, thought that he was the only brilliant intellect in the country. This man, festered with venom and ill will, once unleashed his wrath on the Buddha. Buddha …

Continue reading ‘“The Very Fact That People Like Dayan Jayatilleka Are Living in Luxury in Colombo Without Any Fear, is Ample Evidence That There Are No Sinhala Buddhist Extremists In This Country”-Sarath Weerasekera’ »

By Sasanka Perera Reading Ms Vijayakala Maheswaran’s statement at a public meeting in Jaffna on 2nd July 2018 reminded me of two popular aphorisms on history and the past. They deal with humanity’s propensity to not learn from the past. In the first of these, Margaret MacMillan observes, “we can learn from history, but we …

Continue reading ‘Reactions To Vijayakala Maheswaran Show That Even to Make Absurd and Outlandish Political Statements and to Get Away With Them, One’s Ethnicity Truly Matters.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ was the title of the best Rod Stewart album! The landmark Viyath Maga event at the Shangri-La Hotel opened with the image in the very first slide, which showed Gotabaya Rajapaksa with only one other person in the frame, leaning over the shoulder of the seated GR. …

Continue reading ‘If Notorious Hawk Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara (retd) Were in the US Military His Washington Nickname Would Probably Be “Mad Dog”.’ »

By Prof. Carlo Fonseka In 1989, the year in which the events portrayed in this film took place in Sri Lanka, the country became literally the bloodiest place on earth. Its estimated murder rate was over 100 per 100,000 of its population. The rage for murder was generated and fueled by several interrelated conflicts. There …

Continue reading ‘Most Significant Aspect of Sanjeewa Pushpakumara’s “Burning Birds” Film is the Director’s Fearless Depiction of State-sponsored Violence Which Prevailed in our Country’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya State Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Vijayakala Maheswaran has called for the resurrection of the LTTE to give dignity and order to Tamils. “All of you know how our people lived before 2009-05-19. When comparing with today’s situation, it seems the LTTE should be revived. If our children and women are …

Continue reading ‘State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran’s LTTE Speech Has Generated Two Contrasting Reactions’ »

By Meera Srinivasan After Sinhalese mobs carried out a spate of attacks targeting Muslim eateries and shops in Ampara in the Eastern province, in February, Kandy in the Central province saw violence too. A vandalised mosque in Digana, located between Kandy and Teldeniya. After Sinhalese mobs carried out a spate of attacks targeting Muslim eateries …

Continue reading ‘Rise of Inter- Religious Tensions In the Multi-Ethnic eastern Province of Sri Lanka.’ »

Army commander Mahesh Senanayake has ordered his troops not to allow any individual, including retired officers, who are actively engaged in sabotaging the country’s ethnic reconciliation efforts. In a directive to all units of the Sri Lanka army, Lieutenant General Senanayake said the military condemned attempts to obstruct ongoing moves to build bridges between different …

Continue reading ‘Army Chief Mahesh Senanayake Bans Persons Espousing Racism and Promoting Inter-ethnic Enmity Including Retired Defence Personnel,Politicians and Civil Sociery Activists From Entering Military Installations and Interacting With Serving Soldiers.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene When mad dogs bark at the moon, the wise would probably advocate just a shrug and a sigh. However in a country where those who have lost their senses to all intents and purposes capture the public space so belligerently, shrugging and sighing may not suffice. The tide of insanity is …

Continue reading ‘The Same State Minister Who Is Now Emotional Over Rape in Jaffna Earlier Took Steps To Get the Main Accused Released in the Rape/Murder of Schoolgirl Vithya Sivaloganathan’ »

By Gagani Weerakoon Barely two weeks into Oddusudan Police arresting two suspects with a pressure mine, two remote control devices and some other weapons, a uniform, a flag, bombs and several military types of equipment belonging to the LTTE while they were being transported in a three-wheeler at Peraru Junction, Oddusudan, Mullaitivu, an ill-timed, misjudged …

Continue reading ‘Political Storm Created By Vijayakala Maheswaran’s Ill-timed Statement About LTTE Return.’ »

Over the past two decades Sri Lanka has proffered a mere two films to the Academy Awards. In the hopes of getting a prestigious Oscar nomination, The Road from Elephant Pass (2008) and Mansion By The Lake (2002) were submitted to the Best Foreign Language Film Category. Ten years later, Sri Lanka makes a daring …

Continue reading ‘Anuruddha Jayasinghe’s Film”The Frozen Fire” Based on JVP Leader Rohana Wijeweera’s Life Becomes First Sri Lankan Film to Enter Best Picture Category Competition in 2019 Oscars.’ »

By Alison Flood Twenty six years ago, the panel of judges were so unsure who should win the Man Booker in 1992 that they ended up with a tie: Michael Ondaatje and Barry Unsworth. But on Sunday evening Ondaatje edged ahead, with his bestselling novel The English Patient being named the best winner of the …

Continue reading ‘Lanka -born Michael Ondaatje Wins Golden Booker Award for Novel “The English Patient” as the Best Among Booker Award Winers for the Past Fifty Years.’ »

By the “Sunday Observer”News Desk Allegations have resurfaced regarding large payouts to the former ruling family by another Chinese ports company, after Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, who is becoming a lone crusader against corruption, revealed a copy of a cheque to the tune of Rs. 19.41 million made out to the Pushpa Rajapaksa Foundation in …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake Revives Issue of Chinese Company Allegedly Paying 19.41 Million Rupees by HSBC Cheque No 594691 to Pushpa Rajapaksa Trust.’ »

By Sarath de Alwis The phrase ‘Cough up a Port’ held the essence of the New York Times story. It compacted the global perception of the Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port and its progression to date, into the finite space of the simple phrase – Sri Lanka coughed up a port to China. The ‘cough’ metaphor …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksas Should Recall That the “New York Times” Once Defied the US President and Executive by Publishing “The Pentagon Papers” in a Landmark Achivement in Journalism.’ »

By Jayadeva Uyangoda There are two new developments in Sri Lanka’s contemporary politics which is getting crystalized and clearer these days. They are: (a) the consolidation of a hard right-wing alternative to a weak and shaky democratic regime option, and (b) the projection of an ex-military officer as the embodiment of the new right-wing agenda. …

Continue reading ‘New Right-wing Buddhist Clerical Movement Desires a Hitler-type, Militaristic Person as the Ideal “Dharmika (righteous) Ruler” for Sri Lanka.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Let’s all Hail Vijayakala”, shouted the Pohottuva Team in the current political circus. “Come on, don’t you think it must be Hail Gota, our own Dahami Sinhala Hitler?” asked some members. “No. No. Hail Vijayakala… just think of what she has done to help Mahinda Mama. She has pushed the New York …

Continue reading ‘Let’s All Hail Vijayakala Who Is Not Merely the Heroine of the Day But the Queen of the Season.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake The threat of fascism has taken a new twist with UNP State Minister for Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran taking the focus away from the religious and pious advise to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to live up to the Hitler name that he is associated with. It has also pushed aside to some extent the …

Continue reading ‘Vijayakala Has Raised Questions About the Success of the Yahapalana Policies in Bringing about Post-war Reconciliation Which Should Worry both President and Prime Minister’ »

(The full text of an English Translation of the speech made in Tamil by State minister for women and children’s affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran at Veerasingham Hall Jaffna on 2018-07-02 is Reproduced here) ”The presence of home affairs minister Vajira Abeywardena at this event is highly appreciated by me and I thank him on behalf of …

Continue reading ‘An English Translation of State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran’s Controversial Tamil Speech Calling for an LTTE Revival on July 2nd 2018’ »

Dismissing the controversial statement made by State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran as emotional and immature, National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages Minister Mano Ganesan yesterday urged focus on the real issue of the increasing lawlessness in the North. “What we should be doing now is not discussing Vijayakala Maheswaran’s statement but the total breakdown of law …

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Minister Mano Ganesan Urges Focus on Increasing Lawlessness in North and Forget about the “Immature, Emotional” Speech of Vijayakala Maheswaran.’ »

By Susirith Mendis The common story on the death of Hitler is that, on 30 April 1945, he killed himself with his own gun while biting on a cyanide capsule, in his Führerbunker in Berlin. In accordance with Hitler’s prior written and verbal instructions, that afternoon his remains and those of Eva Braun were carried …

Continue reading ‘There Must be an Unequivocal Statement From the Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Camp Dissociating From the Anunayake’s Inapt and Inept “Hitler” Statement.’ »

(Text of a Press Release Issued by the Tamil National Alliance(TNA_ Media Office) The outgoing United States Ambassador His Excellency Atul Keshap paid a courtesy call on the Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance Mr Sampanthan today at the office of the Leader of the Opposition in Colombo. Expressing his views on …

Continue reading ‘Outgoing US Envoy Atul Keshap Tells Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan that the Sri Lankan Govt’s Positive Image On the International Stage Should Not Be Taken for Granted.’ »

by Zacki Jabbar State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheshwaran yesterday quit her portfolio, pending government and UNP inquiries into her remarks praising the LTTE , during a Presidential Mobile Service event in Jaffna on Monday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, at meeting with Vijayakala, on Wednesday, had called for her explanation, saying that the government …

Continue reading ‘UNP State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran Submits Resignation Letters to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By A.J. Abeynayake Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda yesterday told the Fort Magistrate court that Perpetual Treasuries subsidiary, W. M. Mendis and Company had paid Rs. 5mn to a company owned by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake in 2017. Making submissions before Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne on behalf of the Attorney General, Kodagoda said that a …

Continue reading ‘Addl Sol-Gen Yasantha Kodagoda Tells Court That Perpetual Treasuries Subsidiary WM Mendis&Co Paid 5 Million Rupees in 2017 to Company Owned by Former MinisterRavi Karunanayake’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?’ – WB Yeats, The Second Coming Though that may change, this island has so far produced only one movement which qualifies as Fascist by international standards. When the LTTE was decisively defeated in May 2009, the …

Continue reading ‘There is a Large pro-LTTE Constituency in the North Regarding Prabhakaran as a Hero and Leader Which Means There is a Large Fascist or Neo-fascist Sentiment in the North’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne The Court of Appeal yesterday stayed the proceedings in the Magistrate Court against petitioner, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, in respect of the Avant Garde issue until the revision application filed by him is heard and finally determined by the superior court. The Court of Appeal issued notice on the respondents the Bribery Commission and …

Continue reading ‘Appeal Court Stays Proceedings in Magistrates Court Against Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Over Avant Garde Issue Until Tevision Application Filed by Him is Heard and Determined by Superior Court.’ »

Child Affairs State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran says she has decided to resign from her ministerial position. This comes in the wake of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe requesting President Maithripala Sirisena to remove Maheswaran from the ministerial position pending investigations.

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana The Government had already decided on the action that was to be taken against State Minister Vijeyakala Maheswaran, who had called for the resurgence of LTTE, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday. “The belief of the Government is that LTTE, which is an organization that is banned internationally, …

Continue reading ‘Govt has Decided To Take Action Against State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran States Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.’ »

The leadership of the northern provincial council has come to the defence of state minister Vijayakala Maheswaran who is under fire for having said that the province was more secure and free during LTTE control, according to radiogagana.com. The chairman and the chief minister of the NPC say what Maheswaran has said is true. North …

Continue reading ‘Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran and Northern Provincial Council Chairman C.V.K.Sivagnanam Defend State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran Saying There Was Nothing wrong In Her Comments About Insecurity in the North.’ »

(Text of a Press Release Issued by the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) Media office on July 4th 2018 regarding an Adjournment Motion To be moved by Hon M A Sumanthiran MP on 06/07/ 2018) Adjournment Motion – To be moved by Hon M A Sumanthiran on 06/07/ 2018 Whereas the terms of office of 3 Provincial …

Continue reading ‘TNA’s Sumanthiran MP To Move Adjournment Motion Urging Repeal of Provincial Councils (Amendment) Act No. 17 of 2017 Immediately to Ensure Holding Of Provincial Council Polls Without Postponement.’ »

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran said she had not made any statement with the intention of bringing the LTTE back to life and said that it was a slip of the tongue. She expressed these views during a telephone conversation with the Social Empowerment Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayaka who called …

Continue reading ‘Vijayakala Mheswaran Tells Ranjan Ramanayake She Got Excited and Made a Slip of the Tongue about Wanting the LTTE Back; Alleges She Refused Mahinda Rajapaksa Offer of One Billion Rupees and Cabinet Portfolio.’ »

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has asked the Attorney General whether State Minister Vijayakala Mahsewaran’s controversial statement calling for the resurgence of the LTTE violates the Constitution or any other laws of the country and if so to take appropriate action against her. “A question has arisen as to the type …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Seeks Attorney -General’s Legal Advice Over Jaffna District MP Vijayakala Maheswaran’s Controversial Speech Before Contemplating Appropriate Action.’ »

Rising crime in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province, ranging from armed robbery to rape and murder, coupled with a perceived unwillingness or inability of the police and the military to act, made Vijayakala Maheswaran, the Sri Lankan State Minister of Women and Child Affairs, call for the return of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam …

Continue reading ‘Rising Crime Toll In North Makes UP State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran Lose Control Of Herself and Publicly Call For Return of LTTE Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Mexico is an important country. It is not only the neighbor of the USA, it is a large and populous nation with a political history that has had an impact on the whole of Latin America. Just as the Right was cheering the receding of the “Pink Tide” that had swept Latin …

Continue reading ‘In the Absence of Mahinda, Sri Lanka’s Closest Equivalent to Mexico’s Lopez Obrador Example Would Be the Nomination of Ex-Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa as Joint Opposition Presidential Candidate.’ »

A legislator in Sri Lanka has reportedly expressed a preference for feared Tamil Tiger leader Vellupillai Pirabharan who ruled a part of northern Sri Lanka by the gun, shortly after a southern monk called for rule by Hitler, in the latest twist in a country where authoritarianism is worshipped by sections of society. Vijayakala Maheswaran, …

Continue reading ‘After Asgiriya Anunayake Called For Dictatorial Hitler Type Rule, Jaffna MP and State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran Wants Return of Authoritarian LTTE Leader Veluppilaai Prabhakaran.’ »

The LTTE had to be revived if the Tamils in the North and East were to live without fear, State Minister of Child Affairs, Vijayakala Maheswaran said, yesterday at the 8th Presidential Public Service programme held at the Weerasingham Hall, Jaffna. “A lot of Northern women face grave difficulties now. A six-year-old girl was killed …

Continue reading ‘UNP State Minister In Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Coalition Govt Vijayakala Maheswaran Calls for Revival of LTTE “if the Tamils in the North and East Were To Live Without Fear”’ »

By Romesh Madushanka It is seen that there is a huge need of reorganization of the LTTE in the North and East, State Minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran claimed today addressing the ‘Janapathi Nila Mehewara’ event at the Weerasingham Hall in Jaffna. She said that reports relating to traces of LTTE reorganizing are heard …

Continue reading ‘“We Remember How We Lived Before May 18, 2009.Our Main Intention is to Bring Back the LTTE if We Want To Live” says Child Affairs State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran.’ »

(Text of a Media Release Issued By Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa Refuting Allegations made by the New York Times) The New York Times published an article titled “How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port” on Monday June 25, 2018 and our political opponents have made quite a carnival of it, marching to …

Continue reading ‘Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Refutes Allegations in “New York Times” Article About China Harbour Company Giving Funds to his 2015 Election Campaign.’ »

By Neville de Silva Monks, like others, are not all learned men. While all of them may know the dhamma (though not all of them practise the Buddha’s teaching), their knowledge of history and world affairs, among others, needs to be refreshed. That, of course, is if they had learnt and imbibed such worldly knowledge …

Continue reading ‘Upali Thera’s Anusasana to Gota Was Basically This – “Some people have described you as Hitler. Be a Hitler. Go with the military and take the leadership of this country.”’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.” – Adolf Hitler Shine as they may, there are no kings, adorned with jewellry and pearls, that shine as does a man restrained, adorned with virtue’s ornament. – Visuddhimagga The two quotes – one from …

Continue reading ‘Buddhist Hitler,Nazi Nirvana and the Saffron – Khaki Collaborative Effort to Set up a Patrimonial Garrison State.’ »

Police has been asked to revive an investigation into alleged Chinese funding of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election bid following a foreign newspaper report that $7.6 million was paid through the Standard Chartered Bank. Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment Ranjan Ramanayake lodged a complaint with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division on Friday after the New York Times …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Police Re-Launch Investigation Into Alleged Funding of Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Election Campaign By China Harbour Engineering Company.’ »

By Don Manu Twenty Twenty presidential hopeful, birthday boy Gotabaya Rajapaksa may have felt somewhat uncomfortable when a monk, no less a personage than the Anunayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter the Venerable Vendaruwe Upali, whom he had invited along with a retinue of other senior monks to his residence for an alms-giving ceremony to celebrate …

Continue reading ‘Though Done With The Best of Intentions Asgiriya Chapter Anunayake’s Birthday Blessings have Erected a Barrier Between Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the Presidency.’ »

Sri Lanka will move its southern naval headquarters to the Hambantota port which is leased to a state-run Chinese firm under a billion-dollar deal, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office said. Wickremesinghe has made it clear in his talks with Chinese leaders that Hambantota port will not be allowed to be used for any military purposes, …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Southern Naval Headquarters Will Be Moved From Galle Harbour to Hambantota Port Leased to Chinese Firm Announces Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Competing for top billing for the most ghastly news headlines this week has been public outrage over rampant robberies and murders by notorious underworld gangs along with feverish speculation over the (possibly apocryphal) list of politicians who accepted money from tainted financier Arjun Aloysius and a fracas over Chinese funding of …

Continue reading ‘Where The Government Fail To Govern Summary Justice Will Become The Order of The Day’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa arriving at the FCID on Monday. Picture by Rukmal Gamage Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa arriving at the FCID on Monday. Picture by Rukmal Gamage The twists and turns of politics are moving into fresh confrontations both within the government, and between the government and opposition. The …

Continue reading ‘Would Asgiriya Chapter Anunayake Thera’s Birthday Anusasana Advice to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Bring About the Emergence of an “Arya Sinhala Hitler” in Sri Lanka?’ »

By Wasantha Rupasinghe On June 25, the New York Times published a lengthy front page article entitled “How China Got Sri Lanka to Cough Up a Port.” The more than 3,800-word piece repeats the usual allegations manufactured by the Times, and other media conduits for Washington’s foreign policy propaganda, about growing Chinese influence in Sri …

Continue reading ‘“New York Times” Article About Hambantota Port and Growing Influence of China in the Sri Lanka is a US Warning Bell Regarding the Possible Return of a Pro-Beijing Govt in Colombo.’ »

Anukreethy Vas from Tamil Nadu was declared the winner of the 55th edition of Femina Miss India 2018 pageant held at Dome, NSCI Stadium whereas Miss Meenakshi Chaudhary from Haryana and Miss Shreya Rao from Andhra Pradesh bagged the first and second runner up positions respectively. The winners were crowned by the previous year winners, …

Continue reading ‘19 Year Old Loyola College BA(French) Student From Tamil Nadu Anukeerthi Vas Crowned India’s Beauty Queen at Femina Miss India 2018 Pageant.’ »

By Dr. Ranil Senanayake It is with a sense of foreboding that I pen this, returning from Ecuador, to find the rupee tumbling at pace that was once familiar to me back in 1994 in Ecuador. At that time the IMF was giving them the same advice that they are providing us today: “The International …

Continue reading ‘Does Financial Discipline Mean Letting the Sri Lankan Rupee Slide Downwards According to International Monetary Fund Dictates?’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne Srimathi Chithranganie Wijeweera, the wife of the founder of the JVP yesterday filed a Habeas Corpus application in the Court of Appeal requesting the court to issue a mandatory order on the Defence Authorities and the Attorney General to produce Wijeweera before the court. The application also requests the court to order …

Continue reading ‘JVP Founder-Leader Rohana Wijeweera’s Wife Srimathi Chithranganie Wijeweera Files Habeas Corpus Writ In Appeal Court Seeking Court Order to Produce her Husband Who Was Arrested on November 13th 1969.’ »

29th June 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is alarmed by the recent spate of violence in Sri Lanka, including the custodial death this weekend, the death of a police constable and the inability of the authorities to contain the violence and bring perpetrators to justice. These incidents are evocative of …

Continue reading ‘Centre for Policy Alternatives Urges Swift Action in Adherence to the Rule of Law to Address Increase in Violence’ »

The Minister of Education yesterday challenged former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to revoke his American citizenship regardless of whether the latter would contest in a Sri Lankan election. “A true patriot will have no problem revoking the citizenship of another country,” Minister of Education and UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said. Minister Kariyawasam made …

Continue reading ‘Akila Viraj Kariyawasam Challenges Gotabhaya Rajapaksa To Prove He is a True Patriot By Revoking His US Citizenship Regardless of Whether He Contests the Sri Lankan Presidential Election or Not.’ »

Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy yesterday defended one of the institutions top officials against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake, insisting his record as an economist remains outstanding. The short statement released by the Central Bank is given in full below.

By Skandha Gunasekara Social Empowerment Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday lodged a complaint at the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa regarding reports that the latter received campaign funding over $ 7 million from a prominent Chinese company. Referring to a recent New York Times article on the issue, Deputy Minister …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake Complains to FCID About Mahinda Rajapaksa Receiving Funds From Chinese Company for his Presidential Election Campaign as Reported in New York Times.’ »

By Lakdev Liyanagama The shadow of former Defence Secretary and Rajapaksa sibling Gotabhaya Rajapaksa looms large these days over the Sri Lankan political firmament. Not yet officially nominated as a candidate for the 2020 presidential elections, he appears to have assumed that role by default. Still, Rajapaksa found out last week that the publicity he …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Has Not Been Bold Enough To Categorically Condemn Upali Thera’s “Hitler” Comments Though He Had The Opportunity To do So’ »

By Maria Abi-Habib HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka — Every time Sri Lanka’s president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, turned to his Chinese allies for loans and assistance with an ambitious port project, the answer was yes. Yes, though feasibility studies said the port wouldn’t work. Yes, though other frequent lenders like India had refused. Yes, though Sri Lanka’s debt …

Continue reading ‘China Funded Mahinda Rajapaksa’s 2015 Election Campaign Through Cheques Amounting to US $ 7.6 Million and $ 3.7 M Dollars Issued Via Two Standard Chartered Bank Accounts Operated By Hambantota Port Development Project -NYT’ »

By Sasanka Perera Ven. Endaruwe Upali, Deputy Chief Priest of the Asgiriya Chapter in the Buddhist ecclesiastical order, is in the news. But it is not for his knowledge of the Dhamma or for the erudite delivery of a sermon worthy of Buddhism’s timeless appeal or for his strict adherence to vinaya, the set of …

Continue reading ‘Hitler the Architect of the Jewish Holocaust Killed Six Million Jews as Part of his Depraved “Final Solution”’ »

Text of Statement Released on June 26th 2018 Expressing Concern Over Probation Department and National Child Protection Agency CPA Pushing Victimised Children Back Into the Hands of Abusers and list of signatories) Probation Department and NCPA pushing children back into the hands of abusers We the undersigned members of civil society condemn the actions of …

Continue reading ‘Concern Expressed Over Probation Department and National Child Protection Agency (NCPA) Pushing Victimised Children Back Into the Hands of Abusers’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa has skeletons though, may not be in his closet, but wherever white vans had dumped victims during his abduction prone tenure as the Defence Secretary. But, not even by a long shot did he go any close to Hitler. Last week, when a high priest publicly urged him to …

Continue reading ‘What Will Happen If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Comes to Power Like Hitler and Establishes Military Rule ?’ »

By Sharmini Serasinghe When it comes to the likes of pseudo religious figures viz,Gnanasara, I refuse to dignify such with revered titles; ‘Thera’, ‘Reverend’ or ‘Venerable’ as others do. To do so, would be a downright insult to all those who are genuinely worthy of it. As a Sri Lankan, a Buddhist and a Sinhalese, …

Continue reading ‘As a Sri Lankan, a Buddhist and a Sinhalese, I find this Man Gnanasara Utterly and Completely Reprehensible, Offensive, and Disgusting!’ »

By P.K.Balachandran The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), of which the Ilankai Tamil ArasuKatchi (ITAK) is the single largest constituent, appears to be heading for a split, with the Sampanthan and Wigneswaran factions failing to find a common ground to work together. A likely outcome is the emergence of two new groupings, with the ITAK and …

Continue reading ‘Wigneswaran Wont Be the TNA/ITAK Chief Minister Candidate at Next NPC Poll But Sampanthan Will Keep Ex-Judges Hopes Alive By Not Telling Him So Now.’ »

Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Monday announced heeding the counsel of a top Asgiriya chapter monk who urged him to be like a Hitler and form a military dictatorship in the country. Speaking to reporters after making a statement to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), Rajapaksa said he was surprised by the …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Says He Understood Everything In The Sermon With References to Hitler Made By Asgiriya Chapter Anunayake and Asks Why Others Who Did Not Understand Should Make Statements About The Comparison To Hitler.’ »

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya The US quit the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday (June 19) with rhetoric intended to assert the moral high-ground, slamming the council and selectively ‘naming and shaming’ council members outside its charmed circle of ‘friends.’ While the statements of US Ambassador to UN Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo …

Continue reading ‘US Will Not Give Up Its Strategic Objectives In Sri Lanka Despite Leaving the United Nations Human Rights Council’ »