By Jamila Husain Chinese officials have unofficially raised concerns with the Sri Lankan government over some incidents of discrimination faced by Chinese nationals in Sri Lanka, stating that they were being turned away from public areas such as restaurants, hotels, hospitals, spas and supermarkets by locals who were worried that they may be carrying the …

Continue reading ‘China Expresses Concern “Unofficially” Over Chinese Nationals Being Discriminated Against in Sri Lanka Due to Coronavirus Scare: Lankan Authorities Told that Chinese Being Turned Away from restaurants, hotels, hospitals, spas and supermarkets by locals’ »

By S. Jayanth Ten years after the end of the communal war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE), Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse has admitted that more than 20,000 missing persons during and after the war are “actually dead.” He was speaking to the UN Resident Coordinator Hanna Singer for Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer and the “Actually Dead” 20,000 Missing Persons of Sri Lanka’ »

By Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe reaffirmed his position in the party as its leader today and refrained from reappointing some key figures such as MPs Sarath Fonseka, Ajith P. Perera and Rosy Senanayake to the working committee. In the annual reconstitution of the working committee for 2020, …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Consolidates Position as UNP Leader After Re-constituted Working Committee Unanimously Elects him Party Leader; Sarath Fonseka,Rosy Senanayake and Ajith Perera not Appointed to WC’ »

by AJA Abeynayake and Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon MP Ranajana Ramanayake yesterday said that he had not telephoned judges and it was the latter who had called him. MP Ramanayake speaking from the dock and said that he had around 124,000 records of phone conversations he had had with many powerful persons including judges. A media …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake States in Court that he had Only Responded to Telephone Calls From Judges and that he had never Initiated Telephone Calls to Them;Ready to go to A-G Dept and Help With Investigations if Granted Bail says MP’ »

The United National Party Working Committee unanimously decided this afternoon to offer Sajith Premadasa the post of Prime Ministerial Candidate for the upcoming Parliamentary General elections, former Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella told EconomyNext. This would make him automatically the leader of the UNP-led New Democratic Front Alliance that will take on the Sri …

Continue reading ‘UNP Working Committee Unanimously Decides to Offer Premadasa the Prime Ministerial Candidacy and Leadership of UNP -led Election Alliance While Sajith and his Backers Keep Away From Meeting’ »

The United National Party (UNP) Working Committee has decided that party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will remain UNP leader. The decision was taken when the UNP Working Committee met today at the party headquarters in Sirikotha.

By Shamindra Ferdinando State Minister for International Cooperation Susil Premjayantha, yesterday, turned down UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa’s offer to serve as Prime Minister, in a government headed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Premjayantha said that there was nothing common in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s vision and that of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa. Addressing the media at …

Continue reading ‘Sajith Premadasa’s Offer to Work as Prime Minister Under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Dismissed Derisively by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna as “Talking Nonsense”.’ »

The National Peace Council (NPC) yesterday urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decide whether the national anthem will be sung in Tamil on Independence Day as soon as possible. “An issue that has surfaced and which is causing heartburn among Tamil-speaking citizens is the likelihood that the national anthem will not be sung in Tamil at …

Continue reading ‘“President Gotabaya Should make the Decision Regarding the Singing of the National Anthem in Tamil Prior to Independence Day when he will take the centre stage as the president of all Sri Lankans.” Says National Peace Council in Statement’ »

By H.I.Perera I have had the privilege of reading many letters published in The Island newspaper on the prevalent controversy in regard to the National Anthem, during the last few months. As far as I can remember, most of the writers had favored the conservative view that the National Anthem should be sung only in …

Continue reading ‘Hopes of Reconciliation Would be Totally Shattered Once the National Anthem is Sung only in Sinhala on the Next Independence Day’ »

By Kshama Ranawana It’s back to the drawing board for the Hathe Ape Potha, the supplementary reader on sexual and reproductive health. On Tuesday, January 21st, interested stakeholders, Buddhist clergy, officials of the Education and Health Ministries, Psychiatrists, representatives of the Child Protection Authority and Academics met for the second time to discuss whether or …

Continue reading ‘“Hathe Ape Potha” Controversy: Should the Supplementary Reader on Sexual and Reproductive Health for Grade Seven Students That Was Prepared With Great Care be Rejected to Appease Six Men and Their Supporters?’ »

By Chandani Kirinde The Government yesterday imposed restrictions on Chinese nationals visiting Sri Lanka and sent Lankan students returning from Wuhan Province in China to the Diyatalawa Army Camp to be kept under observation for two weeks after the first positive case of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was identified by health authorities in the country. …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Takes Urgent Measures to Combat Coronavirus Threat Emanating From China: Separate Arrival Section at Katunayake for Passengers from China;Visas to Lanka Wont Be Given to Applicants from High Risk Areas in China;All Chinese Nationals in Lanka Including Those With Work Permits to be Monitored by Health Personnel’ »

By Harsha Gunasena On 24 December, the Daily Mirror reported that, according to the Public Administration Ministry, the 72nd Independence Day celebrations will be held on 4 February at Independence Square in Colombo on a grand scale and the national anthem would be sung only in Sinhala. This is a deviation from the practice followed …

Continue reading ‘It is the Duty of the Govt to Have the National Anthem Sung in Sinhala and Tamil at the Independence Day Celebrations if Interests of the Country are Placed Ahead of their own Political Objectives.’ »

By Eranda Ginige I was studying in grade seven when I joined the Scout Association at my school. Scouts have a list of tasks to complete. When you complete them successively, you get various badges and promotions. One of the very first tasks was to sing the national anthem by yourself. The seniors told us …

Continue reading ‘There is Absolutely no Rational Reason to not sing the Tamil Translation of the National Anthem at Official Events of the State.’ »

(Text if a Statement Issued by the Women’s Action Network – a collective of nine women’s groups working in the North and East) Last week, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had told UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer that those reported missing from the war are “actually dead” and that the government would soon issue death certificates. Although …

Continue reading ‘The Silence of the UN After the Remarks made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa about thye “Missing” persons in SriLanka to the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo Hanaa Singer is Deeply Troubling -Women’s Action Network.’ »

(Excerpted from Compilation of Viewpoints Presented by Kamanthi Wickramasinghe in the “Daily Mirror” under the Heading “Singing National Anthem in Sinhala only Tug of war continues over ‘Matha’ and ‘Thaaye’) “I am strongly in favour of the national anthem being sung in both languages whenever and wherever appropriate, certainly at national Independence Day celebrations,” said …

Continue reading ‘“I am strongly in favour of the national anthem being sung in both languages whenever and wherever appropriate Like the national Independence Day celebrations,” – Dr. Devanesan Nesiah’ »

(Excerpted from Compilation of Viewpoints Presented by Kamanthi Wickramasinghe in the “Daily Mirror” under the Heading “Singing National Anthem in Sinhala only Tug of war continues over ‘Matha’ and ‘Thaaye’) “When Sri Lanka became an independent state in 1948 there was a competition to select a national anthem,” recalled veteran lyricist Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne . …

Continue reading ‘“Our National Anthem is a song that could be sung by people of all ethnicities and religions.” – Prof Sunil Ariyaratne’ »

by Ifham Nizam Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, yesterday promised a party where everybody would have a say and its leader could be expelled if he or she was at fault. Premadasa, speaking at a meeting consisting of parliamentarians, local council members, provincial council members and supporters, at the Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, …

Continue reading ‘Sajith Premadasa Tells Meeting of UNP MP’s, EX-PC Members and Local Govt Members that he Will Lead a New Alliance and win the Parliamentary Elections: Hakeem, Bathiudeen, Samarawickrama,Hashim and Karunanayake Notable Absentees at Event’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita The Cabinet decision to approve the construction of a coal power plant and two LNG plants ran counter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s promise to meet 80% of Sri Lanka’s energy needs through renewable sources by 2030, Secretary of Solar Industries Association (SIA), Lakmal Fernando told The Island yesterday. Last week, the Cabinet …

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Decision to Approve Construction of a Coal Power Plant and two LNG Plants ran Counter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Promise to meet 80% of Sri Lanka’s Energy Needs Through Renewable Sources by 2030 Points out Secretary of Solar Industries Association, Lakmal Fernando’ »

Politically affiliated criminals would not be punished by governments formed by the main political parties because leaders of both parties have close links to each other, MP Hirunika Premachandra said yesterday addressing a press conference at the Opposition Leader’s Office, Colombo 07. “Leaders of both parties are good friends, they cut deals and don’t punish …

Continue reading ‘Hirunika Premachandra MP Challenges President Gotabaya and Prime Minister Mahinda to Bring Former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran to Sri Lanka or Take Action Against Him’ »

By Ruki Fernando January 24, 2020, was 10 years since the disappearance of journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Ekneligoda. It also marked 10 years of struggle for truth and justice by his wife, Sandhya Ekneligoda and two young sons. Investigative reports by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the Homagama Magistrate Courts indicated that Ekneligoda was …

Continue reading ‘Ten Years After The Disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda His Courageous Wife Sandhya Ekneligoda Has Become an an Icon of Defiance, Resistance and Hope for Justice.’ »

By Jamila Husain President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed the UN that necessary investigations would be conducted to find out the fate of those who had disappeared during the island’s civil conflict as most of the families had attested that those disappeared had been recruited or forcibly conscripted by the LTTE. The Presidential Secretariat said the …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Did Not Make Any Reference to or Acknowledge that 2000 Reported as Disappeared are Dead in Conversation with UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer and Has Been Misquoted in the Media Clarifies Presidential Secretariat’ »

The Government of India has decided to confer Padma Shri Awards on Deshabandu Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and Late Prof. Indra Dassanayake for their pioneering contributions in their individual fields of work and for strengthening India-Sri Lanka ties, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said. Padma Shri Awards are one of the highest civilian awards in …

Continue reading ‘India Confers Prestigious Padma Shri Awards Upon Legendary Dancer and Dance School Principal Dr. Vajira Chitrasena and the Late Professor of Hindi at Kelaniya University Dr.Indra Dassanayake’ »

by Zacki Jabbar The UNP, while pledging support to the Rajapaksa government’s fresh investigations into the Easter Sunday bomb explosions at three churches and three luxury hotels on April 21 last year, says that former President Maithripala Sirisena, who was also the then Defence Minister, is answerable for ignoring intelligence warnings and leaving for Singapore …

Continue reading ‘If Rajapaksa Govt is Serious About Ensuring Justice for Victims of Easter Bomb Attacks, It Should Immediately Arrest Ex-President Maithripala Sirisena Who has No Presidential Immunity And Produce him in Courts says UNP Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara’ »

By Rajpal Abeynayake Picking the most valuable player in a cricket tournament may be a tad easier than picking the most effective talent in a political entity, particularly a relatively new one. Or a new governing coalition. But if we put the idea to a test, would there be general agreement on the most valuable …

Continue reading ‘With a Parliamentary Election Being on the Cards The Most Valuable Player for the Sri Lanka Podujana Party-Led Government is Basil Rajapaksa’ »

BY Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Notwithstanding understandable wrath that Sri Lankans may feel over political betrayals of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe coalition during 2015-2019, the way forward does not lie in giving sweeping majorities to any political force in the upcoming General Elections. A despicable political culture True, the scorching fury of ‘good governance’ being replaced by ‘no-governance’ …

Continue reading ‘Is a Presidential Directive By Gotabaya Rajapaksa Needed for the police to “effect arrests only on strict compliance with the law and without undue influence?”’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando Government Spokesman State Power Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said on Wednesday, January 22, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to increase the daily wage of an estate worker to Rs. 1,000 from March 01, 2020, had not been seriously opposed by the Employers’ Federation of Ceylon. Addressing the media at the Prime Minister’s Office, lawmaker …

Continue reading ‘Government Spokesman Mahindananda Aluthgamage States Govt Is Going Ahead with President Gotabaya’s Decision to Increase Daily Wage of Estate Workers to 1000 Rupees From March 1st:”Contrary to Claims Plantation Companies Can Afford to Pay Rs 1000 Daily Wage”Says State Minister’ »

One-time Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawarachchi has been appointed Director General, Multi Development Task Force responsible for high profile project to recruit and train 100,000 members of low income families. The project implemented in line with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s 2019 presidential poll pledge aimed to uplift the living standards of the poorest …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Appoints Ex- Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawarachchi as Director General of the Multi Development Task Force Responsible for Recruiting and Training 100,000 Members of Low Income Families Without Interference From Govt MP’s’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Government has declared areas in Chundi-kulam, Delft Island, Adam’s Bridge, Kotuaththawala, Kayankerni, and Madu Road as national parks. Moving the motion on Thursday in Parliament, Environment and Wildlife Resources, and Lands and Land Development Minister S.M. Chandrasena held some of these new national parks have already been longstanding sanctuaries with high levels …

Continue reading ‘Six Areas in North including Southern Delft, Chundikulam, Adam’s Bridge Islets and Madu Road Sanctuary Declared as National Parks by Govt’ »

By Meera Srinivasan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent remarks that those reported missing from the time of the civil war were “actually dead” have sparked concern among families of disappeared persons. Relatives, mostly women, of thousands reported missing have been protesting in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority north and east for nearly three years now, demanding that authorities …

Continue reading ‘“How Could The LTTE Have Killed Those Who Surrendered to the Army After the War Ended?” Family Members of Persons Reported Missing Question President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Recent Statement to UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake A good amount of my life as a journalist had to do with covering Parliament. I’ve seen and heard great debates, listened to members skilled in debate, who were rich with humour, satire, ridicule and sarcasm. There were members who spoke for hours on rich content, and some who brought fun to …

Continue reading ‘Whatever Flaws and Faults that may be Found of his Alleged Violations of the Laws of the Land Ranjan Ramanayake has done a Great Service to the People by this Staggering Exposure of a Dirty, Shady and Crooked Legislature.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando A group of lawyers, yesterday (24), protested at Hultsdorp against what a spokesman for them, Sunil Watagala, called the Attorney General resorting to arbitrary actions in the wake of leaked audio clips containing conversations between judges and UNP lawmaker Ranjan Ramanayake. Attorney-at-law Watagala alleged that the Attorney General hadn’t followed the proper …

Continue reading ‘Group of Lawyers Protest Against Attorney – General Dappula de Livera’s Procedure Violating Arbirary Action in Ordering Police to Take Into Custody the Interdicted High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya’ »

By Dhammike Amarasinghe I presume that many people consider the mere idea of singing a National Anthem in more than one language strange and an anomaly. In this context it would be best to examine what the international practice is. I invite readers to refer to the articles titled ‘ List of National Anthems’ and …

Continue reading ‘Examining the International Practice of Countries Singing the National Anthem in More Than One Language’ »

Refuting allegations that former Lake House chief Krishantha Cooray is linked to the Swiss embassy saga, the main opposition United National Party (UNP) said there is a conspiracy afoot to discredit Cooray and other media personnel not toeing the government line. Speaking to reporters at the Opposition Leader’s Office this morning, UNP MPs Ajith P …

Continue reading ‘Attempts to Link Ex- Lake House Chairman Krishantha Cooray and Former “Sunday Observer” Editor Dharisha Bastians with Swiss Embassy Staffer Incident is Part of Govt Strategy to Drive Fear Into Media Personnel Say UNP Parliamentarians Eran Wickramaratne and Ajith P Perera’ »

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana (The following is a transcription of the lively speech Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake made on January 21 (Tuesday) in Parliament regarding the leaked telephone conversations, he had with prominent personalities, which have put the lawmakers in hot water.) “I relate my story to all the people in this country. Firstly …

Continue reading ‘“100 MP’s Have Bar Permits, Two MP’s are Trafficking Drugs While One MP Engages in Racing and betting” – Transcript of Ranjan Ramanayake’s Revelatory Speech in Parliament on Jan 21’ »

By Ajith Siriwardana UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra today claimed that the leaked second phone recording clip said to be of her and MP Ranjan Ramanayake was maliciously edited and vowed to take legal action against those who published the clips. Posting a video on her facebook account, she said the content and voice in the …

Continue reading ‘Hirunika Premachandra says Leaked Second Phone Clip With Conversation Between Ranjan Ramanayake has Been Maliciously Edited:MP Alleges leaking recordings is part of an agenda to create opinion to show that Duminda Silva was a political prisoner.’ »

by Bishop Duleep de Chickera With Freedom (Independence) Day in sight we should be reflecting on how best our freedom gained, is to be consolidated and what new freedoms are to be secured. As change occurs, our perception of life grows and our understanding of ethics evolve, the human quest to stay free never ceases. …

Continue reading ‘Far From Banning the Singing of the National Anthem in One Language we must Ensuring that it is Sung with Dignity in Both Languages on Freedom Day and all National Occasions.’ »

Last month India changed the law to make it easier for adherents of all the subcontinent’s religions, except Islam, to acquire citizenship. At the same time, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (bjp) wants to compile a register of all India’s 1.3bn citizens, as a means to hunt down illegal immigrants . Those sound like technicalities, …

Continue reading ‘“Narendra Modi’s Apparent Determination to Transform India From a Tolerant, Multi-Religious Place into a Chauvinist Hindu State”-The Economist’ »

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered measures to prevent the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (formerly Burma). The decision comes despite de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi defending her country against the accusations in person last month. Thousands of Rohingya died and more than 700,000 fled to Bangladesh during an army …

Continue reading ‘International Court of Justice Issues Unanimous Ruling Ordering Myanmar to take “all measures within its power” to Prevent Serious Risk of Genocide of the Rohingyas Despite Aung San Suu Kyi Defending Her Country at Hague’ »

By Nick Beake This judgment has surely obliterated any remnants of Aung San Suu Kyi’s international reputation. Remember, she didn’t have to go to The Hague and become the embodiment of Myanmar’s defence. She chose to argue, in person, there was no mass murder, rape or arson. Even her biggest critics used to acknowledge she …

Continue reading ‘Aung San Suu Kyi Falls From Grace Completely By Going in Person to ICJ and Trying to Justify the Actions of the Burmese Army Generals’ »

By Anna Holligan It was an unexpected detour that led Abubacarr Tambadou from his home in the tiny West African country of The Gambia to experience an epiphany on the edge of a refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar. Listening to survivors’ stories he said the “stench of genocide” began drifting across the border into Bangladesh …

Continue reading ‘Gambian Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou:Man with Courage, Skills and Humanity Holding Myanmar/Burma Accountable for Atrocities Against Rohingyas’ »

UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella yesterday said that any decision on party leadership will have to be approved by the Working Committee and be announced at a party convention, but was unclear when a new Working Committee would be appointed. Commenting on the ongoing leadership standoff, Kiriella warned that it should not affect party unity, which …

Continue reading ‘Any Decision on UNP Leadership will Have to be Taken by theParty Working Committee and Endorsed at the Party Convention Says Lakshman Kiriella’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Lawmakers yesterday called on the Speaker to ensure all details of the Central Bank’s forensic audit reports are released, after some sections and annexures were found missing in the CD distributed to parliamentarians. Lawmakers from both sides, bringing the issue to the attention of the Speaker, held the full report should be …

Continue reading ‘Both Govt and Opposition MP’s Complain Over Some Sections and Annexures Being Missing From Central Bank Forensic Audit Reports Released to Parliament’ »

(Text of a press release issued by theMedia Office of the Tamil National Alliance) R. Sampanthan 21/01/2020 Member of Parliament Trincomalee Statement of urgent public importance pertaining to the Bungalow of the Leader of the Opposition and other matters related thereto. Dear Hon. Speaker, You recognized me as the Leader of the Opposition of the …

Continue reading ‘“I did not request either the Hon. Speaker, Mr. Karu Jayasuriya, or the Hon. Prime Minister, Mr. Ranil Wickermasinghe, to permit me to continue to occupy the Opposition Leader’s Bungalow.”- R.Sampanthan MP’ »

By Chandani Kirinde President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday expanded the scope of a Commission of Inquiry (COI) he appointed two weeks ago to look into political victimisation during the previous Government to ascertain if investigations and legal proceedings against members of the Tri-Forces, Police and public services had an impact on the national security of the …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Expands Scope of Commission of Inquiry to Probe and Ascertain if Actions against Tri-Forces, Police and Public officials Impacted National Security’ »

By Joe Wallen The new Sri Lankan president has finally admitted the 20,000 missing Tamils who vanished during the nation’s civil war are dead. Gotabaya Rajapaksa – who was then defence secretary – led government troops to victory over Tamil soldiers, but his forces were accused of carrying out mass disappearances and executions. It is …

Continue reading ‘New Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Admits That the 20,000 Tamils Reported Missing During the Nation’s Civil War are Dead.’ »

The Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar yesterday issued summons for 14 individuals, including the former Commander of the Navy Admiral (Retd) Wasantha Karannagoda, to appear before the Court on 24 January over the alleged abduction and enforced disappearance for eleven youths in 2008. The 11 youths had been abducted in Colombo and the suburbs between 2008 …

Continue reading ‘Permanent High Court Trial at Bar Hearing Alleged Abduction of 11 Youths for Ransom by Navy Issues Summons to 14 Persons Including Ex-Navy Chief Adm(Retd)Wasantha Karannagoda to Appear Before Court on Jan 24’ »

By Saman Indrajith UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday said in parliament that he would request for two days bail for him to table all the evidence in his possession with regard to phone records scandal. He said that he was in a difficult position to table those material as he had promised on Tuesday as …

Continue reading ‘Remanded MP Ranjan Ramanayake Says He Requires Two days Bail to Retrieve Audio CD’s of his Telephone Conversation Recordings from a Private Bank Locker and Table Them in Parliament’ »

by Sudharshan Seneviratne (Emeritus Professor. University of Peradeniya. Sri Lanka’s former High Commissioner to India) Introduction Foreign Policy (FP) represents the long arm of the State protecting and imaging its national interest and projecting overseas all aspects of an independent sovereign State. As such, Foreign Policy is essentially based on a fundamental principle – that …

Continue reading ‘Facets of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Foreign Policy Vision: Internalizing Inclusivity and Internationalizing Exclusivity’ »

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, told the UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer here on Friday, that whether he gets the support of the Tamil political parties or not, he will develop the war-shattered economy of the Tamil-majority Northern Province, the Presidential Media Division said. On the issue of the missing, he said that, whether they …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Tells UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer that whether he gets the Support of the Tamil Political Parties or not, he will Develop the War-shattered Economy of the Tamil-majority Northern Province.’ »

By Maria Abi-Habib and Dharisha Bastians Dashing the hopes of thousands of families desperate for word about loved ones who went missing during Sri Lanka’s long, grisly civil war, the country’s new president has offered an unsparing rebuff to their quest for closure. The missing are in fact dead, said the president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and …

Continue reading ‘‘I Can’t Bring Back the Dead’: Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Tries to Bring an End to the Search for Persons Reported Missing During the War’ »

By Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa Traders in the Dambulla Dedicated Economic Center said a sharp drop in the prices of vegetables was being experienced at present and that it was mainly due to large stocks of vegetables arriving from the North.

By Saman Indrajith Former Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, yesterday (21) apologised to all those who had got into trouble due to the leak of recordings of his telephone conversations with him. Speaking during the Parliamentary debate, MP Ramanayake said it had not been his intention to make the recordings of his conversations public. “The recordings …

Continue reading ‘Remanded MP Ranjan Ramanayake Addresses Parliament and Challenges Govt to Appoint a Presidential Commission to Investigate his Leaked Telephone Conversation Recordings: Says “I am willing to appear before the commission with all the information I have.”’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday approved the tabling of forensic audit reports on bond transactions of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), arguing that the release of the documents would not impact investigations or legal proceedings. Justifying his decision to release the forensic audit report yesterday in Parliament, the Speaker held that …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Approves Tabling in Parliament of Forensic Audit Reports on Bond Transactions of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Says Release of Documents Wont Impact investigations or Legal Proceedings.’ »

By Saman Indrajith UNP MP Hirunika Premachandra said that some of the recordings of telephone conversations between her and MP Ranjan Ramanayake had been tampered with. Premachandra said that there was a sinister campaign to tarnish her image. She had filed complaints against four television channels for defamation, the MP said.

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwadana MP Ranjan Ramanayake today tabled in Parliament several CDs containing audio clips of phone conversations he has had with many people including a few heads of State. He did so while stating in Parliament that he was tabling the CDs containing telephone conversations he has had with politicians of …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake MP Tables in Parliament Audio CD’s of Recorded Telephone Conversations With Several Persons Including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Perpetual Treasuries Head Arjun Aloysius and Parliamentarian Kanchana Wijesekera’ »

By K. Ratnayake US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice G. Wells delivered a letter from President Donald Trump to President Gotabhaya Rajapakse during a one-day trip to Sri Lanka last Wednesday. The letter, according to the media, emphasised the White House’s “commitment and interest in furthering and deepening …

Continue reading ‘US Deputy Asst Secretary of State Alice Wells Delivers Letter From US President Trump to President Gotabaya and Conveys “message” That Washington will not Tolerate any Weakening of the Military and Political Relations it Built-up over Four Years With Sri Lanka under Sirisena Govt’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita The government must immediately expose the high profits made by the plantation companies and inform the public that they could easily give their workers a daily basic salary of Rs. 1,000, the 1000 Movement, a collective of unions and civil society activists, said yesterday. Chinthaka Rajapakshe, Moderator of the Movement for Land …

Continue reading ‘Plantation Companies Making Huge Profits are Refusing to Pay 1000 Rupee Daily Wage to Estate Workers By Misleading Govt and Public About the Actual Profits They Make Charges MONLAR Moderator Chinthaka Rajapakshe’ »

By Victor Ivan The collection of recorded telephone conversations of Ranjan Ramanayaka can be said to have become a kind of collection of short films that reveal the degeneration of the entire institutional system of the country while conveying the message of it to the people in a simple and straightforward way. The reading habits …

Continue reading ‘The Damage Done to the Judiciary by Sarath Silva as Attorney – General and Chief Justice Long Before The Ranjan Ramanayake’s Telephone Recordings Controversy’ »

The Government yesterday remained firm on the proposed daily wage hike for estate workers from March and asked the plantation firms to come up with a new formula to offer relief whilst minimising damage to financial viability. The outcome follows the Ceylon Planters Association and the Employers Federation of Ceylon meeting Plantation Industries Minister Dr. …

Continue reading ‘Planters Association and Employers Federation of Ceylon Unwilling to Comply with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Directive to Pay Estate Workers a 1000 Rupee Daily Wage but Govt Stands Firm’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Thousands of persons reported missing since the time of Sri Lanka’s civil war are “actually dead”, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said. The President made the remark in a recent meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator, according to a statement from his office. Outlining his plans to address the issue of missing persons, …

Continue reading ‘President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Tells UN Resident Coordinator that Persons Reported Missing During Civil War are Actually Dead and Steps Would be Taken to Issue Death Certificat After Necessary Investigations’ »

The Sri Lankan Wildlife Department has been able to retrace the Sri Lankan Black Panther that was once considered to be long extinct. Out of the eight species of panthers living in the world, the sub-species, Sri Lankan Panther is extraordinary due to its very limited population. The Sri Lankan black panther is believed to …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Black Panther Thought to Be Extinct Re-discovered Again in the Island; Wild Life Dept Camera Footage Proves Existence of One Male,Female and Two Cubs’ »

By Mani Velupillai Almost all our public figures have disapproved of the leak of Ranjan Ramanayake’s phone recordings. They include Ramanayake’s celluloid colleagues, fellow politicians, some members of the clergy, officials and even journalists. It is a moot point, however, whether Ramanayake’s critics represent themselves or the public or both. Apparently they impute their own …

Continue reading ‘Can Ranjan Ramanayake’s Critics Deny That he Has “revealed the deteriorated and corrupt nature of society including the corrupt nature of the top hierarchy of the key sectors?”’ »

By P.K.Balachandran India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who was on short visit here on Saturday, has told the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that it is important that India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives review the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) regime, enhance it, and include other regional countries as observers. The MDA regimen …

Continue reading ‘Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval Rushed to Colombo After Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s Visit to Place Certain Demands Before President Gotabaya Relating to New Delhi’s Concerns Over Increased Chinese Activity in the Maritime Regions of South Asia.’ »

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday, expressed surprise at the UNP’s sudden aversion to the MCC pact. Issuing a press release, Rajapaksa said that Opposition Leader, Sajith Premadasa, who was the Deputy Leader of the UNP and key member of the UNP Cabinet, before the Presidential election, had been silent on the MCC pact promoted by …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Questions the Political Morality of Sajith Premadasa for Saying now that he wants to Tear Up the MCC Pact While Having Remained Totally Silent When the Cabinet he was Part of Announced it was Going to Sign the MCC Pact’ »

Veteran Sunday Island columnist, C.A.Chandraprema, has been appointed as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations in Geneva, within which is located the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). At the UNHRC, Chandraprema will be expected to take up the cudgels on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka against Sri Lanka baiters from Western …

Continue reading ‘Senior Journalist C.A.Chandraprema Appointed as Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva:Author of Gotabaya Rajapaksa Biography “Gota’s War” Will Go To War Defending Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Back in his school days, Firi Rahman, 29, used to feel embarrassed to bring his friends home. Having heard people refer to his neighbourhood as a “slum” or “a den of drug dealers”, he wasn’t sure how his friends would react. “Those of us who belonged to this area felt stigmatised,” recalls …

Continue reading ‘Residents of Malay-Muslim Locality in Colombo Known as Slave Island are Telling Stories About People In Their Neighbourhood Through Painting Wall Portraits’ »

By Meera Srinivasan National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Saturday met Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo and discussed key bilateral issues including economic development and strategic cooperation. “A very cordial discussion was held with National Security Advisor of #India, Ajit Doval today. Strengthening of bilateral cooperation on national security, intelligence sharing, maritime security …

Continue reading ‘India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval Arrives in Colombo Without Advance Announcement to Meet President Gotabaya Within a week of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s Declaration of Not Letting “Outside Influences” to Interfere in Sri Lanka; Among Issues Dicussed was “Countering and Preventing Debt Traps”.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunayake We are suddenly given an exposure to the crafty and deceitful politics. R-R with his ‘One Shot’ reputation is giving much more than just one shot. It is a chain of telephone call recordings, that we are told is illegal because no recording caution had been given. Recording caution is the stuff …

Continue reading ‘Let’s Hope the Attorney -General’s Dept Will Take Action Over the Recorded Telephone Call by SB Dissanayake To Palitha Range Bandara Offering Huge Sums of Cash to Cross Over From UNP to the Maithri-Mahinda Govt of October 2018?’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Leaked phone conversations between a politician and judicial officers with more details due to emerge has led to the interdiction of a Magistrate and inquiries into other judges even as the Sri Lankan public remain tantalised by these unfolding scandals. Weighty matters of governance are left discarded, the soaring cost of …

Continue reading ‘Viral Spreading of Ranjan Ramanayake’s Phone Recordings Cannot be Stopped by Law in the Context of Unrestrained and Vicious Attacks on the Judiciary in Unregulated Social Media’ »

BY JAMILA HUSAIN Following the surprising revelation by UNP MP Harin Fernando that there were numerous recordings of conversations with current government members in MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s possession as well, the Daily Mirror learns that some ruling MPs had held informal discussions over the matter yesterday.

By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is to visit New Delhi in early February at the invitation of the Indian Premier Narendra Modi, will be discussing economic cooperation more than anything else, according to informed sources. The reason cited for this is that Prime Minister Mahinda is also Minister for Finance, Economy …

Continue reading ‘Although the Indian Establishment was Not Convinced About the Rajapaksa Brothers Being Trustworthy, New Delhi’s Attitude Underwent a Swift Change After Gotabaya won the Presidential Election Convincingly’ »

The government has deployed intelligence officers to find out if the Grama Niladaris are doing a proper job in recommending people for a programme to provide 100,000 jobs to eligible persons from low income groups. They will also monitor the performance of Grama Niladaris in a programme to provide food for the poor.

Respect for fundamental human rights in Sri Lanka is in serious jeopardy following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election as president in November 2019, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2020. Rajapaksa, along with his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was named prime minister, were implicated in numerous human rights violations during their previous years in …

Continue reading ‘Any Progress in Restoring Human Rights and Re-building Democracy in Sri Lanka in Grave Peril Following Election of Gotabaya as President says “Human Rights Watch” in its Annual World Report’ »

By Deepal Samarasiri However authentic or not the reports are about Ranjan Ramanayake one thing is certain. When the new government came into power there were high hopes that at least now the people in the country would be able to survive without having to pay exorbitantly for their daily bread. The farmers are very …

Continue reading ‘Are the So Called Telephone Conversations of Ranjan Ramanayake, “Red Herrings” to Divert the Public Away From The Burning Issues of the Day Including the Rise in Prices of Basic Necessities After The New Govt Came Into Power?’ »

By Yohan Perera The fifty two MPs who claimed they have elected Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa as the new leader of the UNP yesterday said they will seek the party’s working committee approval for the new appointment. UNP MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara told journalists yesterday that they will seek party’s working committee approval for …

Continue reading ‘52 MP’s Have Elected Sajith Premadasa as UNP Leader Pending Working Committee Approval say Parliamentarians Madduma Bandara, Harin Fernando, Sarath Fonseka and Dilip Wedaarachchi’ »

By Charumini de Silva President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has created a fresh storm with his directive to hike estate worker wages by 17% to Rs. 1,000 from March whilst a Collective Agreement is in place and with the plantations companies, already in crisis, saying they have no capacity to pay. The plantation companies and the Employers’ …

Continue reading ‘Despite Receiving Generous Financial Relief Package From New Govt, Plantation Companies are Unwilling to Grant Rs 145 Daily Wage Increase to Estate Workers as Directed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’ »

By Yohan Perera UNP Parliamentary Group meeting which was held today at its Headquarters Sirikotha ended up abruptly without a decision as to who would become the next leader of the party. Informed sources said some members wanted a vote to decide on the leadership but several including Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Vajira Abeywardene, General …

Continue reading ‘Ranil and his Loyalists Including Vajira, Sagala and Akila Viraj Walk Out of UNP Parliamentary Group Meeting After Sajith Faction Calls For Vote to Elect Party Leader; Remaining 52 MP’s Favoured Premadasa in Unofficial Vote Tweets Harsha de Silva’ »

By K. Thirukumaran Tamils have celebrated Thai Pongal in one form or the other over millennia. Celebrating Thai Pongal nowadays in its traditional, purposeful piety and outdoor gala continues to evolve as vast numbers of diaspora Tamil communities exist in far corners away from their homelands. They also live far from ancestral agrarian and village …

Continue reading ‘Many Facets of Thai Pongal: Pongal the Traditional Tamil Thanksgiving Festival’ »

By Prof. S.Ratnajeevan H.Hoole As a Tamil I take the position that I am better off without the police because I get more harassment than protection from them. The video of an IGP assaulting an employee in a lift bears testimony to how committed the police are to law and order. I have dealt in …

Continue reading ‘“As a Tamil I Take the Position that I am Better off Without the Police Because I get more Harassment than Protection from them.” Says Ratnajeevan Hoole Citing Three Road Incidents With Police as Examples’ »

UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who was arrested yesterday over his leaked phone recordings faces, losing his civic rights for seven years as well as a year-long imprisonment if found guilty after the Attorney General (AG) directed that he be charged for offences under Article 111 C (2) of the Constitution. Ramanayake, who is embroiled in …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake Arrested by Police CCD;MP Will be Charged Under Article 111 C(2) of the Constitution;Likely to Lose Civic Rights for Seven Years and Serve One Year Imprisonment if Found Guilty’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has pledged not to allow “any outside influences” to interfere with Sri Lanka’s internal matters, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office said on Tuesday. “As Sri Lanka’s strategic partner China will continue to standby Sri Lanka’s interests. China stands for the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence. We …

Continue reading ‘“We will not allow any outside influences to interfere with matters that are essentially internal concerns of Sri Lanka” Declares Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Colombo’ »

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided the minimum daily wage of estate workers to be Rs. 1,000 with effect from 1 March this year. It was also decided to take swift measures to develop all areas of the plantation sector, including infrastructure facilities.

UNP yesterday suspended the party membership of Gampaha district Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake. United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe took the decision after a number of complaints alleging derogatory comments by and behaviour of the MP were received by the party, said UNP General Secretary MP Akila Viraj Kariyawasam at a press conference held at …

Continue reading ‘UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe Suspends Gampaha District MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s Party Membershop Pending Endorsement by UNP Working Committee’ »

Ranil Wickremesinghe is ready to renounce his party leadership but will only do so leaving behind a united and strong party, said UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam ata press conference held yesterday. Kariyawasam made the comment in response to a question posed regarding the party leadership issue which will be taken up at the …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Ready to Give Up United National Party Leadership After Ensuring a United and Strong Party says UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam.’ »

By Anurangi Singh and Maneshka Borham Just hours after the arrest of United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake last week by the Colombo South Crimes Division of the Police, social media platforms were flooded with recordings of private conversations which had allegedly taken place between the MP and a number of prominent and popular …

Continue reading ‘“RanjaGate”:Alleged Recordings of Ranjan Ramanayake’s Conversations Lead to Legal Luminaries and Social Activists Expressing Concerns and Calling for a Right to Privacy Act to be Implemented in the Country’ »

By Miguel R Ramos, postdoctoral research associate at the University of Oxford; Douglas Massey, professor of sociology at Princeton University; Matthew Bennett, senior lecturer in social policy at University of Birmingham; and Miles Hewstone, emeritus professor of social psychology and public policy at the University of Oxford. The ethnic and religious composition of many modern …

Continue reading ‘New Research Study Reveals that Positive Effect of Mixing with Members of Different Groups Enables Countries to Adapt to Diversity as Time Goes on and Experience Growth as a Result.’ »

(Text of “Thaippongal”message issued by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa) I wish the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and the world over, a delightful Thai Pongal Festival. Sri Lanka is a nation of diverse nationalities coexisting peacefully. Each of those nationalities have their own, unique cultural celebrations that add color and vibrancy to the Sri Lankan …

Continue reading ‘“The Thai Pongal festival is an important cultural event celebrated by the Tamil community throughout the world. My heartfelt greetings to the Tamil community celebrating ” in Sri Lanka and the world over” Says Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Special Message Issued for “Thaippongal”’ »

By Shivanthi Ranasinghe The upcoming week promises to be an unusually interesting one for Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. On January 14, he will be separately meeting two Foreign Ministers, Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Wang Yi China, and the US Assistant Secretary of State, Alice Wells. With the UNHRC March session around the corner, …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Meetings This Week with Wells, Lavrov and Wang Yi Will Enable Lankan President to re-affirm close ties with Russia and China and find Common ground with the US.’ »

by Zacki Jabbar UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is under fire, following a leak of his telephone conversations during the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration, says the investigative methods adopted by him may be questionable, but the ultimate objective was to ensure truth and justice. Ramanayake said last week that his actions were aimed at unravelling serious crimes …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake says the investigative methods adopted by him may be questionable but the ultimate objective was to expose wrongs that had been committed and ensure victims were able to obtain just remedies’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardena Handwringing by Government politicians over leaked tape recordings of phone conversations between prosecutors, judicial officers and a United National Party politician known more for his brawn than his brain, (this worthy’s cerebral power appears to be even less than commonly perceived), is hypocritical in the extreme. Historic undermining of the judicial …

Continue reading ‘The Question that Arises after Revelations Made by the Ranjan Ramanayake Recordings is How Serving Judicial Officers and Prosecutors Could have been so senseless enough to engage in these Conversations in the first place.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan More than three decades after Sri Lanka recognised Tamil as an official language like Sinhala, you would expect a debate on singing the national anthem in Tamil to be redundant. However, a controversy erupted recently after local media reported the Public Administration Ministry’s decision to drop the Tamil version of the country’s …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Public Administration Ministry’s decision to drop the Tamil Version of the Country’s National Anthem from The First Independence Day Celebration After Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Became President Creates Controversy’ »

By Sandun Jayawardana Bombshell revelations contained in phone recordings allegedly involving United National Party (UNP) MP Ranjan Ramanayake largely overshadowed this week’s House debate on the policy statement of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. As one alleged phone conversation after another leaked onto social media and some even making their way to mainstream media, the matter was …

Continue reading ‘Bombshell Revelations Contained in Phone Recordings Allegedly Involving United National Party MP Ranjan Ramanayake Largely Overshadowed Parliamentary Debate on the Policy Statement of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.’ »

By Chris Kamalendran Around 3000 Sri Lankan refugees living in India are willing to return to their motherland on their own accord, International Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the Sunday Times. In his first official visit to India as minister in charge of foreign affairs early this week, Mr Gunawardena met India’s External Affairs Minister …

Continue reading ‘Around 3000 of the 80,000 Sri Lankans Living as Refugees in India are Willing to Return Home Voluntarily Says Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardene After Having Talks With India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishanker in New Delhi’ »

Opposition Leader and UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, who held the Cultural Affairs portfolio under the previous government, is likely to face a police investigation into disbursement of large amount of funds. The matter came up for discussion at a top-level meeting where Central Cultural Fund disbursements were discussed. Earlier, it was the subject of …

Continue reading ‘Police Investigation to be Launched Into Large Amounts of Allegedly Irregular Donations Being Paid to Buddhist Temples from the Central Cultural Fund by Sajith Premadasa While Holding the Portfolio of Cultural Affairs Minister’ »

By P.K.Balachandran The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), whose Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the November 16 election without the support of the minority Tamils and Muslims, and is still to reach out to them in any overt way, is likely to build bridges with them after the April 2020 parliamentary elections, sources close …

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa Regime Unlikely to Reach Out To Tamils and Muslims Before Parliamentary Elections as New Govt Wants to Retain Its Sinhala Constituency by Continuing With Hardline Majoritarian Stance.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake A cartoon in The Island earlier this week showed the citizen seeking shelter from the rain of the Ranjan Ramanayake phone call exposures. We now seem to be moving more to a reign, than just rain, with the One Shot call soon reigning over the coming general election campaign. It is interesting …

Continue reading ‘Ranjan Ramanayake and his Telephone Call Recordings will soon be the Slogan of the “Pohottuwa” team as it moves into Election Campaign Action.’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, yesterday, said that it would be the responsibility of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya to take action in respect of the recent disclosure of UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake’s audio clips. Government Spokesman State Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, on Wednesday (08), said that there were a staggering 121,000 audio clips collected …

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Says it is the responsibility of the Chief Justice to take Action Regarding Disclosures Made by Ranjan Ramanayake’s Audio Clips Relating to Conversations with Members of the Judiciary.”Judicial Services Commission also Must Help Clear Up This Mess”Says Ex-President’ »

TNA leader R. Sampanthan on Wednesday, January 08 told parliament that his party was ready to work with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Commenting on President Rajapaksa’s policy statement, MP Sampanthan said that Gotabaya Rajapaksa had polled seven million votes. “Eighty five per cent of the Tamil people, on our call, voted against him; he could not …

Continue reading ‘“President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who is not a politician is prepared to speak the truth and to do the right thing. If he is making any errors, we need to advise and correct him. We are prepared to work with him.”- TNA Leader R.Sampanthan in Parliament’ »

By Nimanthi Ranasinghe MP Ranjan Ramanayake yesterday filed a motion against the disclosure of telephone recordings – seized by the police during his arrest – to media platforms. When the motion was filed before Nugegoda Magistrate U.K. Pelpola, the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) was ordered to produce facts to court on January 17 on how …

Continue reading ‘Nugegoda Magistrate U.K.Pelpola Orders CCD to Inform Court on Jan 17 as to how Voice Recordings Seized From Ranjan Ramanayake’s House Were Leaked to the Media Following Motion Filed by MP Against Disclosure of Telephone Recordings Seized by Police to Media Platforms’ »

By Indika Ramanayaka On the instructions of the Acting IGP, an investigation has been launched against Colombo South Crime Division OIC IP Jayantha Silva for failing to resist from being embraced by MP Ranjan Ramanayake when the latter was being taken into custody last Saturday, sources from the police headquarters said.

Accusing the government of a campaign of political revenge, newly-appointed Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday sought clarification on thousands of alleged dismissals in the state sector on political grounds. Over 6,000 government workers are facing unemployment as a result of politically motivated dismissals or cancellations of appointments made by the previous government, Premadasa said. “Instead …

Continue reading ‘New Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa Accuses New Govt of Taking Political Revenge by Dismissing Over 6000 Employees who Were Given Jobs by the Previous Govt’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena will hold bilateral discussions in New Delhi on Thursday, including with his Indian counterpart Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar. He was scheduled to arrive in Delhi late on Wednesday. Mr. Gunawardena’s visit comes over a month after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was in New …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena Will Hold Bi-lateral Discussions With Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishanker in New Delhi as Follow Up to Earlier Meeting Between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’ »

By S. S. Selvanayagam The Colombo District Court on Tuesday ordered Bank of Ceylon to pay a Canadian expatriate citizen $ 875,000, together with interest and legal costs, after the bank was found to have made unauthorised transfers of funds held in special investment deposit accounts. The litigation, initiated by the plaintiff Manohar Randolph Alexander …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Expatriate Canadian Citizen Whose Special Foreign Investment Deposits in Bank of Ceylon Were Allegedly Swindled Awarded $ 875,000 Along With Interest and Legal Costs by Colombo District Court’ »

By Saman Indrajith The Chair force-stopped Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, during his speech due to a digression, in Parliament yesterday. Opposition Leader Premadasa availing himself of the provisions under the Standing Orders 27/2 was making a special statement when Minister Wimal Weerawansa raised a point of order to bring the attention of the House that …

Continue reading ‘Deputy Chairman of Committees Selvam Adaikkalanathan Presiding as Chair Orders Discontinuation of Speech by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa for Contravening Procedures Under Standing Orders 27/ 2 By Digressing and Speaking on Extraneous Issues’ »

Former Army Commander and UNF MP Sarath Fonseka today criticized President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to appoint Brigadier Suresh Sallay as head of the country’s State Intelligence Service (SIS). Speaking at the parliamentary session today(7), Fonseka said that Sallay’s ethnicity would affect his work as head of SIS. “Brigadier Suresh Sallay is a Muslim. How can …

Continue reading ‘Sarath Fonseka Criticises President Gotabaya Rajapaksa for Appointing Brig. Suresh Sallay as State Intelligence Service Head:“Brigadier Suresh Sallay is a Muslim. How can a Muslim be appointed as the SIS Head? We are fighting Islamic terrorism and there is conflict of interest here.” Says Ex-Army Chief’ »

By Nisali De Silva The stage is being set for incarcerated businessman-turned politician Duminda Silva to be set free, United National Party (UNP) MP Hirunika Premachandra said. Speaking to reporters at the Opposition Leader’s Office this afternoon, Premachandra said Silva along with others accused in the Baratha Lakshman Premchandra murder case were given the death …

Continue reading ‘Hirunika Premachandra MP Says Stage is Being Set for Release of Convicted Ex-MP Duminda Silva and Asks Police to Explain How Some “Laundry” Media Got Hold of Audio Recordings Taken By Police From Ranjan Ramanayake MP’s House’ »

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) called into question yesterday the appointment of a Senior State Counsel attached to the Attorney General’s Department as an Additional Legal Secretary to the President’s Office on a part-time basis. This appointment, which has been made in addition to the State Counsel’s current position as Coordinating …

Continue reading ‘JVP Led NPP Raises Questions Over Independence of the Attorney – General Due To State Counsel Functioning as AG’s Coordinating Officer Also Working as Addl Legal Secretary in President’s Office; Concern Expressed Over Police Treating Complainants as Suspects Without Investigations and the High -profile Arrests of Opposition MP’s’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Opposition MPs yesterday urged Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to overrule the Attorney General (AG) and release the forensic audit reports prepared as part of the investigation into the Central Bank bond scam. The UNP and JVP MPs made the request after Jayasuriya informed the House when Parliament met last afternoon that he had …

Continue reading ‘UNP and JVP MP’s Urge Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Release Central Bank Bond Scam Forensic Audit Reports Despite Attorney – General “Advising” Speaker not to Release Reports to MP’s at this point’ »

Former Parliamentarian Sarana Gunawardena yesterday received bail from the Colombo High Court, hours after being found guilty of misusing public funds and being sentenced to three years in prison. He was given bail by the Colombo High Court after considering the appeal filed by President’s Counsel Anil Silva, who represented the former MP. The Colombo …

Continue reading ‘Ex -UPFA MP Sarana Gunawardena Given Three Year Prison Sentence for Misappropriation of State Funds by Colombo Chief Magistrate is Released on Bail Hours Later Following Appeal Made to Colombo High Court’ »

Newly-appointed Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa made his maiden speech in Parliament yesterday by extending support to the Government to take forward any people-friendly policies, including shelving the $ 480 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. “Over 6.9 million people voted for the President. As the Opposition Leader I would like to say that we, as …

Continue reading ‘Sajith Premadasa in Maiden Parliament Speech as Leader of the Opposition Promises Support for Passing of Early 2020 Budget and Pledges to Give Full Support For Implementation of Govt’s Progressive Proposals’ »

Former Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekara has been interdicted with immediate effect, the National Police Commission said. Abeysekara has reportedly been interdicted for causing disrepute to the police over a statement made in a leaked tele-conversation. Several audio clips purportedly between former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake and state officials including …

Continue reading ‘Former CID Director Shani Abeysekara SSP Interdicted With Immediate Effect and Travel Ban Imposed After Audio Clips Seized by Police From UNP Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake’s House Surface on Social Media’ »