By (Lahiru Pothmulla Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on Sunday said Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera was spreading false propaganda against him because the minister was aware of his ability. He recalled how Minister Samaraweera posted posters against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during the time of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. “Recently, Minister Samaraweera said he knew …

Continue reading ‘“Mangala Samaraweera is Spreading False Propaganda Against Me Because The Minister is Aware of my Ability’ Says Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’ »

Sri Lanka’s President appeared to hitch his political fortunes to nationalism an d reflected glory from the military victory over separatists as he commemorated the annihilation of the Tamil Tigers. Addressing a military ceremony marking the ninth anniversary of defeating Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), President Maithripala Sirisena criticised his own state-run media for …

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Tries to Emulate Rajapaksas By Climbing Sinhala Nationalist Bandwagon and Talking About “War Heroes”.’ »

(Text of Special communique by the Finance and Media Minister,Hon. Mangala Samaraweera on May 20th 2018) 01. Former President and Kurunegala District MP, Mahindra Rajapaksa who is responsible for ruining this country by allowing his family relatives and cronies to plunder the country’s economy and, his siblings, former defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who unleashed terror …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa The Most Corrupt and Dangerous Public Officer to be Ever Appointed in this Country is Engaged in Effort to Throw Country Into “Vipathmaga”(Destructive Path) -Mangala Samaraweera’ »

By Sarath de Alwis Nationalism: the love of tribal fictions inspired by the hatred of social realities.” – Author unknown The Viyath Maga National Conference at the Shangri-La placed the former Defence Secretary positively and undoubtedly in the presidential race in 2019. It did something else as well. He demonstrated that he was different from …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Versatility in Managing Terror That Made Him The Most Feared Man Under His Brother’s Presidency.’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Everywhere under the vast Heaven There is no land that is not the king’s. To the borders of those lands, There are none who are not the king’s servants.” Shijing (The Book of Odes – believed to have been compiled by Confucius) Lankan democracy is facing a terminal crisis, caught between the …

Continue reading ‘Democracy can be Undermined and Negated from Within in a far more Terminal way, if Gotabhaya Rajapaksa wins the Presidency.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Somewhere, someone remarked to me this week that patriotism is at its most virulent when stalking the minds and intellects of human beings rather than when it cloaks itself in the deceptively heroic guise of (most always) men waging war against each other on the battlefield. Patriots parading their stuff That …

Continue reading ‘Megapolis Minister Champika Ranawaka’s Claim that the JVP Could Not be Compared With the LTTE Betrays the Racist Tendencies of the Speaker if not Crass Idiocy.’ »

By K. Nesan and V. Gnana Thousands of people around the world are gathering today to mark the anniversary of one of the most infamous massacres of the 21st century. After 26 years of a bloody civil war, the Sri Lankan army cornered over 40,000 Tamils, including the surviving leadership of the Liberation Tigers of …

Continue reading ‘Infamous Mullivaaikkaal Massacre of Nine Years Ago Remembered With Horror by Millions of Sinhala,Tamil and Muslim Workers in Sri Lanka- WSWS’ »

Reparations Bill ready, compensation for war-affected people Details of draft kept secret till RTI was put to use View(s): 94 The Cabinet approved the draft Reparations Bill setting up the Office of Reparations is now in the final stages of drafting. The proposed law will enable all Sri Lankan citizens, including families of Police and …

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Approves Draft Bill to Set up Office of Reparations to Enable Payment of Compensation to all Sri Lankan Victims and Familes of Affected Persons Including Police and Defence Personnel in all Parts of the Island.’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “I saw the Emperor – this soul of the world – go out from the city to survey his reign; it is a truly a wonderful sensation to see such an individual, who, concentrating on one point while seated on a horse, stretches over the world and dominates it.” Such was …

Continue reading ‘Shindig at Shangri- La was a Dazzling Demonstration of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s Mastery in Managing “Terror”.’ »

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama The Sinhalese version of the official website of the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs and the website of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Honorary Consulate in Kerala were reportedly hacked this evening by an organisation calling itself the ‘Tamil Eelam Cyber Force’. The website displayed a long …

Continue reading ‘Official Websites of Sri Lanka Tourism Ministry and Consulate in India’s Kerala State Hacked by Group Calling Itself “Tamil Eelam Cyber Force”.’ »

By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham With 2018 just about reaching its halfway mark, three of Sri Lanka’s major political players have already begun preparations for the 2020 presidential elections. Although President Maithripala Sirisena announced last week he would not retire from politics, he has not openly stated he would not contest in the polls. However, seniors and …

Continue reading ‘Will Mahinda Rajapaksa Emulate Mahathir Mohammed and Return To Power With The Support of Minorities?’ »

Sri Lankan Tamils should observe May 18 every year as “Tamil Genocide Day”, said the Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran on Friday. He was speaking on the fourth annual remembrance day at Mullivaikkal, the scene of killings in the last stages of the war against Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009. In his emotionally charged and …

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Wants Sri Lankan Tamils To Observe “Tamil Genocide Day” on May 18th Every Year.’ »

By Yoshitha Perera State Counsel Udara Karunatilake appearing on behalf of the Attorney General (AG) today informed Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court that the CID had started an investigation on whether, Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka was involved in the abduction and assault of Journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008. He …

Continue reading ‘State Counsel Tells Mt.Lavinia Courts that CID Is Probing Whether Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka Was Involved in Abduction and Assault of Senior Journalist Keith Noyahr.’ »

By Col. R.Hariharan THOUGH Uttarakhand had 21,966 protests, the highest number in the year 2016, it was Tamil Nadu with a score of 20,450 protests – at the rate of 47 protests a day- that caught the national attention. The reason was simple: the protests in Tamil Nadu were massive, prolonged and in many cases …

Continue reading ‘LTTE Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran Inspired A Generation of Young Leaders From Almost All Political Parties With the Idea of an Independent Tamil Nadu.’ »

(Text Of Media Release Issued by Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 16 May 2018 Under the heading “Increase in fuel prices and economic mismanagement”) Following the recent increase in fuel prices, transport costs and the prices of goods and services have started rising. Fishermen are up in arms against the sudden increase in the price …

Continue reading ‘“This Govt has Borrowed US $ 19.5 Billion in Foreign Currency Loans and Over Six Trillion Rupee Loans Since January 2015” – Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

Two British rugby players who died after what is suspected to be a drug overdose had visited a night club in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, shortly before they developed respiratory problems, investigators said Tuesday. Police sources said the two players identified as Thomas Howard, 25, and Tom Baty, 26, had serious breathing difficulties on Sunday …

Continue reading ‘Probe Underway Into Deaths of Two British Rugby Players Who Died of Alleged Ingestion of “Brown Sugar” Heroin After They Visited “Cleopatra Night Club” In the Colpetty Liberty Plaza Building.’ »

Former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has unofficially launched his bid to run for the presidency at the 2019 elections with a ceremony at the Shangri-La hotel in Colombo. Political sources said Rajapaksa had invited his three politically active brothers as guests of what he called the launch his 2030 vision for Sri Lanka. In a …

Continue reading ‘Ex -Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Launches Unofficial Bid to Contest the Next Presidential Elections.’ »

By B.Kolappan. Acclaimed writer Balakumaran, whose works were a link between serious and populist writing in Tamil, died on Tuesday. He was 71 and is survived by two wives, a son and a daughter. Balakumaran took pride in his writing style. He once told an interviewer from the now-defunct magazine Subamangala, “I have even surpassed …

Continue reading ‘Acclaimed Tamil Writer Balakumaran Who Served as Link Between Serious and Populist Writing Passes Away in Chennai at 71 Years of Age’ »

By Mano Sekaram Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, members of the clergy , distinguish invitees and friends This invitation to me to speak at the conference signifies the organization’s inclusiveness and respect for diversity, I am honored and privileged to say a few words. My subject today is about‘digital and knowledge’ economy and …

Continue reading ‘The IT/BPM Industry Has Grown in 15 Years To Become a Billion Dollar Industry Employing 80,000 People with Per Capita Income Between 15,000 to 20,000 Dollars’ »

By Vijith Samarasinghe A Sri Lankan opposition party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), is currently agitating for the abolition of the country’s executive presidency via a 20th amendment (20A) to the constitution. The campaign is a political fraud. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told the party’s May Day meeting on May 7 that the 20A …

Continue reading ‘Cowardly Response to Jathika Vidvath Sangha Sabha’s Opposition to Proposed 20th Amendment Exposes Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s Bogus Posturing Over abolishing the Executive Presidency.’ »

By Hemantha Randunu The Terrorism Investigations Division (TID) yesterday obtained a statement from Joint Opposition (JO) MP, Dilum Amunugama over allegations that he had assisted violent elements responsible for communal riots in March. Communal riots in some areas of Kandy commenced after protesters had attacked several shops in Digana on March 04 and 05 following …

Continue reading ‘Police TID Records Statement From Joint Opposition MP Dilum Amunugama Regadig Allegations of Inciting,Aiding and Abetting Anti-Muslim Violence in Kandy.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka So the Northern Provincial Council and some civil society activists are reportedly gearing up to mourn May 18-19th and the week leading up to it as Genocide Week. May 18/19th marks the days the Long War ended, and Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims stopped dying in large numbers. It is the moment that …

Continue reading ‘Northern Provincial Council Is Mourning The Defeat of the “Almost Classically Fascist” LTTE and Its “Hitlerian” Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran.’ »

By Nisthar Cassim and Shanika Sriyananda Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is widely speculated to be a 2019 presidential candidate, yesterday unveiled his vision 2030 for Sri Lanka, promising to transform the economy with futuristic policies and measures but more importantly with the right people and execution. He told a packed and audience of …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Unveils His “VIsion 2030″For Sri Lanka at “Viyathmaga” Forum Held in Shangri-La Hotel with Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Among 2000 Attendees.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan It may take about a month for the anacondas, taken recently from Colombo to Karnataka, to adjust to their new environment. They will be quarantined until that time, as authorities at the Mysuru zoo prepare to display them. The two green anacondas, one male and one female, will soon be joined by …

Continue reading ‘Dehiwela Zoo in Sri Lanka Sends Six Anaconda Snakes to Mysuru Zoo in India In Return for Blackbucks and Four Nilghais.’ »

By B.Nimal Veerasingham When we were children my paternal grandmother ‘Sellamma’ (Appamma) would love to take us to events in the close vicinity of ‘Puliyantheevu’ – the principal islet of the Batticaloa town, that amused and entertained us to say the least. She was a Universalist – nothing prevented her from attending any religious or …

Continue reading ‘The “Naattukoothu (Folk Dance/Theatre) Performances of Batticaloa Relied Mainly on the Stories from “Mahabharatha” and “Ramayana”.’ »

By Namini Wijedasa The investors behind the arrest of President’s Chief-of-Staff I H K Mahanama and State Timber Corporation Chairman P Dissanayake on bribery charges has written to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe asking him to “at least now” release the Kantale sugar factory infrastructure so their project can go ahead. Their letter makes it clear …

Continue reading ‘Person Claiming To Be Ex-LTTE Fighter Joseph Pillai Issues Death Threat to Indian National K.P.Nagaraj For Helping Authorities To Arrest President sirisena’s chief of Staff Mahanama for Alleged Bribery.’ »

By Sarath de Alwis History repeats, because we don’t listen the first time. Those who wanted genuine change, now pin their hopes on the 20th Amendment which would abolish the Executive Presidency and restore parliamentary rule. The Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency in the years 2010-2015 is remarkable for its successes and excesses. If he planned to …

Continue reading ‘The “Simple” Executive Presidency Introduced By JR Jayewardene Was Turned Into a “Complex Autocratic Monarchy” By Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Chants of the Joint Opposition and its enthusiasts that anarchy has been let loose upon the land as a result of foibles of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government bear an uncanny resemblance to the ancient cackling of ‘double, double toil and trouble, parties burn and nonsense bubble’ by Shakespeare’s three witches immortalized in …

Continue reading ‘How Many “Roguish” Lawyers Involved In Fraudulent Land Transactions Have Been Brought To Book?’ »

By Vidya Venkat The Sangam-era Tamil poetic work Pattinappaalai describes the Cauvery as an eternal river. “Vaan poithinam thaan poiyya malai kalaya kadarkaaveri ponal parandhu pon kolikkum” goes a line. Loosely translated, it means that even in the hot summer months, when the rain gods do not shower their mercy, the Cauvery, emerging from the …

Continue reading ‘Cauvery (Kaavaeri) River On Its Death Bed With Riverine Ecosystem Facing Terminal Decline’ »

The Sri Lanka army has set up a “Directorate of Overseas Operations” dedicated to preparing material to defend itself against war crimes charges made in the international arena. This was stated by the Army Commander, Lt.Gen.Mahesh Senanayake, at a meeting with the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Sri Lanka here on Thursday. The UN Human Rights …

Continue reading ‘Army Chief Lt.Gen Mahesh Senanayake Tells Foreign Correspondents That Northern Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran is his “Best Friend” but Northern Council has Done Very Little’ »

By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham President Maithripala Sirisena in his speeches at two separate occasions early this week made two politicallly important pronouncements. Addressing the May Day rally of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and its ally United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in the Eastern town of Chengalady near Batticaloa last Monday (7) he declared that …

Continue reading ‘Doubtful Whether This “Unity”Govt Will Last Till 2020 as “Yahapalanaya” Shelf Life is Now Over.’ »

Sri Lanka’s parliament Wednesday voted to set up special courts to try multi-billion dollar graft cases under former president Mahinda Rajapakse. The move aims to accelerate several high-profile cases following criticism over the slow pace of justice since President Maithripala Sirisena came to power in 2015 promising to stamp out corruption. Parliament voted 119-52 to …

Continue reading ‘Parliament Passes Law with 119 – 52 Votes to Set Up Special Courts To Fast Track Cases Concerning Alleged Corruption During Rajapaksa Regime With Mahinda Loyalist MP’s Voting Against.’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita The Indian investor who complained that President Maithripala Sirisena’s Chief of Staff, I. K. Mahanama and Chairman of State Timber Corporation P. Dissanayake, had allegedly taken a bribe from him, has informed the Cinnamon Gardens Police that he has been receiving death threats.

By Kushan Subasinghe and Ajith Alahakoon Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, yesterday, apologised to President Maithripala Sirisena for publicly having criticised the latter, recently.

Joint Opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa yesterday condemned the alleged harassment of a Tamil woman on a Colombo-Jaffna train by a train attendant on Tuesday. He called for necessary action. The incident which had been recorded by a person on the train was widely circulated in social media.

(Text of Lecture by Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy on ‘Myanmar: The Rohingya Refugee Crisis, Roots of the Conflict and Possibilities for the Future’ at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) on Thursday, 3 May 2018) INTRODUCTION I want to thank Dinusha and the Kadirgamar Institute for inviting me to speak today. …

Continue reading ‘“Myanmar:- The Rohingya Refugee Crisis, The Roots of Conflict and Future Possibilities” – Text Of Lecture By Dr.Radhika Coomaraswamy.’ »

By Mahendran Thiruvarangan The recent demonstrations by the Tamil teachers, alumni and members of the larger Tamil community, in Trincomalee town, against the Muslim teachers at Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies’ College who came to school in the abaya, speak of a larger problem that bedevils our educational system and the state. Hot on the heels …

Continue reading ‘Trincomalee Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College Administration Forbidding Female Muslim Teachers From Coming To School Dressed In “Abaya” is Chauvinistically Anti-Muslim and Cannot be Justified on Any Grounds.’ »

By Vishwamithra 1984 “Be yourself, because an original is worth more than a copy” – Unknown quotes In order to defeat the Mahinda Rajapaksa juggernaut, there is one thing the United National Party (UNP) should not do – field a ‘Duplicate Mahinda.’ What is the Mahinda Rajapaksa-candidature looking like? In an election campaign, the one …

Continue reading ‘If UNP Tries To Field a “Duplicate Mahinda” at Presidential Poll To Defeat the Rajapaksa Juggernaut It will Definitely Fall Flat’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka What happens when the protracted crisis of a political party which is in government, coincides with a dramatically mounting economic crisis? The UNP is the country’s second oldest political party. Never in its 70 year history has it been away from the apex of power and the top post in the country …

Continue reading ‘Nothing Is More Certain To Bury The UNP Electorally Than the Agitation For a New Constitution By The TNA’ »

(Text of speech made by President Maithripala Sirisena at the inauguration of the new session of the Parliament on May 8, 2018) Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members of parliament, As the President and Head of the Government of the people of Sri Lanka, I greet all of you at the opening of the Second Session of …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Identifies the Need to Recognize “Equal Rights Based Aspirations of the Tamil People ” in his Address While Inaugurating new Session of Parliament on May 8.’ »

(Text of speech made by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Chairman President Maithripala Sirisena at the SLFP May Day rally at the Mawadiwembu Ground, Chenkaladi in Batticaloa 2018-05-07) I am very pleased about this opportunity to hold this successful SLFP May Day rally in Batticaloa. Today we join to honour the working class of our …

Continue reading ‘“Some ask whether I am retiring in 2020.I am not retiring in 2020. There are so many things to be done” – President Maithripala Sirisena at May day rally In Batticaloa’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday ended all speculation about his political future saying he will not retire in 2020 when his current term ends and wants to form a government without “murderers.” He quashed what he called rumours on social media that he intends to retire in 2020. “There are many who ask if I …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Declares Publicly That He Will Not Retire From Politics in 2020 and that he Will Form Govt Without “Murderers” or “Robbers”.’ »

By Anurangi Singh and Uditha Kumarasinghe Hotly contested debates are underway in the pro-Rajapaksa Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna/Joint Opposition faction as to which member of the former ruling family should contest the presidential election due in 2019, highly placed sources told the Sunday Observer. UPFA MP and New Left Front Leader, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, who is …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Political Camp Split in Two Over Choice of Next Presidential Candidate With “leftist” Tendency Preferring “Aiya” Chamal Rajapaksa and the “Gotabhaya Kalliya”Faction Supporting the “Malli” Ex Defence Secretary.’ »

By Sandun A Jayasekera reporting from Chenkalady, Batticaloa President Maithripala Sirisena today declared that he would not retire from politics in 2020 as he had to complete his mission to serve the people and the country beyond 2020. Addressing the SLFP May Day rally at the Chenkalady Sports Grounds in Batticaloa this afternoon, President Sirisena …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Announces SLFP May Day Rally in Chenkalladdi That He Will Not “Retire” From Politics and that he will Continue to Serve the People Beyond 2020.’ »

The arrest of the President’s Chief of Staff while allegedly accepting a 20 million bribe may have seriously damaged Maithripala Sirisena ’s image and weakened his position within the tenuous coalition. Sirisena was reportedly visibly shaken when a senior aide told him on Thursday that his Chief of Staff I. H. M. Mahanama had been …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Could Not Believe His Trusted Chief of Staff Was Caught Taking a Bribe and Repeatedly Asked “May Apey Mahanama?( This is Our Mahanama?)’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “Madness is something rare in individuals — but in groups, parties, peoples, and ages, it is the rule.” Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil Make no mistake. This government has failed to deliver. It must be brought to its senses. If not, we must fashion something better. But, we must not …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa Re-defined the Power Dynamics of Mahinda Rajapaksa With a “Triad” of Image Engineers.’ »

by Manjula Fernando and Anurangi Singh On February 22 this year, a foreign national walked in to the Investigation Office of the Bribery Commission, to make a formal complaint. It was not the type of complaint the Bribery officials confront on any regular day. Speaking with a strong Indian accent, the businessman dropped a bombshell …

Continue reading ‘How the Bribe-taking Presidential Chief of Staff and Timber Corporation Chairman Were Caught In the Act Of Counting the Ill-gotten Cash in a Car Park.’ »

By Jayadeva Uyangoda For a student of political institutions in Sri Lanka, things happening within political parties are great material for reflection and analysis. It appears that our political parties today are not what used to be a few decades ago. The presidential system, the system of proportional representation, changes in value framework in society, …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Political Parties Are Not What They Were Decades Ago and are Being Re-shaped Politically in Nature,Culture and Dynamics’ »

by Maneshka Borham JAFFNA: On May 1, the residents of Jaffna carried on as usual, the town brimming with day to day activity. Nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary since the Government had ‘postponed’ May Day, as the globally recognized workers’ day had clashed with the Buddhist festival of Vesak. Only the red …

Continue reading ‘JVP “Thozhargal” Who Conducted “May Day” In Jaffna This Year Are Making Positive Progress Among Marginalised Sections Of Society In North.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Two civil society organisations, yesterday, said the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration owed an explanation to the general public as to why Dr. T. H. K. Mahanama had been appointed the Chief of Staff of President Maithripala Sirisena, in spite of a serious allegation against him that he deliberately delayed a USD 100 mn project …

Continue reading ‘Why was Dr.Mahanama Appointed As President Sirisena’s Chief of Staff Despite Two Allegations of Suspected Corruption Being Raised Against Him Earlier?’ »

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is set to take back from Minister Mano Ganeshan, the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) at Ganeshan’s request. A Gazette to this effect is expected soon, Minister Ganeshan told this correspondent on Saturday. Ganeshan said that he had requested the President to take back the OMP allotted to him in …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena to Take Back Office Of Missing Persons From Mano Ganesan as Requested by the Cabinet Minister Himself.’ »

Sri Lankan police on Saturday recovered the stolen replica of the Golden Peacock trophy which the late Sri Lankan film maker Lester James Peries had won at the New Delhi International Film Festival in 1965. The gold-plated replica, which was stolen from his house on Wednesday, the day of his funeral, was recovered from the …

Continue reading ‘Gold-plated Replica of Golden Peacock Award Stolen From the Home of Lester James Peries On The Day of his Funeral Found in Bus on Colombo-Kaduwela Route’ »

By Skandha Gunasekara * Suspects accept bribe from Indian investor to reduce prices in the sale of Kantale Sugar Factory machinery * Chief of Staff suspended, President orders unhindered legal action against suspects President Sirisena informed prior to arrest * Secretary to the President commends arrest * Joint Opposition hails efforts of CIABOC The Chief …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s Chief of Staff I.H.K.Mahanama and State Timber Corporation Chairman P.Dissanayake Arrested For Allegedly Procuring Rs 20 Million Bribe Regarding Kanthalai Sugar Factory From Indian National’ »

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama President Maithripala Sirisena today instructed officials to suspend the services of a senior official attached to the Presidential Secretariat and the Chairman of the State Timber Corporation (STC) who were facing bribery allegations and advised the authorities to strictly enforce the law against the two offenders.

By A.J. Abeynayake Mount Lavinia Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrema, yesterday, directed the CID to record a statement from former Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka in respect of the inquiry into the abduction of Deputy Editor of The Nation Keith Noyahr on May 22, 2008. Magistrate Abeywickrema said so in response to representations made by lawyers …

Continue reading ‘Mt.Lavinia Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrema Directs CID To Record Statement from Ex – Army Chief Sarath Fonseka Over Inquiry Into Abduction o Former “Nation” Associate Editor Keith Noyahr.’ »

by Rathindra Kuruwita It seemed that one needed to engage in corrupt activities to obtain a powerful ministerial position, Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment, Ranjan Ramanayake said yesterday commenting on the latest reshuffle of state and deputy ministers, in which some of his subjects were removed.

A gold plated replica of the Golden Peacock trophy which the late Sri Lankan film maker Lester James Peries had won at the New Delhi International Film Festival in 1965, was stolen from his house on Wednesday, the day of his funeral. The Golden Peacock was the first ever international award that Peries got in …

Continue reading ‘Gold -plated Replica of “golden Peacock”Award won By Lester James Peries for “Gamperaliya” at New Delhi Film Festival Stolen From Directors Home on The Day of His Funeral’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Renowned Sri Lankan film maker and a national icon Lester James Peiris, credited with revolutionalising Sinhala cinema in the 1950s with a strong local flavour and indigenous style, passed away in Colombo on Sunday. He was 99. A contemporary of Satyajit Ray, Peiris is regarded the “father of Sinhala cinema”. He won …

Continue reading ‘“Dostoevsky once said we all came out of Gogol’s Overcoat.In the same Way we All came Out Of Mr.Peries’s Rekava”- Sinhala film Director Asoka Handagama.’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita UNP backbenchers have decided to boycott parliamentary group meetings indefinitely as they believe party reforms have been complete eyewash, MP Hirunika Premachandra says. Fewer than 35 MPS attended yesterday’s UNP group meeting, as backbenchers and a number of state and deputy ministers boycotted it. MP Premachandra said: “We decided against attending these …

Continue reading ‘UNP Backbenchers Boycott Parliamentary Group Meetings Protesting Party Reforms Being Turned Into an “Eyewash” says Hirunika Premachandra.’ »

By Nalaka Sanjeewa Dahanayake Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa quipped yesterday that in the reshuffle of the Cabinet, the only Ministry that underwent a scientific transformation was the Wildlife Ministry.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed new state and deputy ministers in a cabinet re-shuffle promised after setbacks in local government polls earlier this year. The move follows the appointment of several new cabinet ministers on Tuesday, 01 May by President Maithripala Sirisena who had promised a more ‘scientific’ allocation of portfolios when elected …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Continues His “Scientific Re-shuffle ” By Appointing 8 State and 10 Deputy Ministers With Re-allocated Portfolios.’ »

Former justice minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe who was sacked for criticising the government was reinstated Tuesday, but the former finance minister Ravi Karunanayake appeared to have been left out in a last minute development. Rajapakshe was kicked out in August last year after he accused the government of a sell out to China by leasing the …

Continue reading ‘Though Premier Ranil Wanted Ravi Karunanayake To be Tourism Minister,President Maithripala Did Not want Ex-minister re-instated.’ »

:The cabinet reshuffle which Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena effected on Tuesday, shows a rational distribution of portfolios which was not the case earlier. For example, Mano Ganeshan, who had National Co-existence but not Reconciliation earlier, has got it now. But there has been no major change in the line up, other than the re-induction …

Continue reading ‘Portfolios Re-distributed in a More Rational Basis in the New “Scientific Re-shuffle” of Cabinet Ministers By President Sirisena’ »

Sri Lankan President, Maithripala Sirisena, on Tuesday reshuffled his unity government following months of political unrest between the two main coalition partners, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party led by Sirisena and the ruling United National Party led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The ministers were sworn in at a simple ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat …

Continue reading ‘Eighteen Ministers Sworn In Before President Maithripala Sirisena in Re-shuffle of Cabinet Ministers’ »

Sri Lanka’s former minister of finance minister Ravi Karunanayake who fell from grace after being implicated in the bond scam, is likely to be brought back to the cabinet, official source said. Unless there is a last minute change of heart, Karunanayake, 55, is tipped as the new minister of tourism under the minor reshuffle …

Continue reading ‘Ravi Karunanayake Who Resigned Minister Post Following Probe Into Central Bank Treasury Bond Scam Is Likely To Return To Cabinet As Tourism Minister.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene It is somewhat amusing (to put the matter mildly) that there is confusion as to whether Rs 200 million or Rs 1 billion has been allocated for repairs of Sri Lanka’s august parliament complex, deemed as ‘urgent’ for its maintenance. Misery for some, luxuries for others Regardless of the amusing aspects …

Continue reading ‘Minister Opposing Efforts To Eradicate Illegal Structures In Coastal Areas With Spurious Arguments Can Be Advised To Return To His Law Books And Re-educate Himself’ »

By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham Each time a horrific crime hits the headlines, ministers and police top brass make solemn avowals that stringent action would be taken against the perpetrators and that effective deterrent measures would be instituted to ensure such crimes are not repeated and law and order prevails in the country. But like all promises, …

Continue reading ‘Upsurge in Violence Against Foreign Tourists Particularly Women By Politically Connected Perpetrators Has Focused Global Spotlight On The Ugly Side Of Sri Lanka.’ »

By Bandula Jayasekara Political vultures are circling round the late Maestro Lester James Peries after his death. They have instructed to ‘honour’ him with a state funeral at the expenses of the state. I saw a photograph of President Sirisena handing over a cheque to Lester on his 99th birthday on 5th April this year. …

Continue reading ‘Lester James Peries was a “Nidhanaya” (treasure) Whom Sri Lankan Presidents, Governments and Authorities Did Not Treasure Enough!’ »

(Text of an editorial appearing in “The Island” of May 1st 2018 Under the Heading “The Lodestar fades away”) The country is grieving the loss of one of her greatest sons. The Lodestar of the Sri Lankan cinema has faded away. Dr. Lester James Peries had the rare distinction of being loved and respected by …

Continue reading ‘“Lester James Peries The Lodestar Of Sri Lankan Cinema Has Faded Away” – The Island’ »

Several Women’s groups and individual activists in Sri Lanka have together expressed concern over a horrible incident in India where an eight year old girl Asifa was allegedly tortured and gang-raped over a period of four days in a temple at Rasana in the Kathua district of Kashmir and killed by strangulation. In a letter …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Women Groups and Activists Write to Indian Envoy in Colombo Expressing Concern Over the Alleged Torture,Gangrape and Murder of 8 Year old girl Asifa in a Temple in Kashmir.’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “He who protests is an enemy; he who opposes is a corpse.” – Pol Pot In a rebuttal of a newspaper report on the investigation into the murder of Lasantha Wickremetunge, the former Defence Secretary and 2020 Presidential hopeful, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is at pains to explain that then Commander of the …

Continue reading ‘“Capo De Tutti Capi” (Leader Of All Leaders) Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Was The Undisputed Head Of All State Agencies Handling Military and Civil Intelligence.’ »

By Dharisha Bastians Reams have been written about the existential crises facing the country’s two main parties, the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, coincidentally, currently led by the two leaders at the helm of a fractured coalition Government. But a lesser known crisis is also unfolding within the fledgling Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘While “Gotabhaya Kalliya” Group Supporting Gota Rajapaksa In UPFA/JO Masterminded No Confidence Motion Against PM,Basil Rajapaksa Master Plan Is To Force Early Election And Form Govt’ »

(Excerpts From The “Sunday Times” Political Column of April 29th 2018) Meanwhile, nowhere has party reform generated so much controversy than in the UNP. Just three weeks after his party backers convincingly defeated a vote of no confidence, Premier Wickremesinghe announced changes. It came at a meeting of the so-called newly picked politburo which met …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Intervenes Hastily To End Verbal Duel Between Sajith Premadasa and Ravi Karunanayake at UNP’s New Politbureau Meeting’ »

By Anura Gunasekara That is our parliamentary crucible; toads, newts, adders and scorpions being stirred in a poisoned chalice and strained through a kurakkan satakaya. The Diyawanna script is written in Medamulana and offered to the nation, along with Atapirikara and jasmine flowers and couched in sonorous, mock-pious statements, delivered from diverse friendly Aramayas, with …

Continue reading ‘Hitler Had His ” Brown Shirts” While Gotabaya Has The Equivalent In The “Saffron Cohorts”, Its Lay Fellow-travelers And The ” Rana Viru” Myrmidons.’ »

by Gagani Weerakoon Proroguing Parliament sessions is certainly not a new thing in Sri Lanka’s history, but issuing three Gazette Notifications in a space of two weeks to summon the new session, due to previous two being incomplete or faulty indeed could be a record. In the President’s proclamation issued on 12 April proroguing Parliament, …

Continue reading ‘Who was Responsible For The Triple Blunder Of Issuing Three Gazette Notifications Within Two weeks Over The Proroguing of Parliament.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Ranil sways and Ravi stays. That seems to be the R – R Rhythm, the swing and sway of reorganized politics or management of the UNP. Ranil Wickremesinghe certainly defeated the No Confidence Motion against him in parliament, where most charges were about corruption involving the Central Bank Bond Scam. But that …

Continue reading ‘Ravi Karunanayake The Master of Penthouse Occupancy on Perpetual Funding Remains a Free Man in our Increasingly Crooked Society’ »

By K. Buddhika Kumarasiri A 46-year-old Sri Lankan born woman with Canadian citizenship is among the identified victims killed in the Toronto incident where 10 people were killed and at least 15 were injured when a van ploughed down a crowded side-walk in Toronto, Canada on Monday. The deceased was identified as Beatrice Renuka Amarasinghe …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Born Canadian Citizen From Horana Renuka Amarasinghe Identified as One of the Victims In Toronto Tragedy Where 10 Were Killed and 15 Injured by Van Driver.’ »

Popular south Indian playback singer MS Rajeswari passed away in Chennai on Wednesday. She was 87 years old. MS Rajeswari is well known for her child-like renditions in songs like Sundalikum Sundalikum Thirumanamam (Kaidhi Kanaiyiram) and Chittu Kuruvi Chittu Kuruvi Sedhi Theriyuma (Town Bus). The soulful Ammavum Neeye Appavum Neeye from Kamal Haasan’s debut film …

Continue reading ‘Popular Tamil Film Playback Singer M.S.Rajeswari Known For Her “Voice of a Child” Songs Passes Away In Chennai at 87.’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema The JVP has stated that they will be presenting the motion to abolish the executive presidency as a private member’s Bill next month. Even though they have said that they will agree to electoral reform, too, if that is deemed to be a prerequisite for the abolition of the executive presidency, …

Continue reading ‘Is The 20th Constitutional Amendment Proposed By The JVP To Abolish The Executive Presidency a Political “Trojan Horse”?’ »

By Camelia Nathaniel and Priyan de Silva The recent incidents that took place in Mirissa where a group of Dutch tourists were assaulted and sexually harassed and another group of Israeli tourists were assaulted at the Midigama beach have brought to light the issues facing the tourism industry. Despite the government efforts to promote tourism …

Continue reading ‘Tourism Industry In Sri Lanka Will Be Drastically Affected Unless Urgent Remedial Measures Are Taken To Salvage The Situation’ »

By Zahrah Imtiaz The UNP Working Committee, which met yesterday morning, confirmed the recommendations made by the Politburo to the senior posts of the party. Accordingly, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam will take on the post of General Secretary, Kabir Hashim the post of Chairman, Ruwan Wijewardene as Deputy General Secretary, Dr Harsha de Silva, the post …

Continue reading ‘“Ordinary UNP’er Does Not Want Ravi Karunanayake Who Has Damaged The Party Enough To Be Appointed UNP Assistant Leader says Joseph Michael Perera.’ »

By Norman Palihawadana and Rathindra Kuruwita Former Speaker Joseph Michael Perera resigned from the UNP Working Committee, yesterday, expressing his displeasure at the appointment of Ravi Karunanayake as the party’s Assistant Leader. Perera stormed out of the Party Headquarters yesterday morning, in the middle of a Working Committee meeting. Meanwhile Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayaka stated …

Continue reading ‘Former Cabinet Minister and Ex-Speaker Joseph Michael Perera Resigns From UNP Working Committee In Protest Over Ravi Karunanayake Being Apppointed as Party Assistant Leader.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka An explosion is not always a good thing. But it is not always preventable. Sometimes an explosion cannot be predicted but sometimes it can. Often an explosion is not inevitable but that does not mean it isn’t likely or even probable. In any country, these factors would cause a social upheaval. In …

Continue reading ‘“I Do Not Wish It Nor Exult Over It But I Can See That An Explosion Is Almost Certainly On The Way In Sri Lanka”’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena’s failure to dislodge Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe could have damaged their relationship permanently with devastating consequences for the national unity government. With most protagonists acknowledging that the failed April 4 no-confidence motion (NCM) was fuelled by Sirisena, a fractured United National Party (UNP) has rallied to support Wickremesinghe despite his lacklustre leadership. …

Continue reading ‘Fractured Relationship Between President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe Will Result in Sri Lanka Drifting Politically Like a Rudderless Ship.’ »

The leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), R.Sampanthan, told Tamils on Tuesday what they should do secure their rights within a united Sri Lanka. Launching a Tamil language book “Or Inapprachanaiyum Ou Oppandhamum” (An Ethnic Question and An Accord) on the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 written by T.Ramakrishnan Associate Editor of The Hindu, …

Continue reading ‘Unity,Positive Approach,Trust In India Are the Three Requirements For Sri Lankan Tamils To Gain Equality With Maximum Devolution in a United Sri Lanka States TNA and Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan.’ »

By Vishwamithra 1984 “All faults may be forgiven of him who has perfect candour” ~Walt Whitman In the questionable days of the Rajapaksa regime, the most dreadful sound, amongst many a sound of shooting in Rathupaswela, Katunayake and post-war Jaffna, was the one that you did not hear: A white van parked outside your home. …

Continue reading ‘In The Eyes Of The Public The Only Party That Had The Motive To Silence Lasantha Wickramatunga Was The Regime Of The Rajapaksas.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “Ecrasez l’infame!”—“Crush the loathsome thing!” – Voltaire Neoliberalism is almost dead in Sri Lanka, and its Government is dying. The choice that is before us is which type/variety of Populism:Right, Left, Centre or Centre-Left? Even if the JVP’s 20th amendment is supported by the UNP, TNA and misguided/manipulated SLPP pundits, the people …

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Must Vote “NO”At Any Referendum On Constitutional Reform in the Future..’ »

By Shavini Madhara Colombo additional Magistrate Ranga Dissanayaka yesterday observed that the real perpetrators involved in the killing of 27 prisoners at Welikada in 2012, should be arrested immediately. He said the inquiry into the deaths suggested that inmates had died after being shot in their heads and chests. The Additional Magistrate said it was …

Continue reading ‘Real Perpetrators Involved Killing of 27 Prisoners at Welikade in 2012 Should Be arrested Immediately States Colombo addl Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka It’s the arithmetic, stupid! A no-confidence motion against the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Sampanthan, is logical and legitimate, neither because he is a Tamil nationalist nor because he propped up Ranil in the no-faith motion on the bond scam, but because he, unlike his TULF predecessor in the same post, Mr. …

Continue reading ‘The “Yahapalana” Strategists Hope to Tempt Mahinda Rajapaksa into Supporting Abolition Of Executive Presidency and then Double-cross him in the Final Reel.’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara A few days after Kandy District in central Sri Lanka experienced a spate of violent incidents targeting Muslims, resulting in deaths, injury and destruction of property, the country’s election commissioner made a startling observation. “The claim that a majority of Sinhalese were against the recent attacks on Muslims is wrong,” Mahinda Deshapriya …

Continue reading ‘The History and Politics of “Muslimphobia” and Anti-Muslim Violence In Sri Lanka.’ »

By Shirley Somanader [Recently there has been a controversy on this subject. Here, in this essay, The claims of both schools are set out here impartially for the rational reader to decide] THE CASE FOR METHODIST CENTRAL COLLEGE, BATTICALOA: 1. Methodist Central College, Batticaloa is specifically mentioned as an English School from August 1814as a …

Continue reading ‘Was Richmond College-Galle Or Methodist Central College – Batticaloa , The First English School In Ceylon/Sri Lanka?’ »

By The “Sunday Times”Political Editor A lesser known fact among most politically literate Sri Lankans was a directive Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe issued to all parliamentarians of his United National Front (UNF) ahead of the National New Year. On Monday April 9 he told them to refrain from criticising the 16 Sri Lanka Freedom Party …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Instructs UNP Not To Criticise 16 SLFP’ers Who Voted For NCM After Malik,Mangala and Vajira Ministerial Trio Holds “Peace”Talks With Maithripala’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene At the height of the impunity that prevailed during the Rajapaksa Presidency, it was questioned in these column spaces as to whether one needed to be a foreigner in order to claim the protection of the law in Sri Lanka? The ugliness that Sri Lanka descended to This question was specifically …

Continue reading ‘Attacks on Israeli and Dutch Tourists in Midigama and Mirissa Are Rule of Law Breakdown Issues and Not Mere “Tourism” Matters’ »

By Dr.Jayadeva Uyangoda The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has been at a crucial turning point in its political career for some time. Its unending crisis has consequences for Sri Lankan democracy as well. As a political party, and with all its shortcomings and failures, the SLFP has contributed to institutionalizing Sri Lanka’s parliamentary democracy …

Continue reading ‘SLFP Faces The Risk Of Reducing Itself To The Status of a Small Party.’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “End and Goal: Not every end is a goal. The end of a melody is not its goal; but nonetheless, if the melody had not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable.” – Friedrich Nietzsche There is a saying: Everybody is great until you get …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena -Wickremesinghe Govt Can Redeem Itself To Some Extent By Abolishing the Executive Presidency At Least.’ »

by Sujeeva Nivunhella in London President Maithripala Sirisena expressed optimism of contesting the presidential election in 2020 as the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), which, he said, will be restructured with some significant changes. “There will be some tangible changes with reforms in the SLFP on the cards in June this year”, …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Tells London Party Branch That He is Optimistic About Contesting 2020 Presidential Election as the Candidate of a Re-structured SLFP’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Leading politicians of all hues anointed with the auspicious Avurudu oil are moving to the New Year, taking them to new challenges in national and party politics, and facing the realities of a unity government having members seated both in the Government and Opposition. The prorogation of Parliament, coming after many years …

Continue reading ‘Will Maithripala Contest Against Gotabhaya At Presidential Poll? Wll Mahinda Rajapaksa Serve As Prime Minister Under President Sirisena?’ »

By Norman Palihawadana Police are conducting investigations to find out whether those who attacked a group of Dutch tourists at Mirissa are supporters of a powerful politician, Minister of Law and Order, Ranjith Maddumabandara says.

Since the middle of last century, Sri Lanka has lost more than half of its forest cover to family farms, firewood collection, and tea plantations, reports bioGraphic – which has been bad news for the macaques, as well as all the other arboreal creatures that call the trees their home. With such devastation to their …

Continue reading ‘Though ICUN Has Declared Sri Lanka’s Toque Macaque As Endangered the Endemic Monkey Species Is Still Not Legally Protected In the Island’ »

(Text of Editorial appearing in “The Island” of April 20th 2018 under the heading “JVP’s googly”) Crafty handlers of mendicants, involved in begging rackets, exploit the disabled unconscionably. One of the methods, employed by them, is to pair blind men with sighted cripples so that the former can move about, guided by the latter, on …

Continue reading ‘JVP Proposed 20th Constitutional Amendment to Abolish the Executive Presidency Can be Passed with Two-thirds Majority if UNP and SLPP Decide to Support it -“The Island”’ »

By Cyril Wimalasurendre KANDY: Former Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella,MP, yesterday said that TNA leader R. Sampanthan had lost moral right to continue as the Opposition Leader in the wake of his 16-member parliamentary group coming to the rescue of PM Wickremesinghe. Addressing the media, Rambukwella said that the Opposition Leader appointed by Wickremesinghe was working …

Continue reading ‘TNA Leader Sampanthan Has Lost Moral Right to Continue as Leader of the Opposition After Supporting Prime Minister In NCM Vote Says Keheliya Rambukwella.’ »

In the wake of criticism of his action of patting a woman journalist’s cheek after she posed a query at a recent press conference, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has said it was an “act of appreciation