BY Shalika Wimalasena Last surviving member of the first Presidential Election, Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara told Ceylon Today that his Party forced him to contest that election although he did not want to do so. Excerpts of the interview: Q: You are the only living candidate of Sri Lanka’s first presidential election. Tell us how you …
By Col R Hariharan After President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his surprise challenger Maithripala Sirisena, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), who quit his office as Minister, filed their nominations for the Presidential election on January 8, 2015 the contest has become exciting. Maithripala’s move came as a boon to the opposition parties …
by Liyanage Amarakeerthi phenomenon of Common Candidate resulted from a certain ethical reflection on the part of politically conscious Buddhists The Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena (MS) is not just a person. He is a symbol as well. Different people have different interpretations of this symbol. The supporters of the Rajapakasa regime are the poorest interpreters …
By Sumanasiri Liyanage Lightning, thunder and heavy afternoon shower are very common in these days in Negombo. As my bus moved through Katunayake-Colombo highway that borders the Negombo lagoon, I see a reflection across the lagoon what is happening over the lagoon in the sky. It is scary, but beautiful. I browsed through my ipad …
By Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. Enemies of the President’s Promise 23 Sneezy 4 Mahinda Samarasinghe was appointed by Cabinet to chair an Inter-Ministerial Committee to implement the Human Rights Action Plan, and wanted me to serve on it as well as on a smaller Task Force that would push things forward. Nishan told me the Minister …
Continue reading ‘Mohan Peiris was the Wrong Man to Entrust with the Human Rights Action Plan.’ »
By Sarath de Alwis “A thing may be too sad to be believed or too wicked to be believed or too good to be believed; but it cannot be too absurd to be believed in this planet of frogs and elephants, of crocodiles and cuttlefish.” G.K. Chesterton. This observation of the poet, philosopher and essayist …
By Rasika Jayakody Strategy meetings are taking place almost on a daily basis at the private residence of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on the progress of the political campaign of Maithripala Sirisena, the Common Candidate of the opposition. At the strategy meetings, according to highly placed sources of the opposition, detailed PowerPoint presentation are …
By Shehan Daniel Sentiment will replace significance as the country prepares to bid farewell to two of its most prolific and iconic cricketers who will be playing their final limited-over games at home when Sri Lanka take on England in the final One Day International of the seven-match series at the R Premadasa Stadium today. …
The much-anticipated business forum to be addressed by the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has been rescheduled for 23 December at 10:30 a.m. at the Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. It was previously planned for 17 December at TajSamudra Hotel. The duo will address the business community in this interactive forum titled ‘Let’s …
By Malinda Seneviratne ‘We are not in the business of issuing character certificates to those who cross,’ JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. The past few weeks have seen a lot of politicians crossing party lines. These moves have been received with jeers and cheers, depending on whether the person left or arrived, respectively. Interestingly, …
Continue reading ‘The Political Immorality of Eleventh Hour Crossovers’ »
Let us act decisively in the name of generations to come: declaration by university academics on the 2015 Presidential election The presidential election has been announced and each of us will be called upon to exercise our vote as citizens of this country on the 8th of January 2015. It is our considered view that …
By Alan Gardner in Pallekele “Sanga! Sanga! Sanga!” The chanting began as Kumar Sangakkara moved into the 90s. Between the end of the 30th over and the start of the 41st, Sangakkara had faced just 15 deliveries for 15 runs, and the crowd was becoming impatient. But for one chance, spurned by England, Sangakkara had …
BY DILANKA GUNATHILAKA Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra said that the citizens of this country deserve a free, fair and just society and therefore she has decided to lend her support to the Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena to achieve it. Excerpts of that interview: Q: You won the first place in the Western Provincial Council election …
By Meera Srinivasan India should have an open mind about Chinese projects in Sri Lanka unless the island was seen conferring special favours on China, which is yet not the case, former diplomat Jayantha Dhanapala said. Mr. Dhanapala, widely acclaimed as a top diplomat who played a key role in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy engagement …
by Anuradha Samuwel Health Minister Tissa Attanayake says that the most dangerous thing in the UNP was the Party was under various cliques and decisions regarding the Presidential Election were not taken by the Party Working Committee or Advisory Committee of the G-20 group appointed to handle the Presidential election. Excerpts: Q: Why did you …
BY CASSENDRA DOOLE Former Deputy Secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Udaya Gammanpila, says that the JHU decided to join hands with anti-nationalist forces such as Chandrika, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Wickramabahu Karunaratne and Mano Ganeshan. As a result he left the Common Opposition since he could not work with such elements according to his conscience. …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that those who had accused him of using retired military personnel in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s campaign had conveniently forgotten Sarath Fonseka entering politics while still holding office as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Fonseka held the rank of General at that time. Defence Secretary said that …
by Tissa De Silva I was a keen observer who participated at the May Day rally and meeting at Nugegoda. The meeting was graced by Ministers Tissa Vitharana, D. E. W, Gunesekera, and Vasudeva Nanayakara and CP Secretary Raja Collure. All of them talked of equal rights to all people of all backgrounds and vocally …
Kalutara District Parliamentarian Rajitha Senaratne has stated that Hirunika Premachandra is back in the country. Speaking to BBC Sandeshaya, Senaratne has said that the Western Provincial Council Member who left the country over threats to her life has returned to the island and that she will take part in the election campaign for the common …
BY DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA Sri Lanka appears to face an easy choice: continuity or change; stay where we are and the way we are or turn a new page. That, however, is an illusion. The truth is that Sri Lanka faces two ghastly choices: death by continuity and stagnation or death by uncontrollable radical reform; …
A resident from Chunnakam in Jaffna returned home on Friday after more than 25 years in a detention camp, residents said. S. Vairavanathan was arrested at Armour Street in Colombo soon after a bomb blast in 1990. He was 28 then.
By Indika Sri Aravinda Hirunika Premanchandra and her mother, a former advisor to the President, Sumana Premachandra have fled the country following threats to their lives, a coordinating secretary of Premanchandra said. The security of Hirunika Premanchandra had been withdrawn after she declared that she will back the common opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. In …
By C.A.Chandraprema One of the events that enlivened the political scene last week was the split in the JHU with Udaya Gammanpila breaking ranks with his party and going back into the government. This sudden development which obviously has come as a surprise to the JHU shows the ferment within that party over the decision …
Western Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra and Mother Sumana Fly to Singapore Citing Security reasons ******************************************** UPFA Parliamentarian and party organizer for Kolonnawa Duminda Silva scoffed at claims made by supporters of Maithripala Sirisena to the effect that ‘terror stalks the electorate’. He was responding to allegations made by recent defector to the Opposition camp and …
By Namini Wijedasa Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has blocked public access to the asset declarations of all presidential candidates till after the January 2015 election. “The public can request for them after the elections,” the Elections Commissioner told the Sunday Times yesterday. “We are not letting anyone see them till then.” Legal experts said his …
What’s in a name? It’s not about a rose, but about Western imperialism in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name that was cited as the reason for the objection against his nomination for the January 8 presidential poll. If President Rajapaksa’s name reflected Western imperialism, the objection against the nomination of common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena said …
The ‘star of the week’, the United National Party’s former General Secretary Tissa Attanayake was on board the SriLankan Airlines airbus A 330 with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, wife Shiranthi and son Yoshita when it rolled out from the runway of the Bandaranaike International Airport last Tuesday afternoon. For Attanayake, who had been an Opposition politician …
Continue reading ‘The Personal Turning Point in the Political Transformation of Tissa Attanayake’ »
By C.A.Chandraprema The biggest boost that the joint opposition got last week was the defection of P.Digambaram and (to a much lesser extent) V. Radhakrishnan from the government. There may not be an actual shift of votes in the Nuwara Eliya district because of these defections as Digambaram was elected on the UNP list in …
Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Friday turned 64 and made the occasion a memorable one by dishing out his latest flick Lingaa to frenzied fans who turned up to witness their matinee idol deliver famous punchlines after about four years. The actor was out of town, his publicist said without divulging details. However, it was Lingaa …
By C.A.Chandraprema If Mahinda Rajapaksa is defeated which I hope will happen, I think the party will rally around Maithreepala Sirisena University don turned parliamentarian Rajiva Wijesinha was in the news recently for having crossed over from the government to the opposition and for having appeared on Al Jazeera with the head of the Global …
by Lucien Rajakarunanayake History was made last Monday, with the acceptance of the nomination of Mahinda Rajapaksa to seek the mandate of the people for a third term as Executive President; the first Sri Lankan to seek a third term in this office. Nomination Day is always one with much thrills and excitement for the …
By C. Fernando One of the biggest assets that is being brandished about by the Common Candidate is his “Maithree” i.e., Compassion. The Common Candidate also claims proudly that he follows Mahatma Gandhi’s principles on “Avihinsa” (non-violence towards all living beings). I would like all Animal Lovers and Compassionate People in this “Dharma Dveepa” to …
By Somapala Gunadheera Millions of cut-outs and posters of the President, exhibited all over the island, have become a problem, a nuisance and a headache not only for him but also for many others. In fact, no advantage has accrued to the President from their exhibition. Not even a baby in this country needs the …
by Shamindra Ferdinando Western Provincial Council member Udaya Gammanpila yesterday returned to the UPFA’s fold to back President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s re-election bid, after resigning as the JHU’s Deputy General Secretary. He warned that in the event of Maithripala Sirisena securing the presidency the country would be plunged into an unprecedented crisis. Gammanpila said he had …
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Faizer Musthapha yesterday told the media that if the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) backed the government either directly or indirectly, he would not remain in it because the interests of his community had to be safeguarded first of all. He was speaking at a media briefing at the …
by Izeth Hussain A plague on both your houses – Shakespeare There is much glib talk nowadays about the formation of a national Government after the January elections. It is based on the facile assumption that the coming together of the two major parties, the UNP and the SLFP, together with some minority ethnic parties, …
Multiple sources of the government and the opposition confirmed that Western Provincial Councilor Hirunika Premachandra’s move to cross over to the common opposition ‘quickened’ Udaya Gammanpila decision to break ranks with the JHU. While it is widely believed that a businessman-Parliamentarian who is officially representing the opposition acted as the “broker” of the crossover, Hirunika …
By Dharisha Bastians The 8 January 2015 presidential election is a feeding frenzy for international conspirators and the LTTE rump. The candidacy of Maithripala Sirisena is not part of the democratic attempt to effect change through a multi-party, pluralistic electoral process. He is Washington’s pawn in the grand geopolitical struggle for influence between the US …
(Text of Statement Issued by the United National Party on december 11th 2014) The arrogance and extravagance of the Rajapaksa family regime is all too visible in their latest jaunt to Tirupati in South India. The trip was scheduled in the heat of the election cycle, when the forces opposing his rule are agitating for …
Mired in controversies over the ownership of the original storyline, the Rajinikanth starrer ‘Lingaa’ will hit theatres at 1 a.m. on Friday. The Madras High Court Bench in Madurai on Thursday permitted ‘Rockline’ Venkatesh, producer of the movie, to release the movie on Friday on condition that he should deposit Rs.5 crore in cash besides …
Continue reading ‘Rajinikanth-starrer ‘Lingaa’ to hit theatres at 1 a.m.’ »
by Sameera Ahmed On a typical evening, Pycrofts road looks like any other busy main road in Chennai. As motorists and other vehicles speed past an inconspicuous-looking building and pedestrians hurry home on a typical Friday evening, quite a few of them instantly gaze up and a look of amazement passes fleetingly on their faces. …
Continue reading ‘A man who has created a sanctuary for parrots in the midst of bustling Chennai’ »
By Nabeela Hussain Deputy Minister of Resettlement and one time second in command of the LTTE, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman spoke to Dailymirror on the coming Presidential Election, his opinion on the constitutional changes and the reformation of the LTTE. Q:hat is your opinion on the promises made by Maithripala Sirisena on the abolishment …
By Chamara Sampath Addressing his maiden propaganda rally in Anuradhapura, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that he needed only a cup of coffee to lure Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to the UPFA. He said, “It is not a big problem when one leaves the party to welcome another, Tissa Attanayake joined our party soon after …
Jathika Hela Urumaya Deputy Secretary and Legal Advisor Udaya Gammanpila announced his decision to leave the JHU and support Mahinda Rajapaksa at the next presidential election, just three weeks after resigning from his Ministerial portfolio in the Western Provincial Council. On November 18, he and General Secretary of the JHU Patali Champika Ranawaka resigned from …
Former General Secretary of the United National Party Tissa Attanayake has been sworn in as the Minister of Health after crossing over to the government to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Attanayake crossed over to the government on Monday (8). He replaces the former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, who defected to the opposition to become the …
By K. Thirukumaran Travelling along 401 East towards Montreal from Toronto, one can spot the sign “United Counties of Leeds and Grenville”, east of Kingston, Ontario. The Town of Gananoque, known for the Thousand Islands Tourism area is located in The Leeds and Grenville United Counties of Ontario. It is also the home of a …
Subramania Bharati wrote his way into people’s hearts. On the occasion of his birth anniversary – December 11, CHITRA BALASUBRAMANIUM throws light on Bharati, the journalist and the writer. by Chitra Balasubramanium BHARATI’S GREATNESS was multi-faceted. Though renowned as a gifted poet, he had also achieved great heights in the field of journalism. Whether as …
By Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. Enemies of the President’s Promise 22 Sneezy 3 Basil had told me that I did not need to worry about the Peace Secretariat being closed because I had another position too, that of Secretary to Mahinda Samarasinghe’s Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights. That was correct, and for anyone else …
By Shihara Maduwage In an interview with the Daily Mirror Prof. G. L. Peiris, the Minister of External Affairs, spelled out the reasons why the country needs an executive presidential system and responded to the allegations and criticisms leveled against his ministry. Q:What are your reasons for maintaining that the country needs an executive presidential …
by Dasun Edirisinghe Opposition Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena yesterday assured that he would not enter into any pact with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) or any other party to get their support for the Jan. 08 election. Addressing the heads of print and electronic media at the Solis Hotel, Pitakotte, Sirisena said that they had …
Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Denies signing any Individual Pact with the TNA,UNP or JHU’ »
By Kavindya Thomas Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, Vasudeva Nanayakkara stated he will take his own life, if the executive presidential system was not abolished during his lifetime.The statement was made at a media briefing held in Colombo yesterday (10). During the briefing, he said the abolishment of the executive presidential system was …
By GP Shukla Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday offered prayers at the famous hill temple of Lord Venkateswara. After an overnight stay in the sacred town, he took part in the Suprabhata seva in the temple in the wee hours of the day. Despite being entitled for the Mahadwaram entry, he preferred reaching …
Two newly appointed deputy ministers of President Mahinda Rajapaksa Government yesterday relinquished their ministerial portfolios two days after incumbent handed over nominations to run for presidency for a third time. Deputy Minister of Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Velusami Radhakrishnan submitted his resignation today, just hours after Deputy Minister of National Languages and Social Integration …
(TEXT OF OVERVIEW IN BRIEFING RELEASED BY INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP ON FORTHCOMING SRI LANKAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS) Sri Lanka’s presidential election, scheduled for 8 January 2015, looks set to defy the predictions of many and be a true competition. As such, the polls threaten risks and promise opportunities for long-term stability and post-war reconciliation. The sudden …
(Text of Media Release Issued by the International Crisis Group) Colombo/Brussels | 9 Dec 2014 Sri Lanka’s upcoming presidential election promises more competition than was initially anticipated. But with that comes a great risk of violence. Long-term stability and post-war reconciliation can only be achieved through a peaceful election resulting in a government committed to …
By Vishwamithra 1984 “Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” ~Edgar Allan Poe I have a hope. Sometimes, it goes beyond that and becomes an expectation. The hope is that this country will once again be one in which every citizen …
By Dharisha Bastians Anticipated crossovers failed to materialise at common candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s first official campaign rally in Kandy yesterday, but the Opposition is promising more defections in the week ahead. Four vacant seats were left for would-be crossovers from the Government at the rally and garlands were ready to welcome them into the Opposition …
By Stephen Collinson and Evan Perez Washington (CNN) — The CIA’s harsh interrogations of terrorist detainees during the Bush era didn’t work, were more brutal than previously revealed and delivered no “ticking time bomb” information that prevented an attack, according to an explosive Senate report released Tuesday. The majority report issued by the Senate Intelligence …
By PETER BAKER WASHINGTON — A long-awaited Senate report condemning torture by the Central Intelligence Agency has not even been made public yet, but former President George W. Bush’s team has decided to link arms with former intelligence officials and challenge its conclusions. The report is said to assert that the C.I.A. misled Mr. Bush …
Details of the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation” techniques, considered by many to be torture, are set to be revealed in a long-awaited report. The Senate Intelligence Committee’s report is expected to find that such interrogations failed to yield life-saving information. The techniques were used on al-Qaeda terrorism suspects in the years following the 9/11 attacks on …
By Upul Joseph Fernando A list of names of likely defectors who were to follow Maithripala Sirisena to the Opposition when the latter made his exit from the government has now been publicized through the social media. Though some made their exit others did not. Among those names was Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon. Now, the minister …
By Chamitha Kuruppu The Government’s major catch on nominations day, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake threw spokes in the wheel of the common Opposition at his first press conference since crossing over yesterday and strongly denied claims he had defected for cash. Attanayake, who was addressing the media at Ape Gama in Battaramulla yesterday, indicated …
By Marisa Wikramanayake Sri Lanka should look towards the East for a model on development as Malaysia successfully did, according to the latter’s iconic former leader Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. “These are very interesting times for Sri Lanka because it is accelerating its development,” Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed said during his keynote at …
by Shamindra Ferdinando One-time commander of the Sri Lankan Army, Gen. Srilal Weerasooriya has returned home from South Africa, where pro-LTTE groups campaigned against him being at the Association of Military Christian Fellowships: Global Interaction 2014. The event was held at the naval base, Simonstown Weerasooriya, formerly of the Artillery regiment was accompanied by his …
By Dushy Ranetunge in Havelock Town It was a sunny Thursday morning in Havelock Town, as my wife and I opened the front gates of my property to take our vehicle out to go on some errands. Before us were a line of vehicles blocking the private road. Maithripala Sirisena had come to town. Havelock …
UPFA Western Provincial Councilor Hirunika Premachandra had been asked to return her official vehicle while she was returning home from the press conference yesterday -where she extended her support to common candidate Maithripala Sirisena. At the same time, the special police security , which was given to her after father’s sudden demise, was also withdrawn …
It has now been revealed that opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe knew his General Secretary Tissa Attanayake’s defection since last week and ignored repeated requests to prevent him from joining the government especially at this juncture. “He is joining the government, anyway. Don’t worry about the matter anymore. Let him go,” the UNP National …
By Rathindra Kuruwita The clearing up of forest land and distributing it among powerful businessmen and political henchmen has been increasing since the end of the war in 2009 as large swathes of land which were unusable in the past became available for farming and development. While development is essential, especially in the war affected …
By Sumanasiri Liyanage I live in Negombo. In 1956, this citadel of the UNP that was at that time supported by the Church was captured by LSSPer, Comrade Hector Fernando, a medical doctor by profession. When Lanka Samasamaja Party that is the oldest political party in Sri Lanka celebrates its 79th anniversary this month, the …
By Chathushika Wijeyesinghe Hirunika Premachandra, Western Provincial Councillor and daughter of slain politician Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra joined the common opposition to support Maithripala Sirisena. She said that her decision to support Mr. Sirisena was made of her own accord. Ms. Premachandra who was elected from Kolonnawa with a massive 139,034 votes said it was difficult …
Striking a chord for good governance and transparency, presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena submitted his asset declaration form to Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday. “Copies of my asset declaration are also available at my campaign office which is open to all members of the public, if they wish to peruse it,” Sirisena told media personnel at …
Presidential candidate and incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa told supporters his campaign was based on policies rather than personalities, soon after submitting his nomination for the 8 January election yesterday. “This is a journey based on a political philosophy, this journey is not about individuals and personalities,” he said.
By Dharisha Bastians It’s official: Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa and Pallewatte Gamaralage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena will face off in one of Sri Lanka’s most decisive post-war polls on 8 January 2015. In a day marked by political defections and dramatic scenes, both candidates arrived separately at the Elections Secretariat in Rajagiriya yesterday to submit signed nomination …
Pledging her support to common opposition Maithripala Sirisena, popular UPFA Western Provincial Councillor Hirunika Premachandra defected from the ruling party on nomination day. Pic via: twitter.com/azzamameen Premachandra said that she could not in good conscience remain with the Government. “If he wins, the country wins,” Premachandra said of Sirisena, soon after arriving at the Opposition …
In a tit-for-tat maneuver President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday managed to poach the main Opposition UNP’s General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake on nominations day. Together with Jayantha Ketagoda, a member of Sarath Fonseka’s Democratic Party, Attanayake was greeted at Temple Trees by a host of former UNP ministers and SLFP strongmen, including Nimal Siripala De Silva and …
The teaser of the Ajith-starrer Yennai Arindhaal has recorded over 2 million hits in 48 hours making it the highest for any South Indian film. Trisha Krishnan and Anushka Shetty are the female leads in the movie directed by Gautam Vasudev Menon.
BY DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA It wasn’t just another Sunday. On the eve of the day that nominations closed and the Presidential race began in earnest, I had a one-on-one luncheon conversation with President Rajapaksa and a late teatime discussion with Maithripala Sirisena, at the invitations of the incumbent and a key personality of the challenger’s …
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced that UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake has joined the government.He made this revelation while speaking to media after handing over his nomination papers at the Elections Secretariat. It is reliably learnt that the government has assured a national list seat for Attanayake at the next parliamentary election. It is also …
By Gomin Dayasri A born again Chandrika is phenomenal.Found wanted nowhere and is being sought after everywhere. Maybe, the reason why she is Always late and Never on time [Reply:Yes, why hurry?]– Her signature tune that is not pleasant to those who have to wait in vain; probably choreographed to provide an awe element;holds the …
By Ranga Jayasuriya None of the predecessors of Mahinda Rajapaksa did anything substantial to uphold the independent media in the country. Country’s media have withered away under successive governments since Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s left-leaning United Front administration ‘nationalized’ the Lake House and effectively turned it into a mouthpiece of the government. Subsequent leaders went further, helped …
By Neeraj Chauhan NEW DELHI: The CBI has approached Interpol to expedite its request to question Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) of LTTE for the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi. Sources said Interpol’s help has also been sought to convince Sri Lanka to assist in the case and reply to the judicial requests (letters rogatory), which …
By Atul Aneja China has started a major water supply project in Sri Lanka, using its “soft power” to deepen its relationship with Colombo. The China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) has launched the $230-million enterprise — the largest ever undertaken by the Sri Lankan government, Xinhua quoted an official as saying. The Chinese company had …
By Don Wijewardana With less than a month to go to the polls there seems to be many outstanding issues that either candidate needs to address to convince the 11 million voters that he is the better man for the job. There are of course the diehards on either side who will not change but …
By Don Manu Once again in a considerable display of the contempt with which they hold the masses’ intelligence, both the radical JVP peddling its Marxist prattle, and the Bodu Bala Sena hawking its counterfeit Buddhist ware, have deemed it fit to engage in their tried and tested, fluently employed double speak to con the …
By C.A.Chandraprema That Navin Dissanayake defected to the opposition last week was hardly surprising. From the time Karu Jayasuriya went back to the UNP, Navin’s days in the UPFA were more or less numbered. With a father-in-law who was the deputy leader and later the Chairman of the Leadership Council of the UNP, Navin would …
Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and his party, the All Ceylon Makkal Congress, have decided to support President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the presidential election next year.
By REBECCA BUNDHUN GALLE, Sri Lanka — These days, Sri Lanka is often called the next Bali. Tourism has more than doubled since the 26-year civil war on this teardrop-shaped island in the Indian Ocean ended in 2009, with 1.27 million visitors arriving last year. And some of those foreigners have been buying vacation homes, …
By C.A.Chandraprema The signing of the joint opposition MOU at the open air theatre in the Viharamahadevi Park last Monday was a damp squib. In normal circumstances, if a presidential election has been announced and the leader of the UNP was contesting that election, and it was known to the public that the UNP presidential …
By Mark Woods Pope Francis is due to visit Sri Lanka, but the timing is proving controversial. The visit is scheduled for January 13, only five days after the Sri Lanka goes to the polls in an election which sees President Mahinda Rajapaksa seeking an unprecedented third term. It will see the canonisation of Sri …
By Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha M.P. Enemies of the President’s Promise 21 Sneezy 2 The reason Mohan gave for the Secretary of Defence being annoyed with me in June 2009 was a matter that was to prove an enormous bone of contention over the next few years, namely the claim advanced by some in Sri Lanka …
The official countdown for the January 8 presidential election gets under way with tomorrow’s nominations where more than fifteen candidates will be in the fray. That the political battle will be between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his main rival Maithripala Sirisena, the main contenders, is all too well known. What remains to be known are …
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had met a Tamil National Alliance delegation and held secret discussions on Tuesday at the Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, according to reliable sources. TNA leader R. Sampanthan and parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran, Democratic People’s Front Leader MP Mano Ganeshan, Malik Samarawickrema and MP Mangala Samaraweera are …
By Rasika Jayakody The presidential election is expected to enter into a crucial stage after tomorrow (08), with its two main candidates – President Mahinda Rajapaksa and common candidate Maithripala Sirisena – planning to accelerate their election campaigns following the final date of nominations. Although the common candidate held his first election rally in Polonnaruwa …
By N Sathiya Moorthy It looks as if campaign fever for the January eighth presidential poll is yet to pick up a full fortnight after it all began. At this rate, the poll might conclude without the campaign reaching the conventional climax and the nation getting a new President or a President for a new …
By Prasad Gunewardene Last Tuesday Youth Affairs Minister, Dulles Alahapperuma, advised former President Chandrika Kumaratunga to follow the footsteps of the first Executive President, Junius Richard Jayewardene, to learn how to behave after retirement. He said Jayewardene led a peaceful life in retirement and kept away from politics. Yes… the minister is correct to a …
By Maheen Senanayake “Heads of Local governments including Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen are being front-lined by powerful government ministers to spearhead violence against opposition members,” alleged Manjula Gajanayake, National Co-ordinator for the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV). “We arrived at this assessment after analyzing several incidents. We can cite at least three notable instances when …
By Raja Pakshikaya The entire nation, it seems, has been caught up in the frenzy of an election which, despite the various Opposition claims of stifling democracy, are being held nineteen to the dozen. And, surprise, surprise, the Opposition has found a ‘common’ candidate, Maithripala Sirisena — from our own party, the SLFP! My heart …
Several political appointees working as heads of diplomatic missions are being recalled, apprently to handle various aspects of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign, authoritative sources said. They include Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, High Commissioner in Canberra; Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Ambassador to Japan; Bandula Jayasekera, Consul General in Sydney; Lakshman Hulugalle, Deputy High Commissioner in Canberra; and …
By Dharisha Bastians A Government Minister has claimed that he was offered a ‘bribe’ by outgoing US Ambassador Michele Sison. Resettlement Minister Guneratne Weerakoon told a political meeting in Aranwela on Thursday that he had recordings of the discussion, to which the Secretary to his Ministry was also privy. “She came to meet me and …
Declaring he was happy to go before the people, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence of winning the office for the third term, dismissing any real threat from his main opponent. “I like to go before the people as I have always done,” the President told Editors yesterday during his regular breakfast meeting, probably the …
By Dharisha Bastians Retracting a previous statement, the Bodu Bala Sena yesterday insisted it was not officially endorsing either of the main candidates at the January presidential election. Speaking at a rally in Hyde Park yesterday, BBS General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero told crowds that the group had decided to act independently at the elections. …
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday returned another stock of gold possessed by the LTTE to the rightful owners at a function held at the Temple Trees. Nearly 2,000 rightful owners of the gold jewellery either confiscated by the LTTE or pawned to them by the owners during the LTTE’s control of the north were invited to …
by K.C. Gopakumar Eminent jurist and former Supreme Court judge, Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi around 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. He died due to renal and cardiac failure, hospital sources said. He was hospitalised for a fortnight. Justice Iyer, known for his forthright views, turned 100 recently. …
By Sarath De Alwis “There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them”: George Orwell. Reading Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka’s dilemma in the article captioned ‘Who Rules’ in the Weekend FT on Saturday 27 November, I could not help but recall this piece of concise wisdom of George Orwell. …
By Shihara Maduwage Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, the leader of the Democratic Party has announced that his party would support the common candidate Mr. Maithripala Sirisena at the upcoming presidential polls. Sarath Fonseka who was the common opposition candidate of the 2010 presidential elections said that his party had taken this decision to …
By Izeth Husain First of all let me add my own tribute to all the others on the stunning political skill shown in the choice of Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate. The tribute for this, according to public perceptions, should go primarily to Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chandrika Bandaranaike. It is worth a song and …
By Dharisha Bastians “If I was not too Kind,Mahinda wont be President Rajapaksa today”……….”Rajapaksas have massive Complex against the Bandaranaikes.It’s a Sociological Phenomenon,I think”………CBK Love her or hate her, ex-President Chandrika Kumaratunga is a force to reckon with. Coming out of a nine-year retirement last month, the former Head of State has joined forces with …
by Shamindra Ferdinando External Affairs Ministry’s monitoring MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena asks whether President Mahinda Rajapaksa would have left the country on an official visit to Nepal if his government had been in crisis due to the then SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena’s defection. Addressing a series of meetings at Balapitiya, Ahungalle and Dodanduwa …
By Ananth Palakidnar Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Provincial Councillor, M.K. Sivajilingam, had thrown the mace of the Council and demanded that a motion brought by him six months ago, calling the alleged war crimes a genocide, should be passed by the Council at the NPC’s 20th sitting yesterday. Sivajilingam became violent when he was told …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said some countries were using the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as a cat’s paw to destabilise Sri Lanka. But, he declined to name those countries. Minister Samarasinghe alleged that the government had been relentlessly pursued since the conclusion of the war in May …
by Zacki Jabbar Some senior government and police officials had been summoned to Temple Trees by President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently and scolded in filth for not doing enough to promote his candidature at the forthcoming Presidential Election, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga alleged on Tuesday. Addressing a meeting in support of the Joint Oppositions Presidential candidate …