by Norman Palihawadana The government is contemplating holding the Provincial Council elections when the ground situation in the country is conducive to go ahead with the polls, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Friday. He was responding to a query on whether the government has reached a decision on pushing ahead with the polls as …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says Provincial Council elections will be held when the ground situation in the country is conducive to go ahead with the polls;“We cannot make predictions but remain optimistic of holding the elections when the coast is clear” States Prime Minister’ »

by James Kynge in Hong Kong and Jonathan Wheatley in London It has not taken long for the wheels to come off the Belt and Road Initiative. As recently as May 2017, China’s leader Xi Jinping stood in Beijing before a hall of nearly 30 heads of state and delegates from over 130 countries and …

Continue reading ‘China Re – thinking Xi’s ‘project of the century’; Chinese overseas lending has fallen sharply leading to a reassessment of the Belt and Road Initiative’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Citing India’s request for the release of fishermen recently arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of illegal fishing, Sri Lanka on Wednesday said it is India that needs to demonstrate goodwill by preventing its fishermen from trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. Addressing a press conference in Vavuniya in the …

Continue reading ‘“Honestly, it is India that has to demonstrate goodwill by putting an end to their fishermen’s trespassing activities” Says Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister and Jaffna District MP Douglas Devananda’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As the ‘annus horribilis’ that was 2020 winds its way to a close, waves of racism, chauvinism and fear mongering unleashed on the people by this Government’s tom-tom beaters, including electronic media moghuls fattened by ill gotten gains, continue unabated. That these ugly forces will inevitably go beyond the point of …

Continue reading ‘Ordinary Sinhalese who internalised hate-driven propaganda which they had been fed for decades must finally understand that the politics of inequality is a hell brew visiting the majority as well’ »

By Namini Wijedasa Certain National Fertiliser Secretariat (NFS) employees have been permitting the release of “failed fertiliser stocks” — with lead, chromium, arsenic, cadmium and other components above permissible levels — by replacing accurate laboratory test reports with fake ones, the National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed in an explosive report. Recent audit checks revealed …

Continue reading ‘National Audit Office Report Exposes Massive Fraud by Certain National Fertilizer Secretariat Employees who have Released “Failed Fertilizer Stocks” After Making Files Disappear and Substituting Fake Reports in Place of Genuine Laboratory Test Reports’ »

By Namini Wijedasa The Department of National Archives is embroiled in controversy over allegations that copies of historical Dutch records in the custody of the institution have been sold to outsiders. The accusations mostly target the Department’s Director General, Nadeera Rupesinghe, a young historian educated in the Netherlands, who senior staff insist has been tirelessly …

Continue reading ‘National Archives Dept’s Dynamic Director General Dr. Nadeera Rupesinghe May be Removed From Office Unfairly Through Cabinet Paper by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Following Witch Hunt by Vested Interests Against Her’ »

by Vijaya Kumar The Lanka Samasamaja Party, the oldest political party in the country celebrates its 85th anniversary on December 18, 2020. The Party grew out of its Youth Leagues which played a prominent part in the ‘Suriya-Mal’ movement – an alternative for indigenous ex-servicemen as against the Poppy Day where funds collected were for …

Continue reading ‘The Lanka Samasamaja Party, the oldest political party in the country celebrates its 85th anniversary’ »

By Dr.Sarath Gamini de Silva The Covid pandemic, apart from causing much human misery all over the world, has had a deleterious effect on human values as well. It appears that mankind has regressed by many decades. Freedom of movement, free association and human interaction, which were promoted as ways of a peaceful world without …

Continue reading ‘How bodies of Muslims are cremated against their staunch religious beliefs, thus denying their basic human rights with no firm scientific evidence against burial, is a disgrace to all Sri Lankans.’ »

It was a crying shame that South Asia’s biggest meat processing factory had been set up in Katunayake, although Sri Lanka was called a Buddhist state, Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera said on Thursday, addressing the media at Sri Jayasekerarama auditorium in Rajagiriya. The factory is expected to meet 10% of the world’s processed meat …

Continue reading ‘Ven.Omalpe Sobitha Thera Lashes Out at Govt for Setting up South Asia’s Biggest Meat Processing Factory in Katunayake and calls upon Rajapaksa govt to reveal the persons behind the meat project and demandd to know where the meat would come from’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake We are clearly in an era of Twists and Turns, with Kali Amma projected as the power against the Covid-19 pandemic. What happened at the Sri Maha Bodhi earlier this week showed a very clear Kali Kovil Twist. The kapuva who made this pandemic syrup wanted to offer it to the Sri …

Continue reading ‘Father Mahinda Rajapaksa Promises to Ban Cattle Slaughter and Import Beef but Son Namal Rajapaksa Attends Grand Opening of Huge Meat Processing Plant for Beef and other Available Meats at Katunayake’ »

On December 15, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) board decided to discontinue the proposed Rs. 89 billion (approximately US$ 480 million) MCC development assistance grant to Sri Lanka due to lack of partner country engagement, the US embassy said in a statement here on Thursday. The Rs. 89 billion approved for Sri Lanka will be …

Continue reading ‘US embassy officially announces that the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) board has decided to discontinue the proposed Rs. 89 billion (approximately US$ 480 million) MCC development assistance grant to Sri Lanka due to lack of partner country engagement;The Rs. 89 billion approved for Sri Lanka will be made available to other eligible partner countries in need of grant funding’ »

By’ Victor Ivan How can Sri Lanka overcome the crisis it is facing in a situation where the country has become a failed state with all the leaders, all political parties, and the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary has failed? The country’s political leaders still do not seem to understand the real reasons behind …

Continue reading ‘Champika Ranawaka is educated; yet he can be considered only as a narrow tribal leader who endorsed all the measures taken to oppress minorities and provoke terrible conflicts for the “betterment” of Sinhala Buddhists.’ »

By Kelum Bandara The United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) voted to discontinue the US $480 million compact agreement with Sri Lanka, Daily Mirror learns. The MCC board took this decision at its meeting on December 15. The MCC unit in Sri Lanka will also be closed accordingly. However, a formal announcement in this regard …

Continue reading ‘The United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation Board voted on December 15th to discontinue the US $480 million compact agreement with Sri Lanka; the MCC unit in Sri Lanka will also be closed accordingly.’ »

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama Issuing of vehicle number plates sans provincial code indicators will come to effect from January 1, Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama said. The proposal was made by the Transport Minister Gamini Lokuge was approved by the Cabinet yesterday. Accordingly, the characters to identify the provinces were added to the number plate when …

Continue reading ‘Issuing of vehicle number plates sans provincial code indicators will come into effect from January 1st 2021;according to the new process, each vehicle would have only one number, even when the ownership is switched between provinces.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran Highly placed sources in the Sri Lankan government said on Wednesday that the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has withdrawn the five-year US$ 480 million grant offered to the government of Sri Lanka in April 2019 after three years of negotiations. However, a formal announcement is yet to be …

Continue reading ‘Millennium Challenge Corporation withdraws its US$ 480 million grant to Sri Lanka as MCC Board was Unwilling to re-negotiate Agreement in its present form as desired by Gotabaya Rajapaksa Govt’ »

By Meera Srinivasan The last week has been the worst yet for N.F.M. Fahim’s family residing in Colombo. The 38-year-old and his wife lost their new-born to COVID-19 on December 8, and even before they could process the devastating news from the hospital, authorities were ready to hand over the baby’s ashes to them. “I …

Continue reading ‘Cremation of 20 Day Old Muslim Baby Against Wishes of Family by Authorities Heightens Resentment and Opposition to Compulsory Cremation of Alleged COVID -19 Victims in Sri Lanka’ »

By Imesh Ranasinghe A cabal of state officials and their close associates in the business community have been making important government decisions bypassing the prime minister and the cabinet of ministers, National People’s Power (NPP) MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya said. These individuals are not accountable to parliament and, as a result, the legislature has weakened …

Continue reading ‘Cabal of State officials and their close associates in the Business community Make Important Govt decisions Bypassing the Prime minister and the Cabinet of Ministers, States National People’s Power MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya.’ »

by Rohan Wijesinha & Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya “The state of the planet is broken. Humanity is waging war on nature. This is suicidal.” – Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General, December 2020 In Sri Lanka, the current Infection Fatality Ratio (IFR) for Covid-19, as per official figures in media reports, stands at approximately 0.5%. That is 1 …

Continue reading ‘Large Scale De-forestation, Killing of Wildlife, Pollution of Water Resources and Environmental Destruction Continues Under Gotabaya Rajapaksa Presidency Despite Pre-election Promises to the Contrary’ »

By Col R Hariharan Indian troops have brought Kailash range in eastern Ladakh under their operational control by occupying heights and thereby dislocated Chinese plans to grab territory to gain strategic advantage. For the first time, India has gained tactical advantage to disrupt any Chinese military adventure in the region. This unexpected move by India, …

Continue reading ‘The” Great Helmsman ” President Xi Jinping Seeks to fundamentally revise world order by placing the People’s Republic of China at the centre to serve its authoritarian and hegemonic goals.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Given deeply worrying abuse of power historically by the Sri Lankan State under states of emergency with national security as justification, the covid-19 global pandemic must not be employed, much like conflict in the North and the South was utilised, as a cover to trample on civil liberties. A rare and …

Continue reading ‘From a pro-UNP Bar (then) we have a pro-Rajapasksa Bar (now) which seems to be deaf, dumb and blind, even though injustice is caused to a member of its own tribe.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunayake It is not the upcoming solar eclipse on December 14, which will not be seen here, that has brought any new interest, but the major solar eclipse on June 1955 that is now remembered by many; especially with the “Bivva Neda Vadakaha Sudiya” baila beat and the tale of “Emali Paney” being …

Continue reading ‘“Bivva Nedha Kali Amma Corona Paniya ?” ( Have You not Imbibed Goddess Kali’s Divine Corona Healing Honey?)’ »

By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who visited Sri Lanka last week, met with TNA leader R Sampanthan at the India House for about half an hour prior returning to New Delhi. It is learned that the two talked about the future of the provincial councils which would give some devolution to …

Continue reading ‘If the TNA is willing to cooperate with the government India is ready to provide assistance for development projects in the Tamil areas. If the TNA does not cooperate they cannot expect anything else from India. This is India’s current approach to the Tamil issue.’ »

(Text of Speech made in Parliment by TNA Jaffna District Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran on 09th December 2020 on Budget Votes of Ministry of Justice) Thank you Honourable presiding member. I am glad to speak on the 3rd Reading, particularly on the votes of the Ministry of Justice today when my good friend at the Bar …

Continue reading ‘“The Minister of Justice in Sri Lanka Today Must be Feeling Like the “Minister of Ports and Shipping” in Afghanistan” says MA Sumanthiran MP in Parliament’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, yesterday (10) faulted the Government Analyst’s Department, the Attorney General’s Department and the Police over the simmering crisis in the ‘prisons system.’ The President’s Office quoted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as having said at a meeting summoned to discuss shortcomings and problems in the ‘prisons system’ that due to inordinate …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa blames inordinate delay on the part of the Government Analyst, the Attorney-General and the police for the remandee crisis in the Prisons System where a large number of suspects are being held in jail pending investigations.’ »

Detained Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullahs’ lawyers yesterday filed a writ Petition before the Court of Appeal seeking access to Hizbullah. When the matter was taken up yesterday, Romesh De Silva PC, appearing on behalf of the Petitioner said that the lawyers have not had any access to Hizbullah since September. He said they could not obtain …

Continue reading ‘Writ Petition Filed before the Court of Appeal seeking access to Detained Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullahs with Romesh de Silva PC Appearing on behalf of Lawyer; Appeal Court President ustice Arjun Obeysekara recused himself from the hearing,’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe The Government appears to have changed track on scrapping the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) with moves being made to appoint new commissioners, a top official said yesterday. Following the present commissioners decision to step down after a call from Treasury Secretary S. R. Attygalle on Tuesday, the Government is …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Govt Replaces Idea of Abolishing the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka with New Plan to Create a Compliant PUCSL by Appointing Supportive “Rubber Stampa” to fill Vacancies Caused by Forced Mass Resignation of Earlier Commissioners’ »

By S.S. Selvanayagam Former Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Shani Abeysekara (59), who is incarcerated in Mahara Remand Prison, yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights violation petition, seeking his safety and compensation of Rs. 3 million. Attorney-at-Law Gowry Shangary Thavarasha filed the petition on his behalf in the Supreme Court. She cited IGP C. D. Wickramarathne, …

Continue reading ‘Attorney-at-Law Gowry Shangary Thavarasha files Fundamental Rights violation petition on behalf of Former CID Director Shani Abeysekara (59) who is incarcerated in Mahara Remand Prison eeking his safety and compensation of Rs. 3 million.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “We are not living an era of change, but a change of era” – Pope Francis There is a contradiction between the needs of recovery and progress on all fronts, and the regime’s restrictive framework and retrogressive ideas. The COVID-19 proliferation and the Mahara massacre are but manifestations of the ideology of …

Continue reading ‘There is a contradiction between the democratic DNA of Sri Lankan social consciousness and behaviour, and the harsh, rigid, stubborn, insensitive, monarcho-militarist mode of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime.’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe All five commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) stepped down yesterday following a call from Treasury Secretary S. R. Attygalle. It is unclear how the PUCSL will continue to function following the resignations of the five commissioners. The Commissioners were Prof. Kithsiri Liyanage, Prof. Kapila Perera, Chandra Ekanayake, …

Continue reading ‘All Five Commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Tender Their resignations Jointly Following Telephone Call from Yreasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “People slide by degrees…. Each of the early steps may seem too small to be counted” – Jonathan Glover (‘Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century’) It was a day in July 2020. The Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya, presented former cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya with a bat made of Swiss chocolate. With …

Continue reading ‘Devanagala Being Turned into a new Sinhala-Muslim flashpoint; rabblerousing monk, Galagoda-Aththe Gnanasara visit to Devanagala last week revives fears of a new “Aluthgama”’ »

By Asiri Fernando The recent move to abolish the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) by senior public officials will open the door to corruption and is contrary to the policies presented by the President, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne charged yesterday. Addressing the press at the opposition leader’s office, Wickramaratne said …

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Govt Moves to Abolish the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Will Open the Door for Corruption and Create a Dictatorship Warns Eran Wickramaratne MP’ »

SJB Gampaha District MP Field Marshal Sarath told Parliament yesterday that it was he who had got Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera the post of Commandant of the Civil Defence Force, when the latter was without a job. Participating in the third reading debate on Budget 2021, Field Marshal Fonseka said: “When then Secretary Defence Gotabaya …

Continue reading ‘Sarath vs Sarath: Field Marshall Fonseka Says it was he who got Rear Admiral Weerasekera the post of Civil Defence Force Commandant and Provided him with Vehicle and Escort and Accuses Public Security Minister of Being Ungrateful’ »

By Prof. S.Ratnajeevan H. Hoole The position of our Government is that no war crimes were committed by our forces at the end of the war. In the light of the evidence made available by the UN and world media to deny it at this point of time would be to fool ourselves. Last week …

Continue reading ‘We now need to ask openly for the full implementation of UNHRC Resolution 30/1. Our MPs must ask for these in Parliament. As things are, no one asks for these out of fear of a repressive state and judicial machinery, so the world thinks we are happy with allowing the crimes to go unpunished.’ »

By Victor Ivan The entire State of Sri Lanka in general and the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary in particular, i.e. the three main constituent elements of the State, are in a state of deterioration and complete breakdown caused by excessive degeneration and resulting impotence and incompetence. The entire State has reached a level …

Continue reading ‘The criminal investigations conducted by Shani Abeysekera during the Yahapalana regime were not based on false or fabricated crimes. The Lasantha Murder,Prageeth Disappearance,Keith Abduction were crimes actually committed in the country at that time.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his Minister of Justice who went charging into Parliament this week to pontificate or plead for judges to be protected ‘from criticism’ may well be advised to reflect on some salutary truths. Truly remarkable Ministerial idiocy In South Asia’s less than salubrious context of the separation of …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Judges Must Resist the ‘onslaught’ of racism, militarism, and political opportunism of politicians who subvert the Constitution and not the ‘onslaught of criticism’ that President Rajapaksa refers to.’ »

By Namini Wijedasa WaWter Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara has slammed moves by the President’s office to dissolve the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), pointing out to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa that the independent regulator is under the Premier’s purview and not the President’s. “As the Public Utilities Commission is an institution under your …

Continue reading ‘Water Supply Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara Wants Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to Stop Moves by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Secretary PB Jayasundara to Dismantle the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lank’ »

by Sujeeva Nivunhella Despite a strong protest by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in London, Ms. Saroja Sirisena to the British authorities, pro-LTTE groups in London went ahead with the planned ‘Great Heroes Day’ commemoration on a grand scale in the United Kingdom last Sunday. The High Commissioner asked the British authorities whether a proscribed terrorist …

Continue reading ‘Despite a strong protest by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner Saroja Sirisena to the British authorities, pro-LTTE groups in London went ahead with the planned ‘Great Heroes Day’ commemoration on a grand scale in the United Kingdom.’ »

By Suresh Perera The sacking of the president and four members nominated to the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) by the previous government has triggered an uproar, with medical professionals slamming Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi’s move as “completely flawed” and “an attempt to undermine the autonomy and independence of the apex regulatory body”. Expressing consternation …

Continue reading ‘Sacking of the president and four members of the Sri Lanka Medical Council has triggered an uproar with medical professionals slamming Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi’s move as “completely flawed” and “an attempt to undermine the autonomy and independence of the apex regulatory body”.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake The Mahara Prison and its 11 inmates who have died, or were killed by gunshots or other means, is certainly in the mind of the people. As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads beyond the often declared expectations of hopes of the government, the Mahara Prison has raised the question of how Covid infected …

Continue reading ‘What cannot be forgotten, as the State would like us to, is the reality that the responsibility for convicted prisoners and remanded persons lies wholly with the Govt.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Opposition lawmakers yesterday raised questions in Parliament about the Mahara Prison shooting that left 11 dead and scores of prisoners injured as a committee headed by a retired High Court Judge began an inquiry into the incident by visiting the prison. Justice Minister Ali Sabry said that the five-member committee headed by …

Continue reading ‘Opposition MPs ask Govt to clarify why over 100 prisoners were transferred from the Welikada Prison to Mahara amidst the spread of the coronavirus and why video footage that was released to the media did not include scenes of the shooting.’ »

By Lakna Paranamanna Last week India, Maldives and Sri Lanka revived trilateral maritime talks after six years. It was soon after the Quad nations staged the two phased Malabar 2020 exercise in the Bay of Bengal. The U.S. led alliance has upped its game against Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific waters, but the question remains …

Continue reading ‘India, Maldives and Sri Lanka revived trilateral maritime talks after six years. It was soon after the Quad nations staged the two phased Malabar 2020 exercise in the Bay of Bengal but the question remains if these measures will suffice to withstand rising Chinese power that is already consolidated in the region.’ »

(Twenty civil society groups have issued the following press statement on the forced cremation of COVID dead as against respecting burial by people of certain faith. The statement said that of the 124 persons dead due to COVID-19 as at 3 December, 50 were Muslims.) On Tuesday the country’s Supreme Court, by a majority decision …

Continue reading ‘“We will continue to struggle for justice and the right to bury our dead” – Joint Statement by Twenty Civil Society Groups’ »

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) in its interim recommendations on the incident at the Mahara Prison on 29 November said that the protests were sparked by the transfer of prisoners infected with the COVID-19 virus from Welikada Prison to Mahara and had the authorities responded to prison officials’ concerns over this proposed …

Continue reading ‘Transfer of COVID-19 infected prisoners from Welikada to Mahara sparked unrest States Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.’ »

By Saman Indrajith The recent Mahara Prison riot erupted as 120 inmates afflicted with COVID-19 had been taken there from the Welikada prison at the behest of a Doctor in charge of prisoners’ health, who was a Viyathmaga member, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday. “Many explanations have been given by ministers about the …

Continue reading ‘Transferring 120 Corona Infected Inmates from Welikade to Mahara at the Behest of of a Doctor who was a “Viyathmaga” Organization Member and in Charge of Prisoners Health was the Cause of the Riot States Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa in Parliament.’ »

Sri Lankan civil society organizations agitating for the Muslims’ right to bury those of them who had died of COVID have declared that they will explore options to secure their inalienable religious right to bury their dead. “The faith the victims of forced cremation of COVID-19 or Covid-19 suspected dead had in the highest court …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan civil society organizations agitating for the Muslims’ right to bury those of them who had died of COVID have declared that they will explore options to secure their inalienable religious right to bury their dead’ »

Hours after announcing that he would launch a political party in January 2021, actor Rajinikanth on Thursday said that political change is the need of the hour and that he was just an instrument of the people. Citing the COVID-19 pandemic, he told journalists outside his Poes Garden residence that he was thinking about how …

Continue reading ‘“I am just a small instrument. If I win, it is people’s victory. If I lose, it is people’s loss. I request people to be with me.I will be more than happy now if I lose my life for the people” Says Tamil Film Star Rajinikanth’ »

On Thursday, actor Rajinikanth announced that he will start a political party in January 2021 to contest in the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and the date will be announced on December 31. In a tweet in Tamil, Mr. Rajinikanth said, “In the upcoming elections, we will achieve a big victory with the support of …

Continue reading ‘Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth Will Start a Political Party in January 2021 to Contest Forthcoming Tamil Nadu State assembly Elections Mext Year; Party Launch Date to be Announced on December 31st 2020’ »

By Meera Srinivasan At least 12,000 residents of Sri Lanka’s Northern and Eastern provinces were severely affected as heavy rain lashed the region while cyclone Burevi made a landfall on Wednesday night. The maximum rainfall — 279.8 mm in the last 24 hours — was recorded in Kilinochchi district. Incessant rainfall continued on Thursday as …

Continue reading ‘Over 12,000 People Affected as Heavy rain lashes Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka Following Cyclone Burevi’ »

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka The substantive foreign policy debate during this Budget was between the SLPP and the Tamil Opposition. More specifically it was between Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena and Prof. G.L. Peiris on the one hand, and Parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and Gajan Ponnambalam on the other. That debate, though superficially Sinhala/Tamil, south/north, was not simply …

Continue reading ‘The Rajapaksa regime of Today is the most hawkish, absolutist, militarist, ethno-hegemonistic, unilateralist , ideologically rigid and extremist ever in the island’s post-Independence history.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka on Tuesday dismissed petitions, including those filed by Muslim civil society members, challenging government regulations mandating cremation for all COVID-19-related deaths. The gazette notification issued in April, a month after Sri Lanka detected its first local case of the coronavirus, set off concern among the island’s …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Dismisses Fundamental Rights Petitions Filed by Muslim Civil Society Members Challenging Govt Regulations Stipulating Compulsory Cremation of all COVID -18 Victims Instead of Burial’ »

By Meera Srinivasan The death toll from the recent prison riots in Sri Lanka, sparked by fears of a raging second wave of COVID-19, rose to 11 on Tuesday. Over 100 prisoners were injured when guards opened fire to contain the unrest on Sunday, as inmates at the Mahara prison, near Colombo, demanded to be …

Continue reading ‘Death Toll Rises to 11 in Mahara Prison Riot in which Over a 100 Inmates were Hospitalised due to Firing by Prison ;Guards “to bring unrest under control”;Amnesty International Urges “Thorough and Impartial Investigation Into Incident”’ »

By T. Farook Thajudeen Colombo High Court yesterday released Basil Rajapaksa and three others from a case of misappropriating public funds without calling for defence evidence as pleaded by the defence counsel. High Court Judge R. Gurusinghe acquitted the four accused, which was former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, former Ministry Secretary Dr. Nihal Jayathilaka, …

Continue reading ‘Colombo High Court Judge R.Gurusinghe Acquits Basil Rajapaksa and three others from five charges of misappropriating Rs 2,291 Million “Divaneguma” funds without calling for defence evidence as “prosecution had not proven the charges against the accused beyond reasonable doubt”’ »

MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle has been appointed as the State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention. The new State Minister was sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. The State Ministry for Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID Prevention is a new portfolio.

By Asiri Fernando The Justice Ministry, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Prisons Department are set to launch three separate inquiries into the incidents at the Mahara prison that took place on Sunday evening. The riot resulted in the deaths of eight inmates, sixty-two injured, and parts of the prison being set ablaze. The CID probe …

Continue reading ‘Mahara Prison Riot Quelled by Firing;8 Inmates Killed and 62 Including 3 Prison Officials HospitalisedlBuildings Set Ablaze; Three separate Inquiries Launched by Justice Ministry, Prisons Dept and CID’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As Sri Lanka hurtles down the precipice of covid-19 contagion coupled with unprecedented economic devastation, bitter and biting anger at our plight can scarcely be contained. ‘Organised propaganda’vs public opinion State health agencies tasked with handling the pandemic stamme and stutter while a militarised command continues to elbow out a professionally …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa must scorn crawlingly subservient Sycophantic creatures lest he fall into the very same trap that his brother, ex- President Mahinda Rajapaksa was caught in.’ »

By Kumudini Hettiarachchi The head and four others of the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) were sacked on Friday afternoon by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi with the removal letters being delivered halfway through the SLMC’s monthly meeting which had started at 1 p.m. The dramatic removal of SLMC President Prof. Harendra de Silva and others …

Continue reading ‘Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi sacks Sri Lanka Medical Council President Prof, Harendra de Silva and four others while Monthly SLMC Meeting was in Progress;medical community divided over dramatic move’ »

By Ranjith Padmasiri and S. Rubatheesan In the North and East, courts have issued orders preventing any form of commemorative events to mark the ‘Maveerar Naal’ or Great Heroes’ Day, a day declared by Liberation of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to remember its cadres who died in the near-three-decade separatist war. On Thursday, the Jaffna Magistrate’s …

Continue reading ‘Low key ceremonies held in homes to remember LTTE cadres killed in the war as Court Rulings in North and East Forbid Public Commeoration of “Maaveerar Naal” (Great Heroes Day)’ »

By Dr.Asanga Welikala With the enactment of the 20th Amendment, Sri Lanka embarks yet again down the fraught path of authoritarian presidentialism. Whether this latest adventure ends in a democratic nightmare, or is as fleeting as its two predecessors, the 18th and 19th Amendments, remains to be seen. The legitimacy of both these previous constitutional …

Continue reading ‘Exposing Myths and Fallacies About the Importance and Value of the Executive Presidency in Sri Lanka.’ »

Hanging above the desk of Emmanuel Arnold, the mayor of Jaffna, are images of three Hindu deities, as well as the Buddha, Jesus and the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina. He has to respect all the religions of his city, he explains. Most Sinhalese, the country’s biggest ethnic group, are Buddhist; Tamils, who predominate …

Continue reading ‘Badly Fractured Tamil political Parties May be Spurred to Unity by new Rajapaksa Govt’s Chauvinist Discriminatory Policies – The Economist’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Many Tamil families living in Sri Lanka’s north and east on Friday marked ‘Heroes Day’ — an annual commemoration of LTTE cadre who died in the civil war —by lighting lamps in the quiet confines of their homes, after the government obtained a court order banning the remembrance. Petitioning different courts in …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Courts ban events forCommemorative LTTE cadre on ‘ Heroes Day’’ »

(Text of Jaffna District TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran’s Speech in Parliament on the 25th of November 2020 during the budget vote for the Foreign Affairs Ministry.) Honourable Presiding Member, I am happy to follow the Minister himself as we discuss the votes on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Minister is an experienced parliamentarian and …

Continue reading ‘“Mr. Foreign Minister, would you have the courage to write a letter to India like you did to the UN Human Rights Council and withdraw from the Indo- Lanka Accord? -MA Sumanthiran MP’ »

By Victor Ivan The process of the old stock of political leaders and their parties losing the recognition they have enjoyed so far can be described as an integral part of the historical process of ending the old era of the political history of Sri Lanka. The loss of recognition enjoyed by Ranil Wickremesinghe, the …

Continue reading ‘If Ranil Wickremesinghe had contested the 2015 Presidential Election; he would probably have won it in a close contest; Instead Ranil became an inescapable prisoner of the Yahapalana trap’ »

By Charumini de Silva Cinema owners yesterday described 2020 as the worst year while lamenting that they were still in the dark over reopening, as delay was piling up financial losses. On 15 October, the Government announced that all cinemas would be closed till 31 October, as a measure to deal with the COVID-19 second …

Continue reading ‘Closure of Cinema Halls in Country Until Dec 31st Hits Cinema Industry Hard.Importers in Quandary about Procuring New Films from Hollywood, Bollywood and Kollywood.’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita National Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) and its leader Zahran Hashim supported Former President Maithripala Sirisena and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) at the 2015 elections, former Eastern Province Governor M.L.A.M Hizbullah, on Tuesday night, told the PCoI probing the Easter Sunday attacks. Hizbullah was giving evidence before the PCoI for the second …

Continue reading ‘Representatives of UPFA,UNO, Muslim Congress, Democratic Party and National Front for Good Governance signed agreements with Easter Bomber Zahran Hashim in Kattankudi in exchange for National Thowheed Jamath support at the 2015 Parliamentary Elections’ »

By Meera Srinivasan National Security Adviser will hold talks with Sri Lanka and Maldives National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will be in Colombo on Friday for trilateral discussions among India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi will also travel to Colombo, while the Sri Lankan side will be represented at …

Continue reading ‘Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi will be in Colombo on Nov 27 for trilateral discussions among India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives;Sri Lankan side will be represented at the highest levels by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa,’ »

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen was released on bail by the Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage released Bathiudeen on cash bail of Rs. 100,000 with two sureties of one million rupees each. The Magistrate also imposed a travel ban on Bathiudeen and said that the guarantors should be his close relatives. The Magistrate …

Continue reading ‘Rishad Bathiudeen Released on Cash Bail of Rs 100,000 and Surety bail of Rs Two Million by Fort Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage to Prevent Risk of Ex-Cabinet Minister Contracting COVID -19 in Jail; Travel Ban also Imposed on ACMC party Leader’ »

By K.K.S.Perera An article published in a popular Sinhala daily by a prominent political monk prompted me to respond. Verse 9 in the Yamakavagga of Dhammapada, Anikkasàvayo vattha paridahessati…., The pure are worthy of the yellow robe but not the impure. Whoever, unstainless, without self-control and truthfulness, should don the yellow robe, is not worthy …

Continue reading ‘There is a section of Sangha with racist leanings, who think, it’s they who put Rajapaksas on the pedestal, hence they only should call the tune. Will the president have the courage to discipline Buddhist monks?’ »

By Prof. S.Ratnajeevan H. Hoole Australians and the world had much to celebrate. More than 26,000 Australian uniformed personnel were sent to Afghanistan to fight alongside US and allied forces against the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and other Islamist groups. Australian troops inducted into the Afghan War as allies of the US after the 9/11 attack in …

Continue reading ‘If Sri Lanka persists in resisting accountability over War Crimes Allegations, it is likely that in the present rights milieu, we will ultimately be cornered and forced into trials by the world’ »

By Gehan Gunatilleke When he was taken into custody on 14 April, his friends and family, and some within his fraternity, decried the obvious injustice. They were quickly told to quieten down and ‘let the justice system do its work’. They were told not to interfere with the investigation. They were told to be patient, …

Continue reading ‘Seven months have passed since the arrest and detention of human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah; time for the Sri Lankan Bar to reevaluate its position and take a stronger stand against this grave injustice.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is to take over as the Minister of Defence and a newly created Ministry of Technology shortly. A new subjects and functions Gazette was issued by the President, bringing several institutions under these ministries while a new Ministry of Public Security too, has been created. State Minister of Provincial …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will Take Charge as Minister of Defence and Newly Created Technology Ministry; Sarath weerasekera to be Elevated as Cabinet Minister of Public Security.’ »

The Government said on Saturday a mechanism for the regulation of websites is to be implemented within the next two weeks. The upcoming move was made public by Keheliya Rambukwella during the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Mass Media. He also said the Press Council Act should be amended in a way that would protect the …

Continue reading ‘Govt Intends Regulating Media Websites Through a New Mechanism in Two weeks says Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella; Press Council act to be Amended also’ »

The Jaffna Magistrate Court was tense on Friday when Jaffna’s Headquarters Inspector explained to the court why the Police were seeking an order to ban commemorative events to remember the ‘war’ dead. During his submission, Inspector Prasath Fernando said that “we (government) made it possible for those who ate pittu and vadai those days to …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna Police HQI Prasath Fernando Says in Court that” Govt made it possible for those who ate Pittu and Vadai those days to eat Pizza now”: MA Sumanthiran PC Responds Angrily that Officer was was disrespecting the people of Jaffna as a whole under the ICCPR Signed by Sri Lanka.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Out of the welter of distasteful controversy surrounding the transfer of a colossal sum of Rs. 600,000,000/= from the public fund of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), to the account of the Secretary to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to distribute ‘sil redi’ or white cloth to Buddhist devotees …

Continue reading ‘Overturning of High Court Convictions of Weeratunge and Papita by Appeal Court in “Sil Redi”Case:Multi-million Rupee Question is Whether the colossal sum of Rs 600,000,000 or even a part thereof has been reimbursed to the public fund of TRCSL?’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake From cremation calls, to a huge ban on imports, we are moving to the Rajavasala Vimukthiya. Those who still use the Vimukthi line in politics had better be on the watch. Amidst all the burdens of the Covid-19 pandemic that has now taken hold in Sri Lanka, there is a raging debate …

Continue reading ‘Will Mahinda Rajapaksa present the 80th Budget too or will his brother Basil Rajapaksa move in from the 76th or 77th?Keep Guessing!’ »

By Ambika Satkunanathan ‘…on the 18th of September (2010) the deceased was taken out of the police station at night to recover a weapon hidden in the deceased’s plantain grove…on the way the deceased had struggled with (the police officer) to snatch his rifle and he was killed as a result of a single shot …

Continue reading ‘State violence against persons thought to be a threat to the State, such as dissenters, human rights defenders, journalists and those arrested for drug offences, has been the permanent normal in Sri Lanka for decades.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “When I am president…human rights will be at the core of US foreign policy” – Joe Biden, The New York Times In its first year the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Presidency has made avoidable strategic blunders, tracing a trajectory which when extrapolated, indicate that it will wind up a one-term wonder, like the otherwise …

Continue reading ‘On the first anniversary of the Gotabaya Presidency, my diagnosis is – the Govt is heading rapidly in the wrong direction, which will prove unsustainable, result in unfavourable polarisation, and crash and burn unless there’s a drastic course-correction’ »

(Following is the full text of the address to the “Sinhala” nation by Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa broadcast over all television and radio channels on November 18th 2020) Ayubowan. A year ago, more than 6.9 million voters in this country elected me as your new President. It is no secret that the majority who …

Continue reading ‘“A year ago, more than 6.9 million voters in this country elected me as your new President. It is no secret that the majority who voted for me then were Sinhalese. They rallied because they had legitimate fears that the Sinhala race, our religion, national resources and the heritage would be threatened with destruction” – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’ »

By Krishantha Prasad Cooray When Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban said in September that rooting for the re-election of Donald Trump was his “Plan A”, he was probably echoing the sentiments of most of the world’s populist, autocratic leaders. They hoped for four more years of Donald Trump because he made the world a safer place …

Continue reading ‘Defeat of Trump and Victory of Biden Shows that the Sun is Setting on the Age of the Strong Man and the Age of the Strong Leader is Dawning’ »

By Chandani Kirinde *Aims at 5.5% growth in 2021 amidst COVID-19 impact *Increase Govt. revenue from 9.7% to 14.1% *Budget deficit 8.9%, up from 7.9% for 2020 *VAT unchanged at 8% for biz with turnover of Rs. 25 m or above *Personal Income Tax to apply on earnings only if it exceeds Rs. 250,000 per …

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa presents “development Budget” for 2021 to Parliament aimed at steering Sri Lanka to 5.5% growth in 2021:estimated Revenue for 2021 is Rs. 1,961 billion while the total expenditure is Rs. 3,525 billion with Rs. 1,564 billion difference between revenue and expenditure.’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya When your country is doing something totally different from what the rest of the world does, literally in exact opposition to the common sense practised and adopted by 194 countries in the world, things aren’t just right. That is what the government should reckon of its flawed policy of compulsory cremation of …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s compulsory cremation of Covid-19 related dead bodies is not a case of extra-caution or science. It is proof of scientific ignorance, callousness and an overwhelming lack of enlightenment.’ »

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda The Court of Appeal yesterday ruled that deforestation of the northern sanctuary of the Wilpattu National Park Forest for the re-settlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had been made contrary to law and ordered former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to bear the full the cost of the tree planting programme in these areas …

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal rules that deforestation of the Wilpattu National Park Forest for the re-settlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) had been made contrary to law and orders former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to bear the full cost of the tree planting programme in these areas based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle.’ »

By S Venkat Narayan Kenya is one of China’s largest trade partners in Africa. It owes $6.5 billion to China, which is 22 percent of its total external debt. China’s interest payments represent 87 per cent of the cash used to service debt expenditure in 2019. Kenya is yet to work out an arrangement with …

Continue reading ‘Kenya Owing $ 6.5 Billion to China Gets Caught in Chinese Debt Trap:Caught in Chinese Debt Trap; May Have to Cede Control of Mombasa Port and Inland Container Depot Pledged as Collateral to Beijing if Nairobi is Unable to Repay Loan’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The fearsome sight of armed motorcycle riders, clad in black, complete with sunglasses and masks completely obscuring their faces conducting covid-19 temperature checks on the public in Colombo and then roaring away in a concerted cloud of darkness as it were, raises an unfortunate analogy to mind. Symbolism is important in …

Continue reading ‘The militarised approach to handling the global pandemic has now run into serious roadblocks. It is the Govt alone which must take the responsibility for an ill-thought out militarisation of the public health response.’ »

By Kshama Ranawana Environmentalists, Conservationists and the political opposition are strenuously objecting to the decision by the government to hand over the management of “Other State Forests (OSF)” to Divisional/Districts Secretaries alleging the move would be disastrous for the forest cover and biodiversity in the country. It was in July this year that the Cabinet …

Continue reading ‘Govt handing over management of “Other State Forests (OSF)” to Divisional/Districts Secretaries would be disastrous for forest cover and biodiversity in the country while paving the way for private parties and friends of politicians to grab land.’ »

By Victor Ivan This is not an issue which has received adequate attention. Yet, I am of the view that one era of the history of Sri Lanka which commenced since independence in 1948 has come to an end in 2020. It simply means that the State and its associated socio-political system that was bequeathed …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya came to power without a proper understanding of the crisis the country was facing and an appropriate package of reforms to resolve it, but has the conviction that all issues could be resolved by creating an atmosphere of dictatorship’ »

By Alan Keenan and K. Mudiyanse Sri Lanka, long-plagued by political violence and near-complete impunity for crimes by the state and pro-state forces, now faces a new assault on justice and the rule of law. There is a systematic attempt to rewrite the history to make politically-connected criminal suspects into victims, and investigators and legal …

Continue reading ‘The 20th Constitutional Amendment and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Presidential Commission of Enquiry Together put Sri Lanka on a Dangerous Path of Authoritarian and Family Rule.’ »

(Summary of Speech Made by Tamil National Alliance Jaffna District Parliamentarian Mathiaparanan Abraham Sumanthiran in Parliament on 12.11.2020) “Rule of law, it has been said is the bedrock of democracy. Even rule by law is undesirable. But what we have now is far worse: it is rule by executive diktats! That is what we have …

Continue reading ‘“There is no legal basis for the Army Commander’s recent announcement prohibiting travel out of the Western Province until November 15 and for Imposing the so called ‘quarantine curfew”states TNA Jaffna District MP Sumanthiran in Parliament’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” – John (1:5) Let us remember George Floyd. Now the American people can begin to breathe. So can humanity. When Obama won, I wrote a piece from Geneva entitled ‘Barack Obama: History’s High Note’ (https://groundviews.org/2008/11/06/barack-obama-historys-high-note/) Maybe I should call …

Continue reading ‘Psychologically powered by Trump’s 2016 Victory ,the Gotabaya regime came into being as the last victory of global Alt-Right ultranationalism, the parabola of which has begun its descent with Trump’s defeat.’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara We are closed in, and the key is turned On our uncertainty…” – Yeats (The Stare’s Nest by my Window) What kind of government reduces expenditure on health in the midst of a global pandemic? In the first week of October, the Lankan Cabinet approved the Appropriations Bill for 2021. Of a …

Continue reading ‘Amidst a Raging Pandemic the Gotabaya-Mahinda Regime Reduces Allocations to Crucially Important Health Sector by Rs 29 Billion; Imagine the level of ignorance, the depth of self-delusion, the degree of myopia required for such a decision?’ »

By Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka A glass ceiling shattered in the United States of America just after 8:30 p.m. on 7 November, as Kamala Harris, Vice President-elect walked on stage in Wilmington, Delaware to thunderous applause to deliver her acceptance speech, just ahead of her boss, President-elect of the USA, Joe Biden. The sound of …

Continue reading ‘For the average Sri Lankan woman, making her own choice is challenged in numerous ways by the cultural, political and systemic impediments that are insistently placed in her way.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran US-Lanka relations will have to be seen in the context of US-China relations because as in the case of Trump, containment of China will be Biden’s focus in his policy on Asia, including South Asia. Therefore, Sri Lanka, with its growing economic ties with China, may continue to feel the pinch. But Biden’s …

Continue reading ‘USA Relationship With Sri Lanka is Likely to Take a Turn for the Better Under a Joe Biden -Kamala Harris Administration’ »

By Ranjith Padmasiri Attorney General Dappula de Livera has raised objections over ignoring senior members of his department for vacancies in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal which are to be expanded in terms of the 20th Amendment. The move came as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is now empowered to make appointments to …

Continue reading ‘A-G Dappula de Livera Protests against Move by President Rajapaksa to Appoint Additional Judges to Supreme Court and Appeal Court Overlooking Senior Officials of Attorney -Generals Dept and Conveys Objections to Prime Minister Rajapaksa’ »

By Asela Premachandra and sisters When the five-bench apex court confirmed the death penalty on Duminda Silva and his criminal cohorts for killing Bharatha Laksman Premachandra and three others, his political supporters screamed saying that they would bring “sir” to the presidency and get their leader released from prison. There was also a relentless and …

Continue reading ‘Murdered Ex-MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra’s Brother and Sisters Condemn Move to Release Murder Convict Duminda Silva From Prison’ »

Despite Northern health authorities expressing severe concerns over the conducting of a meeting with ministers and officials visiting from Colombo, a high-level meeting was held on Friday at the Jaffna District Secretariat (DS), disregarding COVID-19 health regulations.

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As the world watches transfixed in amazed horror, the spectacle of ‘these United States’ seemingly heading into a meltdown over the peaceful transition of power with the 2020 Presidential election racing to an unnerving photo finish, the clash here is not purely of civilizations a la Samuel Huntingdon, (Christianity versus Islamic). …

Continue reading ‘Current US Presidential Election is fundamentally a clash of competing ideologies between antipathy to democracy and the energy behind democracy’ »

By Gamini Weerakoon It is a matter of grave doubt whether any national leader or scoundrel would have had a varied and colourful record of achievements and debasements as Donald Trump in contemporary history. Trump confounded critics when he contested the American presidency four years ago, ridiculing and slandering what had been considered the sacred …

Continue reading ‘Donald Trump has not been written off history as anticipated by his critics because 40 to 50 percent of American voters have endorsed his gamut of outrageous actions by voting for him.’ »

By Tassie Seneviratne (The writer is a Retired Senior Superintendent of Police) On September 26, the President decreed: “It is the law because I say so.” And he went on to explain that his verbal orders must be considered as circulars coming from the ‘Executive President.’ Public Administration circulars that may contravene his verbal orders, …

Continue reading ‘President has undermined the Constitutional checks and balances for good governance, which he described as obstacles to his drive for delivering the people’s needs.Has the much needed ‘delivery’ to the people, become a reality?’ »

by Dr. Ravi Rannan-Eliya The increasing COVID-19 deaths in the past few days is a sign that the outbreak may be larger than our current constrained PCR testing is able to track. As I and others warned six months ago, we needed to ramp up PCR testing to keep the virus at bay and prevent …

Continue reading ‘“The increasing COVID-19 deaths in the past few days is a sign that the outbreak may be larger than our current constrained PCR testing is able to track. If we want to avoid lockdowns we need to replace it with widespread PCR testing on a routine basis”.’ »

The Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (BHRC) in a statement has expressed concern at reports of the continued detention of prominent human rights lawyer, Hejaaz Hizbullah, under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and urged his release. “BHRC urges the Sri Lankan Government to release Hejaaz Hizbullah from detention, to uphold …

Continue reading ‘Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales urges the Sri Lankan Government to release Lawyer Hejaaz Hizbullah from detention and to uphold the rule of law and its international legal obligations’ »

The Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on Wednesday held an advanced seminar on governance via video, strictly abiding by the health guidelines of both countries. Minister Song Tao of the International Department of Central Committee of CPC, Party Secretary Liu Cigui of CPC Provincial Committee of Hainan Province, …

Continue reading ‘Communist Party of China and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna are committed to jointly promote regular exchanges, engage in in-depth experience sharing on governance and enhance collaboration during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake What a great nation we are! We have a Cabinet Minister – the one in charge of health – offering to sacrifice herself to the sea, to save this country from the Covid pandemic. Shouldn’t we feel safe? Is she in fact offering to make this self-sacrifice to atone for the overall …

Continue reading ‘Will Maha Vikara Pavithra aand Govt Colleagues Usher in a new era that will move away from the Maha Sangha and give a towering place in society and governance to the Manthara Guru Kendraya?’ »

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s whirlwind visit last week has left in its trail many unanswered questions. It’s clear that for the US, this trip was all about signing up allies in its all-but-declared war against China, under the rubric of what it calls a ‘free and open Indo Pacific.’ The …

Continue reading ‘Dissonance in language used by the two sides About President Rajapaksa’s Meeting With Mike Pompeo has led to questions as to what really transpired in the meetings and whether any understandings were reached.’ »

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday said it was both impractical and difficult to close down the country until a cure for COVID-19 is found and therefore the public should be ready to return to normal lives while following health guidelines. The President made these remarks while participating at the launch of a new digital platform to …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says it is impractical to close down the country until a cure for COVID-19 is found and urges the public to be be ready to return to normal lives while following health guidelines’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Sri Lanka is currently experiencing two crises which will trigger the third. They stem from a common source and therefore can be resolved only if rectification takes place at that source, that root. One crisis is the second wave of COVID-19. It is manifest and acknowledged but its dimensions are played down …

Continue reading ‘The quintessence of the model and ethos of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime is weaponised Jathika Chinthana or Jathika Chinthana militarised.’ »

Never say Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves things to chance. After decisively winning the presidential election last November, putting family in charge of important government departments, suspending Parliament and finally winning postponed elections in early August in a landslide for his Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (slpp) and supporting parties, still the president insisted that “obstacles” to his …

Continue reading ‘“Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s martinet notions of a “disciplined society” risk dashing dreams of a plural, devolved Sri Lanka in which the Tamils and Muslims are as much a part of the polity as Sinhalese” -The Economist’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Pooling their manpower and expertise in a joint overnight operation, Sri Lanka’s navy, coast guard, local volunteers and conservation experts have rescued nearly 120 stranded whales back into the deep sea. On Monday afternoon, residents of Panadura — some 25 km south of Colombo on the island’s west coast — reported sighting …

Continue reading ‘120 Short -Finned Pilot Whales Stranded Along the Panadura Beach Pulled and Pushed Back Into Deep Sea in Combined Rescue Operation by Navy, Coastguard and Civilian Volunteers Guided by Marine Conservation Experts’ »

By Prof. S.Ratnajeevan H Hoole Sri Lanka’s 1978 Constitution kept the existing immoral foremost position for Buddhism and introduced a strong presidency that every government promised to abolish but once elected, never did. It allowed the Rajapaksa family – Mahinda, son Namal, brothers Basil and Gotabaya – to do egregious wrongs. Mahinda had a deal …

Continue reading ‘Hypothetically If Parliament passed a constitutional amendment with two-thirds majority saying all Tamils and Muslims must be lined up and shot unless they became Sinhalese-Buddhist and then the people approved this in a national referendum, Would the Supreme Court approve the change?’ »

By Col R Hariharan Overview The month of October was an eventful one for Sri Lanka. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution (20A) empowering the President was passed in parliament with two-thirds majority. The Covid-19 pandemic made a dramatic comeback in a second wave, to boost the virus-affected numbers which stood at 9,791 with 19 …

Continue reading ‘Whether it Likes it or not ,as a strategic pivot in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Sri Lanka is likely to find itself in the eye of US -China Cold War 2.0’s strategic storm in the Future .’ »

By Harsha Gunasena US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Sri Lanka after the recent visit of a high-powered Chinese delegation, led by senior Chinese leader and top foreign policy official Yang Jiechi, who is a member of the Communist Party of China’s Politburo and the Director of the Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Commission US …

Continue reading ‘If Sri Lanka moves towards China With the national problem remaining unresolved the country may inherit the same fate of President Jayewardene.’ »

Acknowledging the need to restrict freedom of movement and liberty of people in the interests of public health and public order during an extraordinary health emergency such as that facing the country at present, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has in a letter addressed to Health Minister Pavitra Wanniarachchi and Army Commander …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Chair Ramani Muttetuwegama Writes to Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi Recommending Guidelines to Regularie the Quarantine Process Under the Law While Ameliorating Hardships Imposed On the Public.’ »

by Saman Indrajith Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was told in Parliament yesterday not to play the race card with the sensitive issue of cremating Muslim COVID-19 victims to score political points by rousing communal disharmony. Justice Minister Ali Sabry said that the issue had been very sensitive to Muslims as cremation was in violation of …

Continue reading ‘Justice Minister Ali Sabry Tells Sajith Premadasa not to Play Politics and Create Communal Disharmony When the Opposition Leade Raised the Isuue of Cremating Muslim COVID -19 Victims in Violation of of Islamic Burial Rights’ »