By Suhasini Haidar & Meera Srinivasan Worried about the fallout of reports emanating from a Cabinet meet, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening to clear the air over the contention that he had blamed India’s intelligence agency R&AW for an alleged assassination plot targeting him. “Mr. Sirisena said …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan President Sirisena Telephones Indian Prime Minister Modi Denying he had Accused Indian Espionage Agency RAW of Plotting to Assassinate Him.’ »

By a Special Correspondent President Maithripala Sirisena spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night after bombshell revelations in the local and international media that President Sirisena had accused the Indian intelligence agency, RAW, of plotting his assassination, followed by a spate of denials by high level Government authorities came close to sparking a …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena,Presidents Media Division, Foreign Ministry and Cabinet Spokesman Engage In Urgent Damage Control Exercises To Prevent Diplomatic Disaster With India.’ »

India has sought clarifications from Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena over his reported remarks that India’s external intelligence agency was plotting to assassinate him, officials said. Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu called on Sirisena on Wednesday, a day after reports of his claim that the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s foreign spy outfit, had …

Continue reading ‘Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu Meets President Sirisena Directly to Seek Clarification About His Allegations of an Assassination Plot Involving an Indian Espionage Agency.’ »

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena shocked his cabinet Tuesday by accusing neighbouring India of plotting to assassinate him on the eve of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi, a ministerial source said. A visibly upset Sirisena accused his senior coalition partner, the United National Party (UNP), of not taking an alleged conspiracy to …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe In Heated Argument In Cabinet Meeting Over Alleged Assassination Plot by RAW and Giving East Port Terminal to India’ »

By Kelum Bandara President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are reported to have had a showdown at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting over the proposal to develop the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port as an Indian investment. At the meeting, Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe submitted a Cabinet memorandum on developing the …

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe in Heated Argument During Cabinet Meeting Involving Mahinda Samarasinghe and Malik Samarawickrama Also.’ »

Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his private secretary Sakeer Mohamed and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, who were remanded on September 3 in connection with the misappropriation of SATHOSA funds worth Rs. 5.2 million in 2013, were acquitted of all charges by the Kurunegala High Court today.

By Chaminda Perera Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera said the SLFP Central Committee which met last night in Colombo did not discuss the forming of a new government led by the SLFP. He said that the SLFP Central Committee had received a letter sent by the SLFP 15 Group demanding that the party leave the …

Continue reading ‘SLFP “Group of 15 MP’s” Send Letter to Central Committee Demanding Party Leaves Present Govt and Forms New Govt Led by SLFP.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka I woke this morning in Moscow with the news from my cousin Shehan de Tissera that one of the cleverest and perhaps the most outstanding member, and almost certainly the highest achiever of my family had died in Canada– my mother Lakshmi Sylvia’s younger brother, my Athula maama. He indubitably rose to …

Continue reading ‘Death Of An Unforgettable Outstanding Uncle : Prof. A.J.Fernando’ »

By Meera Srinivasan In a move that might seriously impair Indo-Lanka relations, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday accused India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of plotting his assassination. Mr. Sirisena, who was speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting, told Ministers that the Indian intelligence agency was “trying to kill” him, but that “Prime …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Speaking at His Cabinet Meeting Accuses Indian Espionage Agency RAW of Plotting his Assassination’ »

by Rex Clementine The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday charged former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya under its Anti-Corruption Code. Jayasuriya, had two spells as Chairman of Selectors, the latest being from June 2016 to Sept. 2017 and it is believed that his second term has come under scrutiny. The 49-year-old has been charged with …

Continue reading ‘International Cricket Council Charges Former Sri Lankan Cricket Captain Sanath Jayasuriya Under the ICC anti-Corruption Code Over Alleged Offences During His Stint as Selectors Board Chairman.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan & Ananth Krishnan Over the last week, Indian journalism has finally been forced to confront what has long been its dirty secret. Going by the numerous agonising accounts of women journalists, about some male colleagues and editors abusing power and crossing the line, it appears that sexual harassment is no media outlet’s …

Continue reading ‘Indian Media Editorial Offices Must be Made Safe and Equal for Women — or it Will Lose all Credibility.’ »

By Gehan Gunatilleke Imagine two persons are arrested at the same time. Let’s call the first Asanka and the second Asif. Asanka is arrested because he is suspected of writing the following words on Facebook: “It is time to defend ourselves against the Muslim terrorists. Attack their shops and homes. Drive them back to Arabia.” …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Proposed Counter Terrorism Law Which Places Incredible Power In The Hands Of Police Officers Should Have No Place in a Civilised Rights -Respecting Society’ »

(Summary of Report Released by Human Rights Watch About Occupation of Civilian Owned Lands in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka by the Armed Services titled “Why Can’t We Go Home?”) On April 29, 2017, the Sri Lankan navy high command announced it would release 100 acres of land that security forces had …

Continue reading ‘Armed Forces Occupy Civilian Owned Lands In North and East For Commercial Exploitation Rather Than National Security States Human Rights Watch in New Report.’ »

By The “Sunday Observer” Political Editor Talks about the ‘caretaker’ government appeared to have fizzled out late last week, with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa dismissing the claims following several days of inspired leaks in the media that the divided factions of the SLFP had finally reached a working arrangement. Speaking to reporters at the Abhayarama …

Continue reading ‘Was The Commotion Over Alleged Re-alignment Between Mahinda and Maithripala Timed To Convey a Strong Signal To The Judiciary?’ »

By Sarath De Alwis Nothing can be said about our politics that has not already been said about hemorrhoids. It is truly a pain in that part of the human anatomy. Hypocrisy is the single synonym for ‘pragmatic politics.’ Contemporary political science identifies several types of democracies. What we have today after January 8, 2015 …

Continue reading ‘People Do Not Expect The Versatile Trapeze Artiste S.B.Dissanayake To Be Accurate With The Truth About Mahinda-Maithripala Secret Meeting.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The Supreme Court’s affirming of the conviction of former parliamentarian Duminda Silva and three of his supporters for causing the death of politician Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and others on 8th October 2011 reflect innovative judicial reasoning that has been ignored in typically sensationalist media coverage of the case. Well-articulated judicial reasoning …

Continue reading ‘Some Media Reports on Duminda Silva Appeal Outcome Give Rise To The Question- Are Some Journalists Actively Taunting The Supreme Court To Take Action Against Them?’ »

By Anurangi Singh With the unanimous judgment delivered by the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court last Thursday affirming the High Court Trial-at-Bar verdict in the murder of SLFP strongman Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, ex-Monitoring MP to the Ministry of Defence Duminda Silva moves to death row in Welikada Prison “Throughout the four hours that Duminda …

Continue reading ‘Unanimous Verdict of Five -Judge Supreme Court Headed By Outgoing Chief Justice Priyasath Dep Ends Speculation That Ex-MP Duminda Silva Would Walk Out a Free Man.’ »

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, which upheld the death penalty of MP Duminda Silva, has also highlighted his criminal activities including the use of an automatic weapon stolen from the Elephant Pass army camp. The outgoing Chief Justice Priyasath Dep in his 51-page order noted a string of crimes, including election law violations, committed by Silva …

Continue reading ‘While Upholding Death Penalty on Duminda Silva In Its Verdict, The Supreme Court Also Exposed The Criminal Conduct of Thuggery, Assault and Intimidationthe Ex-MP Throughout Election Day’ »

By Daniel Alphonsus Take out a map of the world: it’s impossible to miss the lines demarking nation states. The rupture, erasure and displacement of these lines fill history books, news bulletins and many a common room debate. However, the same consideration is not given to the colours tying nation-states into continents and regions. By …

Continue reading ‘The Two Identities of Sri Lanka are Linked to the South Asian Hinerland and the Indian Ocean Rim’ »

By Saman Gamage The majority of SLFP lawmakers have strongly opposed a move to form a caretaker government with Joint Opposition (JO) heavyweight Kumara Welgama threatening to sit on the opposition in such an eventuality. Political sources said that SLFP MPs had exchanged views at a meeting chaired by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday …

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Sharply Divided Over Proposal To Form Caretaker Govt Together With President Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

By S. Poorvaja The #MeToo movement which has seen a number of survivors of sexual harassment open up about their experiences and naming perpetrators on Twitter, over the last few days, has trickled down to Kollywood with allegations surfacing against poet Vairamuthu. Singer Chinmayi Sripaada on Tuesday had tweeted about how she was asked by …

Continue reading ‘Playback Singer Chinmayi Sripaada Accuses Tamil Film Lyricist Vairamuthu of Sexual Misconduct While In Lucerne, Switzerland.’ »

A former prominent newspaper editor who is now a junior foreign minister is the latest to be named in what is being called India’s #MeToo movement. MJ Akbar is accused of predatory behaviour, including inviting young women to hotel rooms for “meetings”. Neither Mr Akbar nor the foreign ministry have responded to the historic allegations …

Continue reading ‘Former Prominent Newspaper Editor and India’s Present State Minister of Foreign Affairs MJ Akbar Accused of Predatory Sexual Misconduct By At Least Six Women Journalists.’ »

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced he will topple the government before the “next poya day,” but the controversial bid to reunite their splintered Sri Lanka Freedom Party has led to more fissures. Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting with his loyalists at the home of Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) chief G. L. …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says The Present Govt Will Be Toppled Before the Next Poya Day (Oct 24) But Party Re-un ification Bid Faces Snags.’ »

By Disna Mudalige and Camelia Nathaniel There are serious allegations and news reports regarding the destruction of archaeological sites in the country and information has been circulating with the intention of instigating racial and religious tensions by certain unscrupulous elements, Higher Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said. Making a Ministerial statement in Parliament …

Continue reading ‘Highest Number Of Archaeological Offences Reprted From Sinhyala Buddhist Majority Districts While Least Amount of Such Offences From The North and East States Cultural Affairs Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe.’ »

Sri Lanka’s former secretary to the defence ministry, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Tuesday suggested his former Economic Development minister Basil as the presidential candidate at next year’s elections. Emerging from the new Permanent High Court at Bar in Colombo where his trail was put off for December 4, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa accused the government of trying to create …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Says His Choice For Presidential Election Candidate is Basil Rajapaksa But Mahinda Rajapaksa Is Yet To Take Decision.’ »

By Sean Brocklehurst “Are you sure Steve shouldn’t be in this interview?,” M.I.A. said when I asked her how her new documentary came together. It was a fair question because, technically, the 43-year-old pop star had nothing to do with the making of Stephen Loveridge’s film, Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. But she was very much a driving force …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Tamil Pop Star Matangi (MIA/Maya) Arulpragasam Speaks Candidly About Her Life Journey in New Documentary Film “Matangi/Maya/MIA” Made By Stephen Loveridge’ »

By Dharisha Bastians When organisers of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival cancelled a scheduled screening of his documentary film Demons in Paradise from the festival programme last week, Tamil filmmaker Jude Ratnam claimed he was not surprised. Demons in Paradise debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016. The film has been screened many times …

Continue reading ‘“Demons in Paradise” Was Not Screened in Jaffna Because Organizers Felt It May Place The Whole International Cinema Festival at Risk.’ »

By Maneshka Borham The Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation has lost tens of thousands of acres of fertile cashew plantations in the formerly embattled North and East – with the military continuing to grow the crops but refusing to release the lands citing national security reasons; Army says it is ’ looking into’ the release The …

Continue reading ‘3000 Acres Belonging To Cashew Coroporation In The North and East Are being Held By the Armed Forces Citing “Security”Reasons While Growing Cashew and Claim The Profits’ »

By A Special Correspondent The Opposition has called for the resignation of Minister of State for External Affairs M.J. Akbar following allegations of sexual misconduct against him by a senior journalist as part of the #MeToo movement. “The allegations against Mr. Akbar is the Harvey Weinstein moment for India. The Modi government talks of beti …

Continue reading ‘Indian Opposition Calls For Resignation of Former Editor and Current State Minister MJ Akbar Following Allegations of Sexual Misconduct Made Against Him By Senior Journalist Priya Ramani.’ »

By S. Vijay Kumar R.Sivaraman R.R. Gopal, Editor of Tamil magazine Nakkeeran, was on Tuesday arrested in Chennai under Section 124 IPC, a provision that deals with “assaulting President/Governor with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power” on a complaint from the Raj Bhavan, but was set free by a magistrate …

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu Magazine “Nakkeeran”Editor RR Gopal Arrested For Article Allegedly Defaming State Governor By Police Under 124 of IPC But Set Free By Magistrate in The Evening.’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya Jaffna International Film Festival that began last week has removed Jude Ratnam’s internationally acclaimed ‘Demons in Paradise’ from screening. The decision to remove the film – that depicts the gradual but predictable degeneration of Tamil militancy into one of cannibalizing its own- was treated with a muted reaction in the South. In …

Continue reading ‘Those Opposing Removal of ‘Demons in Paradise’ as an Assault of Free Speech, Should Also be Ready to Allow The Screening of Channel 4’s ‘Sri Lanka killing fields’.’ »

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda Former State Minister and Jaffna District Parliamentarian Vijayakala Maheshwaran arrested for allegedly exciting or attempting to excite disaffection through a controversial statement in Jaffna was yesterday ordered to be released on bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Accordingly, the suspect was ordered to be released on a surety bail of Rs.500,000 by …

Continue reading ‘Ex-State Minister of Child Affairs and UNP Jaffna District MP Vijayakala Maheswaran Released on Rs 5 Lakhs Surety Bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake’ »

United National Party Jaffna district Parliamentarian and former state minister of Child Affairs Vijayakala Maheswaran was arrested today by the Police Organised Crimes Preventive Division in connection with a controversial statement she made recently on the resurgence of the LTTE. Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said she had been summoned to the Police Organised Crimes …

Continue reading ‘Ex-State Minister and UNP Jaffna District MP Vijayakala Maheswaran Arrested Over Her Controversial Statement About LTTE Revival in North.’ »

By The “Sunday Times” Political Editor President Maithripala Sirisena and his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa met last Wednesday to discuss a potential caretaker grand coalition which the two leaders agreed was necessary to pull the country out of the “economic mess” and address other critical issues badly affecting the people. If the upcoming dialogue ends successfully, …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda and Basil Rajapaksa Meet Maithripala Sirisena at SB Dissanayake’s Battaramulla Residence To Discuss The Removal Of Ranil Wickremesinghe As Prime Minister and Form New “Coalition” Govt.’ »

China is using ‘debt diplomacy’ to expand its global influence and Hambantota Port could soon become a forward military base for Beijing’s growing blue-water navy, US Vice President Mike Pence has said on Thursday. According to PTI, Pence said China was offering hundreds of billions of dollars in infrastructure loans to governments from Asia to …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port May Soon Become a Forward Military Base For China’s Growing Blue-water Navy Says US Vice-president Mike Pence’ »

By Ayesha Zuhair A popular newspaper column lamented on Sunday (September 30) that while the punishment for murder is death upon conviction, the punishment for the murder of hundreds, i.e. a terrorist act, is “only” life imprisonment. Taking a critical stance of the recently Cabinet-approved counter terrorism bill for apparently soft-pedalling the issue of terrorism, …

Continue reading ‘Why Do We Need To Enact Fresh Laws To Deal With Terrorism At This Juncture?’ »

By Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan LL.B, LL.M ,Ph.D, Attorney-at-Law. I was surprised to see the statements by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjit, which appear to downplay Human Rights. The Cardinal sees it as a secular western European concept, but does not seem to be aware of its Christian roots. Similarly, Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his rebuttal of the …

Continue reading ‘Christian Doctrine Has Shaped Human Rights Law and Concepts Over The Years While Papal Encyclicals set Out Clearly the Catholic Church’s Concerns For Human Rights.’ »

by Kamaya Jayatissa “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.” – Charles de Montesquieu Going through the recent statements made at Geneva, as well as on its sidelines, I wonder how much time each of us take …

Continue reading ‘Both citizenry and national identity are two evolving notions that need to emerge organically through a social contract between the people and the State.’ »

(Text of a press release issued by Anomaa Rajakaruna Festival Director of Jaffna International Film Festival) Dear Sir/Madam, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Reference to Jude Ratnam’s statement of DEMONS IN PARADISE which was to be screened at Jaffna International Cinema Festival Jude Ratnam’s film which was premiered on 24th May 2017 has been traveling …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna International Film Festival Director States The Slot Allocated To Jude Ratnam’s Film On the Schedule Was Kept Open .’ »

(Text of a press release issued by Jude Ratnam the Writer/Director of the film “Demons in Paradise”) Dear Sir/Madam, TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Allegedly owing to pressure from a group known only as the ‘Community’ in Jaffna, the festival organizers of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival have decided to remove the film DEMONS IN …

Continue reading ‘Director Alleges His Film Was Removed From Screening Schedule At Jaffna International Film Festival By The Organizers Due To Pressure By a Group Called “Community”.’ »

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) yesterday announced the appointment of Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company with effect from 1 October. Dr. Coomaraswamy received her BA from Yale University, LLM from Harvard University and the Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Columbia University. She served as UN Under Secretary General and as …

Continue reading ‘“Deshamanya” Dr.Radhika Coomaraswamy Appointed Independent Non-Executive Director of John Keels Holdings PLC.’ »

The internationally renowned film ‘Demons in Paradise’ which was competed at the prestigious Cannes Film festival in France has been removed from being screened at the International Jaffna Cinema Festival starting this weekend, its Director Jude Ratnam said. Issuing media release, he said the festival organizers of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival had decided to …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna International Film Festival Director Anoma Rajakaruna Offers Explanation About “Demons In Paradise” Saying Director Jude Ratnam Walked Out of Discussion and Issued Statement About Non -Screening.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan A Sri Lankan Tamil filmmaker’s take on the country’s civil war, which was scheduled to be screened at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival later this week, has been removed from the list, raising questions about the space for free expression in Sri Lanka’s post-war north. According to filmmaker Jude Ratnam, festival organisers, …

Continue reading ‘Filmmaker Jude Ratnam States His Film On Sri Lankan Conflict ” Demons In Paradise” Scheduled Ti Be Screened in Jaffna Film Festival Has Been “Removed ” Without Explanation.’ »

By Kelum Bandara Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran in an interview with Daily mirror , speaks about the current status of the Constitution-making process and future politics. He shared the following: Q How do you look at the current status of politics? A; Well, there was a change in 2015. …

Continue reading ‘“Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Has Disqualified Himself From Being Re-nominated by Campaigning Against His Own Party At The Parliamentary and Local Govt elections” Says MA Sumanthiran MP in Interview’ »

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran yesterday declared that he would contest the next provincial council elections from a new political front, if the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was not ‘happy with him”. “I know some people in the TNA are not happy about my performance and I have been repeatedly criticsed by a parliamentarian,” …

Continue reading ‘CV Wigneswaran In Contact With New Political Front To Contest Next Northern Provincial Elections as TNA Plans To Field New Chief Ministerial Candidate.’ »

Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday stated that the current government salvaged Sri Lanka from its status as a drop of blood on the world map and prevented former president Mahinda Rajapaksa from becoming an international criminal. The Minister pointed out that the ex-President now had the opportunity to visit the international community …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Must Light An Oil Lamp To Ranil Wickremesinghe For Saving Him From Becoming An International Criminal Says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1998 Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social Responsibility unequivocally condemns the arrest and continued detention of Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, the issuing of a non-bailable arrest warrant to Pakistani journalist Cyril Almedia, the conviction of two Myanmar journalists, U Wa Lone and U Kyaw …

Continue reading ‘International Symposium Held In Colombo Demands Release Of All Journalists Arrested And Detained Under Various Pretexts Across The South Asian Region.’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema Before President Maithripala Sirisena went to the UN this time, there was some hype about a pronouncement he was going to make which would get our war heroes ‘off the hook’. What President Sirisena finally ended up saying in Sinhala in NewYork addressing the UN General Assembly was that as an independent country …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Should Not Try To Hoodwink The Masses By Making Patriotic Noises In The UN General Assembly Without Taking Any Concrete Steps’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Returning from Malaysia this week, correspondence with a now retired and respected diplomat focused on the ravages that the Malaysian people has had to go through including the gruesome instance of a Malaysian deputy public prosecutor whose body was discovered in a cement-filled oil drum dumped in a river. He had …

Continue reading ‘Urgent Reform of Criminal Justice Process Encompassing Attorney – General’s Office Essential To Ensure Functional Integrity of A-G’s Dept.’ »

By Ranjith Padmasiri Two senior Attorney General’s Department officials have allegedly attempted to forcibly obtain evidence from a lawyer, implicating politicians as having obtained payments from W.M. Mendis and Company which is linked to the Central Bank bond scam. The lawyer, in an affidavit filed in the Colombo Fort Magistrate Court, this week claimed that …

Continue reading ‘Lawyer States in Affidavit Presented To Court That Two Senior Attorney -General’s Dept Officials Tried To Intimidate Him Into Handing Over WM Mendis &Co Vouchers Allegedly Issued To Govt and Opposition Politicians “RK’, RW”NR” and Others’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena came under severe criticism from the war-time general Sarath Fonseka for announcing in New York that political and military leadership fled abroad fearing Tiger bombings in Colombo. Fonseka, minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development, dismissed Sirisena’s claim in New York last week that the country’s military and political leadership were …

Continue reading ‘Why Did Maithripala Sirisena Who Left Colombo For His Own Safety Due To an Anticipated LTTE Air Attack in May 2009 Not Warn The People About It So They Too Could Take Precautions For Their Safety?’ »

Towards the end of the Civil war in Sri Lanka, he was unaware of LTTE plans to launch Arial attacks on Colombo, said the former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He also noted that during the last days of the war he was never overseas. He said this to BBC Sinhala service in response to a …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Tells BBC That He Never Left Sri Lanka During Final Weeks of War in May 2009 and That Presient Sirisenas “Revelation” About LTTE Plan To Launch Air Strikes On Colombo From Tamil Nadu is News To Him and The Whole World.’ »

Sri Lanka’s President Friday dropped a bombshell claiming that Tamil Tigers planned a flight from neighbouring Tamil Nadu to destroy targets in Colombo as the separatist war drew to an end. Maithripala Sirisena told Sri Lankan expatriates in New York that he was the senior most politician in the country in May 2009 directing security …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Drops Political Bombshell On India Saying LTTE Was Planning To Fly From Tamil Nadu And Bomb Targets In Colombo As War Neared End In May 2009.’ »

In a shocking revelation, President Maithripala Sirisena said the LTTE, during the last two weeks of war, had plans to cluster-bomb Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, using aircraft’s operated from Chennai. That is why, Sirisena said, some top-notch war time leaders – namely former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Claims He Gave Leadership To The Armed Forces During the Final Two Weeks of War in May 2009 as Mahinda,Gota, Sarath Fonseka and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Were Not In Sri Lanka At That Time.’ »

A New South Wales University student accused of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians has been released on bail, after an expert found the sole piece of evidence couldn’t be connected to him. Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen, 25, was arrested in August after a colleague found a notebook allegedly containing details of plans to kill Malcolm Turnbull …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Undergrad at New South Wales University Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen Arrested By Australian Police For Alleged Plot to Assassinate Aussie Politicians Released On Bail.’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema The comments made by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith last Sunday at the Ekala St Matthew’s church have made waves with Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Saliya Peiris criticising the Cardinal’s words and the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and several Catholic MPs in the Joint Opposition condemning Samaraweera and Peiris for taking on the …

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Was Referring To The Ideology of Western Neo-Liberal Human Rights “Mania” Entering Sri Lanka Through Various NGO’s.’ »

(Text of statement issued by Hon.Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Finance & Mass Media on misreporting of CID Investigation regarding the complaint by Mr.A.M.Namal Kumara) The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting investigations into serious allegations of an alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amongst …

Continue reading ‘News Reports Stating Indian National Marceli Thomas Had Confirmed Existence of Plot to Assassinate President Sirisena, Mr.Rajapaksa and Others are ” False,Baseless and Inflammatory” Says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

By Thilanka Kanakarathna Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara today said the Indian national had not revealed any assassination plot to the CID on President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa but had only spoken of a threat to several individuals following the revelation by Anti Corruption Movement’s Director Operations Namal Kumara on assassination plot. …

Continue reading ‘Arrested Indian National Mercil Thomas Has Not Told Police About Any Plot ti Assassinate President Sirisena or Ex-president ajapaksa says Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara.’ »

The Indian High Commission in Colombo on Wednesday said the Indian national, who had been arrested in Sri Lanka over the alleged assassination attempt of President Maithripala Sirisena, his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa and family members ‘has had a history of mental disturbance since 2000.’

President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday called on the international community ‘to allow Sri Lankan people to solve their problems on their own,’ and said: “as an independent country we do not want any foreign power to exert influence on us.” Addressing the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Addressing UN General Assembly Wants International Community to Let the Sri Lankan People Solve Their Problems On Their Own Without Any Foreign Power Exerting Influence.’ »

Police investigating an alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena have found several contradictions in statements an air force deserter who claimed he was contracted by a Deputy Inspector-General for the hit. Sources close to the investigation said Namal Kumara, the man who held a press conference and made what appeared to be sensational claims, …

Continue reading ‘On Going Police Probe Into Alleged Conspiracy To Kill President Sirisena and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Uncover Many Contradictions and Backtracking in Statements Made by Air Force Deserter Namal Kumara.’ »

By A.J.A. Abeynayake An Indian national with alleged links to a plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had said there had been a conspiracy to kill the entire Rajapaksa family and President Maithripala Sirisena, the CID informed Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne, yesterday.

(Text of Press Release Issued on September 24th 2018 by the South Africa based International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) in Johannesburg headlined “Is the Sri Lanka Government serious about its Office of Missing Persons?) “The Government of Sri Lanka is undermining the Office of Missing Persons by appointing a politician to implement its recommendations …

Continue reading ‘ITJP Denounces Sri Lanka Govt For Undermining the Office of Missing Persons(OMP) By Appointing Persons Like Mahinda Samarasinghe and Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to Cabinet Sub-Committee in Charge of Implementing Recommendations.’ »

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday blamed the liberal economic policies followed by the current government for the continuous depreciation of the Sri Lankan currency. In a statement released to the media, Rajapaksa called into question the role played by the current government, while admiring the policies followed by the Trump administration. “The role of a …

Continue reading ‘Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Faults Liberal Economic Policies of Govt as Cause for Continuous Depreciation of Sri Lankan Rupee.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran In the Maldivian Presidential election held on September 23, the Joint Opposition’s impassioned plea for the restoration of democracy secured an overwhelming response from the voters. The electorate decisively rejected incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s call to vote for rapid economic development and its attendant benefits, suppressing the ‘foreign-inspired’ craving for political, constitutional and …

Continue reading ‘Despite Completing 2757 Development Projects Costing US $ 5.3 Billion, China Linked Yameen Loses Presidency in Maldives to United Opposition Candidate on Restoration of Democracy Platform.’ »

Archbishop, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has come under fire for the stand he has taken on human rights. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the need for human rights was an outcome of the marauding religious zealots of the inquisition and the crusades, where non believers were massacred “En-Bloc”. “Pity, the Cardinal always seems to get …

Continue reading ‘Catholic Archbishop of Colombo ,Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is Criticised by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and OMP Chairman Saliya Pieris Over “Populist”Remarks About Human Rights and Religion.’ »

by Rex Clementine Angelo Mathews faced his Ian Botham moment on Friday when the national selection panel and Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha met him and gave Hobson’s choice after Sri Lanka’s horrendous show in Asia Cup where they suffered defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The fate that Mathews suffered is similar to …

Continue reading ‘Axed Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Angelo Mathews Feels Betrayed by SLC and Says He Has Been Made the Sole Scapegoat for Decisions Taken With the Mutual Understanding of Selectors and Head Coach’ »

By Maneshka Borham On a small hill inside the Trincomalee Eastern Naval Command is known among local residents as ‘Gun Site’ because of a mounted weapon at its summit. A soundtrack of crashing waves, stunning views of the ocean side city of Trincomalee and the choppy blue waters of the Bay, would make ‘Gun Site’ …

Continue reading ‘Lt. Commander Krishan Welagedara Faces Continuous Persecution Within Navy For Telling The Truth To Police About the Abduction of Tamil Youths For Ransom Racket Operated by Senior Naval Officers.’ »

By L. H. P. Gunaratne – Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Peradeniya Professor T. Jogaratnam, generally acknowledged as the father of Agricultural Economics in Sri Lanka, passed away on the 18th of September 2018 at the age of 87 years. He was the first Lecturer in Agricultural Economics, the first Professor of Agricultural Economics …

Continue reading ‘Prof T. Jogaratham, “Father of Agricultural Economics In Sri Lanka ” Passes Away At The Age of 87.’ »

By Romesh Madushanka Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not deserve more protection, Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said yesterday. Speaking to the media during a visit at Nandimitragama in Vavuniya, the Field Marshal said that the security detail of former Defence Secretary was higher than what was given to him. “I have been given …

Continue reading ‘“If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Is Scared For His Life He Can Leave The Country as He Has US Citizenship” Says Sarath Fonseka.’ »

(Excerpted From The “Sunday Times” Political Column) I received credible information that there was a plot to kill me using the help of underworld leader Makandure Madush,” former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times in an interview this week He said he had verified the information from “very reliable channels” and found it …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Asked President Sirisena To Restore His Full Security One and a half Months Ago After Receiving Crediblle Information Of Plot To Kill the Ex – Def Secy With Help Of Underworld Don “Makandure Madush” But Has Not Received Any Response So Far.’ »

By Sarath De Alwis “The time is out of joint; O cursed spite That ever I was born to set it right!” [Hamlet, William Shakespeare] The war was unendurable. It was mind-blowingly vicious. Suicide bombers made a fine art of painting the earth with blood-soaked human innocence. Babies refused to be lulled to sleep. Grandmas …

Continue reading ‘“Pharmacologist Academic ” Prof. Channa Jayasumana Says In Geneva That There is No Ethnic Problem In Sri Lanka And That The Military Solution Given In Nandhikkadal Is Nothing But a Political Solution.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The unseemly tug-of-war between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the National Police Commission, with the IGP openly balking to carry out directions of the NPC, must be deplored quite categorically. Putting the credibility of ‘independent commissions’ at risk Indeed, the manner of both parties being summoned by the Speaker …

Continue reading ‘Tug -of -War Between National Police Commission and Inspector – General of Police Due More To Systemic Contradictions Than Egoistic Personality Clashes.’ »

by Rajan Hoole Rains and early gloom harbinger the dying year. Fields are ploughed and sown in readiness for the earth’s renewal and the yield of her bounty. It was at such a time that Rajani was killed by the LTTE 29 years ago. Her questions and aphorisms often challenged our assumptions at their core. …

Continue reading ‘“We Tamils Have Gone To The West, To New Delhi And Geneva In Search Of a Settlement That Eludes Us”.’ »

Roobha, is a Canadian-Sri Lankan Tamil film made by Lenin M.Siva. It is about a transgender and a married man falling in love and the trials and tribulations they face in society. It is to be premiered in Toronto on October 9. She’s enchanting… and then she dances… A runaway train of intensity. A raw …

Continue reading ‘Canadian-Tamil Film “Roobha” Directed By Lenin M. Sivam Is About a Love Affair Between a Transgender And a Married Man’ »

By N.Ram (N. Ram is the Chairman of The Hindu Publishing Group) The Hindu has been adapting to changing times, facing and overcoming a multitude of challenges, earning the trust and affection of millions of people across the country, and flourishing. The Hindu has been adapting to changing times, facing and overcoming a multitude of …

Continue reading ‘India’s Respected English Daily Newspaper “The Hindu” Celebrating 140 Years of Publication Re-commits Itself To The Core Principles of Journalism.’ »

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda A request made by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran to defer contempt of court proceedings filed against him was yesterday rejected by the Court of Appeal. Wigneswaran through his lawyer K.Kanag-iswaran PC made an application to defer contempt of court proceedings until the Supreme Court makes an order regarding a leave to …

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal Decides to Go Ahead With Contempt of Court Proceedings Against Northern Chief Minister Rejecting Application By CV Wigneswaran to Defer CA Proceedings Until Supreme Court Order.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Rebel UPFA MP S.B. Dissanayake has reiterated that the army executed some LTTE personnel including one-time LTTE Eastern Commander Thambiraja Thurairajasingham aka Ramesh after they surrendered to the advancing troops. The declaration was made in response to a media query at the residence of former Deputy Speaker and National List MP Tilanga …

Continue reading ‘Ex-Cabinet Minister Re-iterates That Several LTTE Members Including Ex-Eastern Commander Ramesh Were Executed By Army After They Surrendered To Advancing Troops in 2009.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday declared that it was ready to work with India in spite of misconceptions that may have led to New Delhi’s backing for the change of the Rajapaksa government in January 2015. Former External Affairs Minister and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris explained …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Loyalist Opposition Ready To Work With India Despite New Delhi Backing Rajapaksa Regime Change In Sri Lanka In Jan 2015’ »

By Nirupama Rao (The author is a former Foreign Secretary of India who served as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka also) I am a Hindu by birth and by enduring faith. The house that I was born into that my grandfather built, had no special puja room — but the plaster of Paris statue of …

Continue reading ‘Trying To Turn India Into a Land For The Hindus Alone Goes Against Our Idea Of India as a Nation.’ »

By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole Today, 15 September, 2018, saw one of the few really intellectual activities in Jaffna at Veerasingham Hall: the first C.W. Thamotharampillai Memorial Lecture. CWT was a legendary Tamil literatist of the nineteenth century credited with discovering some of the oldest extant Tamil literature like the Tolkapiyam and other lost Tamil …

Continue reading ‘” So Press On Mr. Sumanthiran! Your Road Is The Road To Peace And Justice” – Ratnejeevan Hoole’ »

By Sunil Tantirige A house talks…………Memories of a childhood long gone. I have just returned to Toronto from a short trip to Sri Lanka. I have been going back to the old country every year to visit my ailing mom but this trip was different. Let me explain. I grew up in Mount Lavinia, in …

Continue reading ‘The House of a Thousand Memories Talks To Me…………Random Thoughts of a Childhood Long Gone.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has given marching orders to his ambassador to Austria and five other embassy staff for failing to answer his long-distance telephone calls, officials said Saturday. Ambassador Priyanee Wijesekera was recalled after she failed to answer his calls last week and no responsible officer was there to respond to the President, an official …

Continue reading ‘Lankan Envoy to Austria Priyanee Wijesekera and Five Embassy Staff on Extension Recalled to Colombo Immediately After President Sirisena’s Long – Distance Calls to Vienna Were Not Answered.’ »

Two former ministers who served during the Rajapaksa regime have admitted that LTTE members including Tamils who had surrendered to the Army had been killed. This allegation has been levelled against the Sri Lankan security forces for almost ten years by the war affected Tamil including the Diaspora and the international Human Rights Organisations, and …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Govt Ex-ministers S.B.Dissanayake and Dilan Perera Admit That Some LTTE Members and Tamil Civilians Who Surrendered to the Armed Forces Were Killed.’ »

By Anurangi Singh Officials of the Financial Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) dropped another bombshell last week, when they filed a B report in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, in a first step to filing legal action against former Minister Ravi Karunanayake, for allegedly making false statements under oath before the Presidential Commission investigating …

Continue reading ‘Ravi Karunanayake May Face Legal Action For Allegedly Lying Five Times Under Oath Before Presidential Commission of Inquiry But Ex-Minister Alleges “Travesty of Justice”.’ »

By The “Sunday Observer” Political Editor At 3.30 am on September 10, Admiral Ravindra Wijeguneratne, the country’s highest ranking military official, boarded a Qatar Airways flight bound for Singapore. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was travelling overseas to attend the 208th National Day celebrations in Mexico, according to his Office. The trouble was, September …

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena,Ravindra Wijegunaratne and the Alleged Abduction For Ransom Racket By Navy Personnel.’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekara The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) yesterday filed a case against former Finance Minister MP Ravi Karunanayake at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for giving false evidence to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Central Bank bond scam. The CID giving statements before Court said that MP Karunanayake had intentionally given false evidence …

Continue reading ‘Case Filed Against Ex- Cabinet Minister Ravi Karunanayake by CID Under Sections 188 and 190 of Penal Code for Giving False Evidence Under Oath To the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Probing Treasury Bond Scam.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena summoned an emergency cabinet meeting to defend the country’s senior-most military officer who is facing imminent arrest for allegedly shielding a mass murder suspect, but failed to secure agreement. The noon meeting of the cabinet ended after heated exchanges, sources close to the administration said adding that the President failed in get …

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Ministers Refuse to Go Along With President Sirisena’s Effort to Prevent Arrest of Chief of Defence Staff Ravi Wijegunaratne For Allegedly Helping Naval Officer Implicated in Abduction and Murdedr Racket to Evade Arrest.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Continuing controversy over Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravi Wijegunaratne, wanted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with allegedly aiding and abetting Lt. Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, a suspect in two major wartime cases, leaving for Mexico on Sept. 10 has taken a dramatic turn with the Tamil National Alliance …

Continue reading ‘TNA Spokesperson MA Sumanthiran Charges President Sirisena of Interference With the Judicial Process in Letting CDS Wijegunaratne Leave the Country and Says Party will Seek International Scrutiny Over the Issue.’ »

Internationally acclaimed award -winning Sri Lankan Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka’s second solo album will be released worldwide by Naxos Records on September 14th 2018. The album titled “Twelve Piano Prisms” comprises 12 new works for solo piano which evolved in 2016 and 2017.Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka herself performs the works/prisms in the album recorded by Roderick Buchanan-Dunlop and produced …

Continue reading ‘Celebrated Composer – Pianist Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka’s Second Solo Album “Twelve Piano Prisms” To Be Released Worldwide by Naxos Records on Sep 14th’ »

By Suhasini Haidar and Amit Baruah Former Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is in Delhi to deliver a public lecture on Wednesday on “India-Sri Lanka relations: the way ahead”. Speaking to The Hindu, the former President, who says he is “100%” confident his party will come to power in 2019, proposed a new mechanism …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says He Could Contest Presidential Elections Despite 19th Amendment and Then Fight it out in Courts But Has Not Decided Whether to Take That Risk in Interview with “The Hindu”.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena should take the responsibility for Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne leaving the country to participate in 208th Independence Commemoration Ceremony of United Mexican States, Sarath Wijesuriya, co-convener of the National Movement for Social Justice told the media yesterday.

Launching a scathing attack on the national carrier, President Maithripala Sirisena today said he was served “unedible cashew nuts” on a flight to Colombo last week. Addressing a farmers’ event in Hambantota this monring, an angry Sirisena asked who approved unedible cashew for the national carrier. “I returned to Colombo from Nepal via New Delhi …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Airlines Served President Sirisena a Plate of Cashew Nuts Which Even a Dog Could Not Eat On A Flight From Nepal to Sri Lanka.’ »

By Priyan Dias Much rhetoric has been used in various media over the years, and recently too, on the subject of patriots and traitors. I feel constrained to express my views as well. Samuel Johnson in his Dictionary (1755) defined a patriot as “One whose ruling passion is the love of his country.” This is …

Continue reading ‘In Sri Lanka the Term “Patriot” is Sometimes Defined as one who Defends Military Heroes Whatever the Charges Against Them and a “Traitor”as One Who Dares to Scrutinize Their Actions.’ »

BY K.S. Udaya Kumar President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva PC who appeared for former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted that the Special High Court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the action in the case where he is indicted with misappropriation in the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Memorial Museum at Weeraketiya. All the …

Continue reading ‘Romesh de Silva PC Appearing for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Makes Submission That Special High Court Has No Jurisdiction to Hear and Determine Case Where Ex-Def -Secy is Indicted on Criminal Misappropriation Charge.’ »

Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama yesterday authorized the CID to question former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka on the abduction and torture of senior journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008.

By Camelia Nathaniel Former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement yesterday but he had left the country on an official tour, CID sources said. Speaking to the Daily News a CID official said that Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne …

Continue reading ‘CID Was Informed of Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne’s Departure to Mexico Only a Few Hours After He Left the Country.’ »

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda The Permanent High Court-at-Bar set up to hear high-profile financial frauds and corruption cases yesterday served indictments on former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others. This is in connection with an incident that the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana was built using public funds amounting to Rs.33.9 million. When …

Continue reading ‘Ex -Def Secy Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Six others Served Indictments, Released on Cash and Surety Bail, Passports Impounded Over DA Rajapaksa Memorial Monument Construction Case.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena said that he is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 24 and he would make a statement to vindicate the Security Forces from all allegations levelled against them. President Sirisena was speaking at the SLFP Nivitigala Bala Mandala meeting held at the Nivitigala public fair premises, on Saturday.

Former Navy Commander and Current Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne Who was scheduled to present himself at the Criminal Investigations Department(CID) Headquarters in Colombo on Monday Sep 10th 2018 morning at 10 am to record a statement has left the country on an earlier flight instead of appearing before Police as required. Admiral …

Continue reading ‘Ex-Navy Chief and Chief of Defence Staff Ravi Wijegunaratne Exits Lanka on Quatar Airways Flight to Doha at 3.33 am on Sep 10th to Attend Mexico National Day on Sep 16th Without Presenting Himself to CID as Scheduled on Monday Morning.’ »

By Darshana Sanjeewa Former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement today, CID sources said. He was summoned to give a statement with regard to the abduction of 11 youths in 2008 and 2009.