Pope Benedict XVI has announced his resignation. Here is the full text of his statement from the Vatican: Dear Brothers, I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonisations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my …

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By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka It is always a healthy practice to test one’s propositions and preoccupations against those of a more objective outsider, especially one with a reputation for lucid professional assessment.Karl Marx famously called The Economist (London) the most intelligent defender of capitalism. A product from the stables of The Economist, intended for insiders in …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa will win Presidential Elections of November 2015 forecasts “Economist”Intelligence Unit Report’ »

By Dharisha Bastians A joint Opposition movement led by the main Opposition United National Party formally got off the ground yesterday, with several parties signing a Memorandum of Understanding and pledging to work together to overthrow the Rajapaksa regime. Based on seven key common objectives and the singular goal of toppling the incumbent regime, leaders …

Continue reading ‘UNP led Joint Opposition Movement Based on 7 Common Objectives Launched under the name “Vipakshaye Virodhaya”to Overthrow Govt’ »

DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA A NEW CENTRIST ALTERNATIVE: RESPONSE TO VISHNUGUPTHA With the atrophy of intellectual activism and the dying out of an activist intelligentsia in Sri Lanka, it is not to be expected that anyone would engage intelligently and at length with what one writes. I am therefore thankful that Vishnuguptha has done so. I …

Continue reading ‘Progressive Centrist Presidential Candidate May not win the First time But Like Lula of Brazil……………..’ »

By Vishnuguptha I was intrigued by an article authored by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka last week, where he argues quite lucidly, as he always does, for what seems to be a four-tiered ‘roadmap’ to counter the present regime. I would rather call it a roadmap than a manifesto. I am sure Dayan, the prolific wordsmith, would …

Continue reading ‘Dayan Jayatilleka’s Four-Tiered Roadmap for Democratic Regime Change in Sri Lanka’ »

By A Staff Reporter Unable to conceal his displeasure at the widespread protests against his visit, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Saturday that in a democratic country like India everyone had a right to protest. In a brief interaction with journalists, Mr. Rajapaksa said anyone was free to visit his country for a …

Continue reading ‘Director of Indian Espionage Agency RAW Alok Joshi Meets Mahinda Rajapasa at Indian Guest House for “Discussions”’ »

MDMK Leader Vaiko(V.Gopalswamy)Interviewed By Dilrukshi Handunnetti Hours before his arrest in New Delhi, India, for leading an anti- Mahinda Rajapaksa campaign on 8 February, V. Gopalaswamy aka Vaiko, demanded India should prevent the Sri Lankan President from setting foot on Indian soil and from desecrating two places of sacred worship. Gopalaswamy who has espoused the …

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Dr.Subramanian Swamy Interviewed by Dilrukshi Handunnetti Sri Lanka should do its best to eschew terrorism and the international community should help the island nation to crush terror and those who fan the flames of separatism such as Vaiko should be arrested and investigated, Indian Janatha Party Leader, Dr. Subramanian Swamy said. In an interview with …

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu Dravidian Party Elements Protesting Against President Rajapaksa are Stooges of the LTTE which is a Thing of the Past’ »

By Vishnuguptha “He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.” – Harold Wilson When analyzing the classic mess that the United National Party (UNP), once known as the ‘Grand Old Party’ (GOP) finds itself in today, one cannot ignore a serious but latent feature …

Continue reading ‘UNP Currently Bogged down in a Mindset that Makes Politics the Art of the Impossible for the Party’ »

By Salma Yusuf (Text Of Presentation Delivered At Seminar Titled Dilemmas Of Diversity, Post-War Identity And Nation Building Convened By The Liberal Party Of Sri Lanka) I want to begin by stating the obvious, mainly because the obvious is sometimes hardest to see, least acknowledged and easiest to overlook. The rise in ethno-religious extremism in …

Continue reading ‘Recent Anti-Muslim Propaganda is Reflection of Breakdown in trust Between Two Communities That Have Lived in Amity for over a 1000 Years’ »

Demonstrations carried out by extremist Tamil political parties in India will not affect the cordial bilateral relationship that exists between India and Sri Lanka, assured President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in the course of his two-day personal visit to India. Responding to questions from Indian media during his visit to the Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati on Saturday, …

Continue reading ‘Demonstrations Against me by Tamil Nadu Extremists will not Affect Good Relations Between India and Sri Lanka says President Rajapaksa’ »

by Tisaranee Gunasekara “The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed — and thus clamorous to be led to safety — by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H.L. Mencken (In Defence of Women). The day before President Rajapaksa reached Buddha Gaya, with a gargantuan …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Regime Preparing for the Next ‘War’, via Enabling Laws Providing New Definitions of Terrorism’ »

By Indika Sri Aravinda The Bodu Bala Sena is to file legal action against the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU ) over the issuing of the Halal certificate.

By Camelia Nathaniel Families of the first batch of Tamil female recruits to the army, who are currently undergoing training in Kilinochchi, will receive 100 newly built houses. In the initial stage of this project 20 houses are to be constructed.

By DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA Under certain circumstances, it would have been good news that the main democratic opposition, the UNP and the main Tamil parliamentary party the TNA, together with a sprinkling of leftist groups, are to be partners in a renewed effort at Opposition unity. In the current and foreseeable circumstances however, that is …

Continue reading ‘As a General Rule an Alliance of the UNP with the Tamil Nationalist Parties has been Deleterious for Both’ »

By Alex Martin Sri Lanka Cricket and its administration have never really been far from controversy. Thanks to some apparently poor advice, this time round the latest controversy surrounds the Minister of Sport and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Upali Dharmadasa. At the same time in a related development it can now be revealed that …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Cricket President and Secretary Furious over Announcement made by Sports Minister’ »

By Risidra Mendis A group of environmentalists have requested President Mahinda Rajapaksa to intervene and immediately stop the release of the tusks confiscated by the Customs Department to various temples in the country. Activists raised this matter at a media conference held at the National Library Auditorium on Wednesday.

By Amantha Perera Indian trawlers are taking their toll on Northern Sri Lanka’s fishing sector, which is struggling to recover almost four years after a decades-long civil war. “Since the conclusion of the civil war, Indian trawlers have been coming in closer and closer,” Maarten Bavinck, Director at the Amsterdam-based Centre for Maritime Research told …

Continue reading ‘Poaching by Indian Fishing Trawlers Continue to Affect Struggling Northern Fishing Sector Drastically’ »

By P.K.Balachandran Earlier this month, Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had alleged a pro-Muslim bias in the selection of beneficiaries for the India-funded housing project meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the war-affected District of Vavuniya. Demonstrators led by TNA MPs did not blame India for the distortion. The accusing finger was …

Continue reading ‘TNA Protests of Pro- Muslim Bias in Allocation of Houses Under Indian Housing Project are Incorrect and Misleading says Indian Diplomat’ »

By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s address to the nation on Sri Lanka’s 65th Independence Day this week was remarkable, not for its tired refrains of national sovereignty which are a mockery when the State itself primarily oppresses the people, but for the utter insensitivity of his administration to the paramount concerns of …

Continue reading ‘Independence Day Address by President Rajapaksa was Characterized by Grave Misrepresentation of Events’ »

By Sonja Candappa The decision to screen or not to screen here the controversial South Indian film “Vishwaroopam” will be taken after President Mahinda Rajapaksa views it on his return from Bodh Gaya. “Once the decision is made, we will take immediate action either to screen it or ban it,” Cabinet spokesman, Media and Information …

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa will Decide on the Screening of “Vishwaroopam” in Sri Lanka After Watching Film Himself’ »

By Wasantha Ramanayake Lawyers appearing in a fundamental rights petition against the Government-appointed Chief Justice Mohan Pieris will object to any Bench comprising less than the total number of sitting judges of the judges of the Supreme Court Counsel Viran Corea who was appearing for petitioner Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) with senior Counsel M.A. …

Continue reading ‘Lawyers want Full Bench of all Sitting Supreme Court Judges to hear Petition Filed by Centre for Policy Alternatives Against Chief Justice Mohan Peiris’ »

By N Sathiya Moorthy President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Independence Day speech, addressed the rest of the world more than the Sri Lankan nation – and not exactly without reason. The speech should be noted as much for the absence of any reference to his earlier proposals for a PSC process to resolve the decades-old ethnic issue …

Continue reading ‘Colombo has a Long way to go Before Understanding “Supreme National Self-Interest” in Full’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema The Sunday before last, UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe wrote an article to the Sunday Times, with the title “President Rajapaksa: The Prisoner of Latimer House”. This was one of the few well argued, well informed articles written on the international fallout of the impeachment written by the opposition. It is all the more …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Should Leave the Commonwealth Instead of Letting itself be “Policed” by White Member States’ »

Maj. Gen. (retd) Lalin Fernando “The moving finger writes and having writ moves on, none of all thy piety or wit shall lure it back or cancel half a line. Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it “(Omar Khayyam) Retired DIG Edward Gunewardene’s (EG) book ‘Memorable tidbits and the burning of the …

Continue reading ‘Retired Police DIG Edward Gunewardene’s Absurd and Ridiculous Tale of the Tigers Burning the Jaffna Library’ »

By R. K. Radhakrishnan The house of an Indian Consulate official in Jaffna was ransacked on Friday, a day after miscreants stormed the Bank of Ceylon building in Chennai. Officials confirmed the attack and told The Hindu that a formal protest has been lodged. Ironically, Indian High Commission here lodged the protest soon after the …

Continue reading ‘House of Indian Consular Official in Jaffna Ransacked in Broad Daylight After Attack on Bank of Ceylon in Chennai’ »

By K. Venkataramanan The government acted swiftly to carry out the execution of Afzal Guru a mere six days after his mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3. It showed similar swiftness and secrecy in the case of Ajmal Kasab too. This is perhaps explained by its experience of seeing the …

Continue reading ‘Did Reprieve Gained by Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Death Row Conficts Cause Swift Secrecy in Afzal Guru Execution?’ »

By Arundhati Roy Wasn’t it? Yesterday I mean. Spring announced itself in Delhi. The sun was out, and the Law took its Course. Just before breakfast, Afzal Guru, prime accused in the 2001 Parliament Attack was secretly hanged, and his body was interred in Tihar Jail. Was he buried next to Maqbool Butt? (The other …

Continue reading ‘Now That Afzal Guru has been Hanged I Hope our Collective Conscience will be Satisfied’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara Sri Lanka’s unexpected loss at the T20 World Cup finals in late 2012 plunged the country into despair. The fact that the defeat happened at home raised the shock to a new level. The day after the cricket fiasco, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary and younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, offered his …

Continue reading ‘Military in Sri Lanka is Being Transformed into the De-Facto Praetorian Guard of the Ruling Rajapaksa Family’ »

By R. K. Radhakrishnan Sri Lanka reacted sharply to the February 7 attack on the premises of the Bank of Ceylon in Chennai. On Friday, it sought Central security for its establishments in Tamil Nadu.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief M. Karunanidhi on Friday led a street demonstration here against the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India, accusing him of seeking to destroy Tamil culture, tradition and language in the island nation. The demonstration was organised by the students’ wing of the DMK and the Tamil Eelam Supporters’ …

Continue reading ‘DMK Chief Karunanidhi with Son Stalin and Daughter Kanimozhi Leads Massive “Black shirt”Protest Against Mahinda Trip to India’ »

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday(8th) offered prayers at the Lord Venkateswara shrine in Tirumala. Mr. Rajapaksa who is on a two-day visit to the holy shrine participated in the Suprabhata seva – a pre-dawn ritual performed in the early hours. He was accompanied by his wife Sharathi Rajapaksa besides a 70 member delegation. …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Participates in “Suprabhata” Ritual at Venkateshwara Shrine in Tirumala Despite Protests’ »

Afzal Guru, convicted in the audacious attack on Parliament in 2001, was on Saturday hanged in Tihar Jail, in an operation shrouded in secrecy. “Afzal Guru was hanged at 8 a.m.,” Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said shortly after the execution of the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant. The mercy plea of the 43-year-old Guru, who was sentenced to …

Continue reading ‘Afzal Guru Convicted for Attack on Indian Parliament was Executed by Hanging Secretly in Tihar Jail’ »

By Dinouk Colombage Jaffna shop keepers are facing financial losses amounting to hundreds of thousands of rupees due to ongoing power cuts in the town. Over the Independence weekend alone, the town experienced power cuts totalling 22 hours, on Saturday and Sunday. According to locals, this is a common occurrence with power cuts having been …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna Businesses Face Huge Financial Losses Due to Numerous Power Cuts in the Town’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando One-time peace facilitator Norway and Sri Lanka are on a collision course over NGO guru Dr. Kumar Rupesinghe moving the District Court of Colombo against the Nordic country for refusing to make payments amounting to millions of rupees to the Foundation of Co-Existence, headed by the plaintiff, in accordance with a tripartite …

Continue reading ‘Colombo-Oslo Diplomatic Row as Norwegian Officials and Diplomats Refuse to Testify in Case Filed by Kumar Rupesinghe in Sri Lankan Courts Suing Norway’ »

By Saman Indrajith Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday presented to Parliament the new definitions for the term ‘terrorist’ and ‘terrorist act’. The Leader of the House presented these definitions while moving amendments to the Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing Amendment Bill during its committee stage.

By Dharisha Bastians Remaining silent in the wake of the massive anti-Muslim campaign that is sweeping across the country is a great betrayal of the innocent Muslim people by Muslim Ministers holding office in the Government, Mayor of Colombo A.J.M. Muzammil charged yesterday. The Colombo Mayor said that while the Leader of the Opposition Ranil …

Continue reading ‘Muslim Ministers in Govt are not Speaking out Against Massive Anti-Muslim Campaign Charges Colombo Mayor Muzammil’ »

By Catherine Cheney Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa began his visit to India today amid protests over recent statements he made that appeared to rule out political autonomy for Sri Lanka’s Tamil ethnic minority. While the president had previously promised to delegate authority to the provinces, as required by the constitution, while also broadening dialogue …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Govt has Embraced Posture of Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism that has Alienated Minorities such as Tamils and Muslims’ »

By Rajpal Abeynayake The 2013 Galle Literary Festival is not being held. Certainly, not yet – and there has been an official announcement that the organizers will be suspending the event for one year, something which some keen observers say, is tantamount to a kiss of death. The official reason that has been given is …

Continue reading ‘A Requiem for the Galle Literary Festival’ »

By Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. One of the most depressing features of the authorities is the readiness with which transfers are used to solve problems. At the Education Consultative Committee in Parliament, some of my colleagues pointed out what seemed to them grave faults in Principals or Zonal Directors of Education, and recommended that they should …

Continue reading ‘Why I Presume I was Described as too Unpopular to hold any Executive Position’ »

by Dr. Devanesan Nesiah Like nearly every other multi ethnic country, we have had a history of ethnic conflict. But, compared to several other countries, our conflict was mild and not posing a serious threat to national unity till the mid 20th century. The so called 50-50 issue raised by the Tamil Congress before the …

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa must give Strong Lead Towards Reconciliation and Schools Promote Multi-lingualism and Communal Amity’ »

By Susil Siriwardhana When the Pastoral Letter of 01/2013 of Rt. Revd. Dhiloraj Canagasabey, Bishop of Colombo, reached his diocesan flock, it received an unusually wide response for its principled and decisive content. It began: “My dear Brother s and Sisters in Christ, I write this Pastoral Letter to you as your Bishop as we …

Continue reading ‘Service in Sinhala,Tamil and English Conducted by Anglican Bishop of Colombo at Cathedral on Feb 4th was an Uplifting,Spiritual Experience’ »

by Abesheikh Purohit Sri Lanka have been the most exciting team of the Women’s World Cup so far, having surprised defending champions England and knocked hosts India out of the tournament. Eshani Kaushalya has been the face of this feisty bunch of little-known cricketers.

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam In a bid to set the record straight on various politically and communally motivated allegations, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) yesterday faced the press, emphasising that its role is legal and transparent sans any hidden agendas. ACJU also denied allegations made towards it to the effect that it was forcing …

Continue reading ‘All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama Refutes Allegations About Halal Food Certification’ »

By Mano Ganesan (Text of a Press Communique Issued by the Democratic Peoples Front) This government stands naked on both political and human rights fronts. My one sentence notice to this government is this. You can’t hide behind lies and lies again. The government troupe which is going to Geneva for the UNHRC sessions beginning …

Continue reading ‘Govt Standing Naked on Political and Human Rights Fronts Cant Hide Behind Lies and Lies Again”’ »

Senior UNP leader and Parliamentarian Karu Jayasuriya has issued a clarion call for party unity saying that the main opposition United National Party had the best possible team to lead the country out of the doldrums. Addressing a media briefing in his private office in Kirulapone on February 7th , the Karu Jayasuriya said that …

Continue reading ‘Karu Jayasuriya Wants the UNP to Unite and Play as a Strong Team Without Getting out “Hit-Wicket” and WIN’ »

By Renuka Suryanarayan and Geetha Venkatramanan In an enthralling tribute to Tyagaraja, Nithyasree Mahadevan sang with Sowmya in her return-to-stage performance at The Music Academy, Chennai, to observe Tyagaraja aradhana on Sunday last. Nithyasree began in subdued mien, but soon sprang into melodic force in spirited repartee to every challenge thrown by the smiling Sowmya, …

Continue reading ‘Carnatic Vocalist Nithyasree Mahadevan Enthralls Audience in her Return to Stage Performance With Sowmya at Tyagaraja Aradhana’ »

A group of men attacked the Bank of Ceylon branch in Egmore on Thursday afternoon, causing injuries to some employees and police personnel on duty. Police suspect the attack was in protest against the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India on Friday.

On a day that Vishwaroopam released to packed houses in theatres across the city, actor and film-maker Kamal Haasan clarified that the version of the film that released in Tamil Nadu suffered only aural cuts.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Have you learned nothing from history?” Freud (The Future of an Illusion) President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Independence Day speech contained three main themes/ideas. It reiterated national sovereignty, which, in today’s Sri Lanka, is a cover for Rajapaksa absolutism. The Siblings want a free-hand, and, as the impeachment-travesty demonstrated, they abhor even judicial restrictions. …

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa’s Independence Day Speech at Trincomalee was a Coded Endorsement of the Sinhala Supremacist Vision for Sri Lanka Peddled by the Jathika Hela Urumaya and Bodu Bala Sena’ »

(New York, February 7, 2013) – The Commonwealth should shift the venue of its November 2013 Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from Sri Lanka unless its government makes prompt, measurable, and meaningful progress on human rights, Human Rights Watch said today in a public letter to Commonwealth Heads of Government. Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma is …

Continue reading ‘Commonwealth Should Shift 2013 Summit Venue from Sri Lanka Unless Govt Makes Prompt Meaningful Progress on Human Rights Urges Human Rights Watch’ »

by Greg Sheridan FEW subjects are more difficult for a democratic politician, especially a foreign minister, than how to deal with an authoritarian regime that violates norms of democracy and human rights. There is the ultra-idealist response: denounce every transgression and have nothing to do with the transgressors. Then there is the ultra-realist response: conduct …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka is too big and Important to be Isolated and for Western Countries to Boycott Commonwealth Summit 2013’ »

By K.T.Jagannathan Carnatic vocalist Bombay Jayashri who has been nominated for an Oscar along with Mychael Danna in the Original Song” category for “Pi’s Lullaby” — in the film “Life of Pi” — tells K.T. Jagannathan that she hopes this will make more people listen to Carnatic music. Excerpts.

By Karthik Subramanian Actor-film-maker Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam will arrive at the crack of dawn in some theatres across the State on Thursday, riding heavily on the controversy surrounding it over the past two weeks. It is also aiming at reaching almost the entire cinema-going audience in the State, before the week ends.

By Upul Joseph Fernando (This is an article in “Ceylon Today”recalling the time When Mahinda Rajapaksa was detained at the Katunayaka Airport en route to Geneva to attend special meeting at the UNHRC in 1990 and its aftermath) MP’s protest at seizing of documents at Airport “Police seized over five hundred photographs of missing persons, …

Continue reading ‘How Mahinda Rajapaksa Justified Complaining to UNHRC in Geneva in 1990 About Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka’ »

By Sathya Liyanasuriya The big winner in last week’s Cabinet reshuffle was neither Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi nor Anura Priyadarshana Yapa; it was Dissanayake Mudiyanselage (“Di Moo”) Jayaratne, the fourteenth Prime Minister of this country, who will complete three years in office in April. Although the prime ministerial post has become largely ceremonial since the executive …

Continue reading ‘Biggest Winner in Cabinet reshuffle is Prime Minister Dissanayake Mudiyanselage (Dimoo)Jayaratne’ »

By National Peace Council The government held the 65th Independence Day celebration in Trincomalee in the former war zone of the East to emphasise perhaps the territorial unity of the country that had been secured after the ending of the war. The historical significance of this national day should be that it represents the collective …

Continue reading ‘Biggest Obstacle to National Reconciliation is the Promotion of Jingoism and Narrow ethnic Communalism Among the Sinhala People’ »

by Col. R. Hariharan retd. [Text of speech on “Gandhian values in participatory management” at the Gandhi Peace Foundation (Chennai Chapter) on January 29, 2012.] A retired army veteran from the Military Intelligence who participated in wars and dealt with traffickers, forgers, criminals etc for nearly three decades speaking about Gandhian values may sound like …

Continue reading ‘Greatest Contribution of Mahatma Gandhi was in Enabling Indians to Regain their freedom,Dignity and National Identity’ »

by Dharisha Bastians “The rise of the Nazis was made possible because the elite of German society worked with them, but also, above all else, because most in Germany at least tolerated this rise. Human rights do not assert themselves on their own; freedom does not emerge on its own and democracy does not succeed …

Continue reading ‘Nazi Propaganda Against Jews in Europe and the Type of Paranoia Against Muslims Created by Sinhala Extremist Groups in Sri Lanka’ »

by Izeth Hussain I believe that the Muslim factor in our politics is entering a new era because in the last few days developments of an epochal nature have been taking place. Suddenly, and totally unexpectedly, the following banner headline appeared in The Island of January 25; ‘Special PSC to look into racial, religious extremism”. …

Continue reading ‘Outstandingly Moronic Anti-Muslim Hate Campaign Going on for Several Months with 19 Websites Devoted to that Ignoble Task’ »

by Kath Noble That MPs have lost interest in democracy was clear from the impeachment of the Chief Justice. But even the rewards given to those who played important roles in that process reveal just what a state Parliament is in. Last week’s reshuffle was very limited in scope. The major changes were the elevation …

Continue reading ‘Ministerial Positions Given as Rewards for Service to Mahinda Rajapaksa Have Potential for Corruption,bribes and Jobs for Hangers on’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka As an island, Sri Lanka’s history has been shaped by the dialectic of the internal and external, with the latter playing a decisive role for prolonged periods. These external forces and factors have primarily been the neighbouring powers and the colonial ones. Today, no three states have greater importance for Sri Lanka’s …

Continue reading ‘The Delusion of Thinking Sri Lanka is an Israeli Type Garrison State with China as Security Patron and Diplomatic Guarantor like the US’ »

by Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne While oppositional forces are getting ready to fight back, there is a sense of frustration among those who are eager to see the Mahinda Regime being superseded by a more responsive, responsible and democratic governance. They insist that both the impeachment and sacking of the Chief Justice and her ‘replacement’ by Mr. …

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena is part of the Political Crusade by the regime and is the Latest “Brigade” Operated by Agencies of State Power’ »

by Latheef Farook Crucial Muslim support facilitated the process of Sri Lanka gaining independence from the British in 1948, and helped end almost four and half centuries of European colonial rule in the island. Many still remember the leading role played by Muslim leaders such as Dr. T.B. Jayah, Sir Razik Fareed, Dr. M.C.M. Kaleel …

Continue reading ‘Muslim Support was Crucial in Facilitating Process of Gaining Independence from Britain in 1948’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya Sixty five years ago on this day, when Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, received independence, our per capita income was Rs 397 (US$ 120 then), which was on par with Japan. At that time, the per capita income of South Korea was US$ 86, on par with South Sudan. Hong Kong was then, …

Continue reading ‘Speculating on What Sri Lanka would have been on the Basis of an Alternative,Counterfactual Post-Independence History’ »

The battle by the producer of Vishwaroopam before the Madras High Court came to an end on Monday with the writ petitions filed by it being treated as closed and withdrawn. Justice S. Rajeswaran passed the order when the matter came up. Earlier, the film producer, the Rajkamal Films International, represented by its partner, S. …

Continue reading ‘Legal Battle over Kamal Haasan’s”Vishwaroopam”at Madras High Court Concluded with Rajkamal films Withdrawing Petition’ »

By G.Viswanath Sri Lanka played bold cricket to come up trumps in a pressure match and eliminate India from the ICC Women’s World Cup at the Brabourne Stadium here on Tuesday.

Actor and film-maker Kamal Haasan has announced that Vishwaroopam, which was originally planned to release here on January 11, will finally hit the theatres across Tamil Nadu on February 7. “Surmounting many barricades and bans, Vishwaroopam is now ready for release on 7 February, 2013, finally in Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Haasan wrote in a media …

Continue reading ‘“Vishwaroopam”is Ready for release on Feb 7th in Tamil Nadu says Kamal Haasan’ »

By Sarath de Alwis “I doubt whether we will ever witness so moving a spectacle as the people streaming in to Parliament, as they did after the election of 1956 and reverently and affectionately stroking the benches where the members they elected would sit. The new parliamentary complex at Sri Jayewardenepura, with its sumptuousness and …

Continue reading ‘The Task of Bringing Back Parliament to the People and Making it a real Instrument of the People’ »

(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Island”of February 5th 2013) Many a true word is spoken in jest. In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales we come across this: “A man may say full sooth [the truth] in game and play ….” We find something similar in Shakespeare’s King Lear: ‘Jesters do oft prove prophets.’ However, it is …

Continue reading ‘Vitriolic Outburst by Ex-Power Minister Champika Ranawaka about Corruption in the Electricity Board’ »

By Dharisha Bastians The Anglican Bishop of Colombo Rt. Reverend Dhiloraj Canagasabey called Christians yesterday to be prophets who speak out against unjust systems and repent apathy and the wickedness of the nation, on the occasion of Sri Lanka’s 65th Anniversary of Independence.

BY President Mahinda Rajapaksa President Mahinda Rajapaksa reminded the world of the provisions in the United Nations Charter of calling on all nations to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state in their international relations. He said that nothing contained in the present Charter …

Continue reading ‘‘It is not Practical for this Country to have Different Administrations Based on Ethnicity. Best Solution is for all to Live together with Equal Rights’ »

By R. K. Radhakrishnan The solution that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has in mind for the Tamil quest for a greater say in their own fate — which he said soon after the war in 2009 that he will reveal at an appropriate time — involves “equal rights to all communities”. Ruling out granting …

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Rules out Autonomy for Tamils as Political Solution and Talks of “Equal Rights to All Communities”’ »

by Anasuya Menon Chandana Wickramasinghe feels a deep connect with India. As a young student of dance, he came to India from Sri Lanka to learn Kathakali. “It was considered the ultimate. Many of the acclaimed artists from Sri Lanka have come to India to learn the Indian traditional arts,” he says.

By Thelma My darling Ma-hinder, I don’t know if as you sallied forth in your little Lord Fauntleroy suit or mini kuarakkan satakaya in your wee days at the Medamulane Rahula pre-school, you ever encountered the little fellow who almost made it. The young chap in class who hissed at the teacher or broke the …

Continue reading ‘The Litany of Crimes You seem to Allegedly Commit Cannot be Cured by Clearasil like Pimples and Blackheads’ »

By W. Siri Ananda Former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva, in a candid interview with Ceylon Today says the impeachment process was initiated by the President while the 117 signatories were simply rubber stamping it. Silva questions both the removal of Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake (CJ) from the position of Chief Justice and challenges the appointment …

Continue reading ‘Shirani Bandaranaike is Chief Justice “Only in Law”and Mohan Peiris is Chief Justice “Only in Fact” says Ex-Chief Justice Sarath Silva’ »

by Karthik Subramanian After being mired neck-deep in controversy for over a week, filmmaker and actor Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam emerged in the clear for a theatrical release in Tamil Nadu, where it was blocked by a State government ban. Stepping out from a five-hour-long deliberation with Muslim organisations opposed to the film’s release, at the …

Continue reading ‘Kamal Haasan’s “Vishwaroopam” Film ready for release in Tamil Nadu After Revocation of Ban’ »

By Dharisha Bastians Muslim groups warned yesterday that anti-Muslim sentiments propagated by certain extremist elements in the country were causing pain of mind and a feeling of insecurity for minority communities in the island, but expressed confidence that the Government and law enforcement authorities would act to prevent a deterioration of the situation. The Sri …

Continue reading ‘No Danger of Muslims Becoming the Majority in Sri Lanka in the Future -Sri Lanka Muslim Council’ »

By Kithsiri Wijesinghe Three years ago, on the 24th of January, journalist and political cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda went missing without a trace. His disappearance sent ripples across the human rights circles compelling many rights groups to raise concerns about his fate. In November 2011, appearing before the United Nations Committee against Torture, legal advisor to …

Continue reading ‘I am Happy I am able to Continue the Struggle and Keep Prageeth alive in spite of his Physical Absence-Sandya Ekneligoda’ »

By Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 1 – Electoral Reform I believe it is essential to reform Parliament, to establish fixed terms to avoid elections being manipulated for the advantage of the ruling party, and to have a Second Chamber based on equal representation for all provinces, so as to promote the consultation …

Continue reading ‘Fixed Terms for Parliament to Avoid Manipulation of Elections and a Second Chamber Based on Equal representation for All Provinces Needed’ »

By Salma Yusuf It is that time of the year. As the heat builds up in an otherwise wintry Geneva, capital cities of the world are abuzz with preparations for the forthcoming UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions to be held in February-March 2013. While UNHRC sessions in general are important for Sri Lanka, the …

Continue reading ‘Pre-emptive Strategy to Avert Adverse Outcome at Geneva UNHRC in March is to Implement LLRC Report Recommendations’ »

By S L Gunasekara Theoretically we are and have been an `Independent’, Sovereign’ State that is equal to all others – i.e equal in all respects to the International Thug, [a.k.a. the United States of America], its `lap-dog’ the once `Great’ Britain, India, our giant neighbour and `Regional Thug’, [now castigating Pakistan for allegedly sending …

Continue reading ‘Theoretically we are and Have Been an “Independent”Sovereign State but how is it in Practice?’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Hitler is not Germany, He’s Germany’s destroyer….” Rolf Hochhuth (The Deputy) Post-impeachment, the Rajapaksas have entered a new phase in their fanatically single-minded pursuit of absolute and permanent power. They are abandoning all pretensions and acting with total disregard for appearances; not even a fig-leaf is being retained. With the judiciary conquered, …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksas will Pursue Absolutist Agenda with Sledgehammer and Chainsaw Depending on Judiciary, Military and Beijing to save Them from Repercussions’ »

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka [Remarks delivered at the discussion on the Separation of Powers in the series “Ideas for Constitutional Reform” organized by the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka] While I see the need for constitutional reform, I do not see a need for a replacement of the Constitution. My stance remains that which I took …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Needs a Lula or Obama and not an Arab Spring to Reverse the “Deep State”Matrix Through Enlightened Electoral Change’ »

By Namini Wijedasa (Britain will do its utmost to ensure that Sri Lanka is able to recognise the principles on which the Commonwealth works and takes the right course, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the United Kingdom’s (UK) Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Alistair Burt said last week in an exclusive interview with the Sunday …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Govt will not be Excused even if it Implements LLRC Recommendations Because LLRC Report Does not Address Accountability- Alistair Burt’ »

(Questions at the dinner meeting for national newspaper editors and electronic media heads were answered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa sometimes with interceptions by External Affairs Minister Peiris) Here are edited excerpts:

By Namini Wijedasa For three days a week, ten months of the year, Sri Lanka’s fishermen in the North are forced off the seas by a swathe of hefty Indian trawlers for which their fibreglass boats are no match. Residents of Pesalai and Talaimannar in the north-west coast can often see the trawlers bobbing on …

Continue reading ‘Aggressive Poaching by Indian fishing Trawler Fleets in Sri Lankan Waters Drastically Affects Livelihood of 100,000 Northern Fisherfolk’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema Over the past week, we have seen front page news items in English newspapers to the effect that several factories have closed down due to their inability to compete in the European market due to the loss of the GSP+ facility in 2010. This has been raised in parliament and political parties including …

Continue reading ‘Why Inability to Compete in European Market is Forcing Sri Lankan Factories to Close Down’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema Alistair Burt, the UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs delivered a guest lecture on “Sri Lanka 2013 and Beyond” at the Lakshman Kadirgarmar Institute on Thursday. After praising what Sri Lanka has achieved in terms of economic growth and infrastructure development in the first part of his speech, …

Continue reading ‘British Under-Secretary Alastair Burt “Lectures” to Sri Lanka to which Minister-Professor GL Peiris Responds’ »

By N.Sathiyamoorthy In its working plan on the LLRC Report, the Army’s Board of Officers has said that there could be no question of shifting military camps out of the North and the East. Defending the Government’s ‘absolute right’ to maintain its armed forces ‘anywhere in the Island, according to the country’s strategic and security …

Continue reading ‘Civilian Demands on High Security Zones are Based on Expediency while Military Positions rely on Experience’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema John Kerry assumed duties as US Secretary of State on last Friday. It was also last week that three officials of the US State Department visited Sri Lanka and declared that the US will be sponsoring a procedural resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, plunging US-Sri Lanka relations to …

Continue reading ‘What Happens if US Policy Towards Sri Lanka Does not Change Even After John Kerry Becoming Secretary of State?’ »

By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardene If an objective perspective is brought to the calamitous events of the past few months precipitating Sri Lanka even deeper into a yawning abyss of disorder and non-governance, there is much to marvel at. For example, even though a new found activism on the part of lawyers in this country was, to …

Continue reading ‘True Resistance of Pakistan Lawyers Towards Pervez Musharraf and Pseudo-Resistance of Sri Lanka Lawyers Towards Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

Former Parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra;s daughter Miss Hirunika Premachandra said that there is a conspiracy in the case relating to her father’s murder to change the evidence, as reported in the www.noc.lk website. The main witness of the Bharatha Premachandra murder case, his drive, got his evidence changed recently through an affidavit. Accordingly the witness …

Continue reading ‘Conspiracy on to make my Murdered Father the Guilty Person Alleges Bharatha Lakshman’s Daughter Hirunika Premachandra’ »

by Austin Fernando Background Environmentally the Trincomalee (TCO) Harbor is the second best natural harbor in the world. Its available water and land area is about ten times larger than the Colombo Port. TCO has its history with European powers vying for mastery of TCO harbor and the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and the English, each …

Continue reading ‘Politics and Economics of Trincomalee Port Development’ »

by Dr.Reeza Hameed In a speech made at the ceremony to welcome him, the new appointee to the Chief Justice’s post had quoted ‘the moving finger’ verse from Omar Khayyam’s Rubaiyyat and had said that Providence had brought him to the temple of justice. Khayyam was a brilliant mathematician, a philosopher and a poet. Khayyam …

Continue reading ‘Ousting of A Chief Justice and Appointment of Another: Was it Fate or a Fait Accompli?’ »

The proposed formal tripartite meeting to break the deadlock over the screening of Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu failed to take off on Friday, as Muslim outfits reportedly insisted on the presence of the actor in the meeting.

(Full Text of Announcement in “The Hindu” About Launching The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy) On the occasion of the 134th anniversary of the founding of this newspaper, Kasturi & Sons Ltd., publishers of The Hindu group of newspapers, have pleasure in announcing the launch of The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public …

Continue reading ‘“The Hindu”Launches Centre for Politics and Public Policy With Malini Parthasarathy as Director to Encourage Research and Discussion on Critical Issues’ »

Minnows Sri Lanka caused the biggest upset of the ICC Women’s World Cup as they defeated defending champions England by one wicket off a last-ball six in a thrilling Group A encounter at the Brabourne Stadium here on Friday.

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa and Franklin R. Satyapalan Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda said yesterday that a mid-sea protest, against Indian fishermen poaching in Lankan waters, would be staged if the bilateral talks over the issue, between Sri Lanka and India, failed. Indian fishermen, mainly from Tamil Nadu, are poaching illegally in …

Continue reading ‘Douglas Devananda Wants to Stage Mid-sea Protest Against Indian Fishermen Poaching in Sri Lankan Waters’ »

By Lucian Rajakarunanayake “The spirit of India is written in stone” – President Pranab Mukherjee on the eve of the 64th Indian Republic Day – January 25, 2013 “I’m a Muslim Indian and I’m with Kamal Hasaan”, is the heading given by well known Indian blogger Mohd Asim, to his January 30 piece on the …

Continue reading ‘Why Should Sri Lanka Follow Jayalalithaa and Ban Kamal Haasan’s “Vishwaroopam” in this Country?’ »

by Susitha R. Fernando Former Colombo District Judge Sisira Rathnayake has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). He replaces Manjula Tillakaratne who is transferred as the Supernumerary District Judge of Ratnapura, it is learnt.

By S.S.Selvanayagam The Supreme Court today dismissed with costs a fundamental rights petition that challenged the integrity and honesty of the former Attorney General Mohan Peiris and the Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera. The Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices P.A. Ratnayake, Sathya Hettige and S.E. Wanasundera refused leave to proceed with the fundamental rights application filed …

Continue reading ‘Fundamental Rights Petition Challenging Integrity and Honesty of Mohan Peiris and PB Jayasundara Dismissed with Costs by Supreme Court’ »

by Cameron Stewart and Paul Maley THE surge in asylum-seeker boats to Australia may have been quietly sanctioned at senior levels of the Sri Lankan government as a political payback for Australia’s attempts to make Colombo answer for alleged atrocities committed during its civil war. The theory has been discussed by Gillard government officials. It …

Continue reading ‘Wide Belief Within Canberra Govt that Powerful Sri Lankan Govt Official May be Complicit in Smuggling People by Boats to Australia’ »

By Kelum Bandara United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navi Pillay has sought to dispatch ten special rapporteurs to Sri Lanka to assess the implementation of the recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), the Daily Mirror learns.

An International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) delegation has been forced to postpone a planned visit to Sri Lanka to assess the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary due to the last minute withdrawal of permission to enter the country.

by Cameron Stewart and Paul Maley A SENIOR Sri Lankan government official is suspected by Australian authorities of being personally “complicit” in the people-smuggling trade, directly undermining Canberra’s attempts to stop the surge in asylum-seeker boats. The Australian can reveal that Australia’s intelligence agencies have identified the official, who has a high profile and is …

Continue reading ‘Senior Sri Lankan Govt Official Close to President Rajapaksa Suspected by Ausssie Intelligence of Being Involved in People Smuggling to Australia’ »

By N Sathiya Moorthy Among the various issues agitating the Tamil Nadu Government with and at Delhi, some have longer and larger consequences for the health and future of Centre-State relations and the federal polity evolved in post-Independence India. While incumbent Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has been shooting off letters after letters to Prime Minister Manmohan …

Continue reading ‘Pan-Tamil Ideological Issues Identified with the DMK at Birth Have been Hijacked by Other Splinter Groups and new Generation Variants’ »

(London, February 1, 2013) – The Sri Lankan government continued its assault on civil society and failed to take meaningful steps towards accountability for war crimes during the country’s armed conflict that ended in 2009, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2013 released today. In its 665-page report, Human Rights Watch assessed progress …

Continue reading ‘No Fundamental Progress in 2012 by Sri Lanka on Key Human Rights Issues says Human Rights Watch’ »