By Aanya Wipulasena The Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has been instructed to gather all information with regard to the complaints received on the Kurunegala Magistrate Sampath Hewawasam in order to begin deliberations on the issue, Sunday Observer reliably learns. The JSC, which is headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya is likely to …

Continue reading ‘Judicial Service Commission Gathering Information Regarding Complaints Against Kurunegala Magistrate Sampath Hewavasam Prior to Commencing Inquiry Into His Alleged Professional Misconduct in the Case Against Dr. Mohammed Shafi’ »

By Anurangi Singh KURUNEGALA: Bent in two, with his head in his hands in the tiny prison cell at the back of the courtroom last Thursday (25), all Seigu Sihabdeen Mohammed Shafi wanted was to go home to his wife and children. The man has been emaciated by his two month ordeal, spending nearly six …

Continue reading ‘Wrongfully Detained Kurunegala Surgeon Dr. Seigu Sihabdeen Mohammed Shafi Released on Bail Exited Courthouse Through a Backdoor Dressed Up In Black Coat and Carrying Files Like a Lawyer .’ »

By Aanya Wipulasena Addressing a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) this week, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) said there was no evidence to link Dr. Shafi with terrorist or extremist groups. During the probe, CID Director SSP Shani Abeysekera said they had no intention of lying to the court, and if they had found evidence of …

Continue reading ‘Kurunegala Teaching Hospital Director Dr. Sarath Weerabandara’s Statements In Courts During the First Hearing Against Dr. Shafi on June 27 Were Expunged from Court Record on the Orders of Magistrate Sampath Hewavasam Reveals CID Director SSP Shani Abeyekera Before PSC’ »

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero has had to change his name, CEO of the Bodu Bala Sena organization Dilanthe Withanage told Sri Lanka Mirror. This is because the Facebook has put a restriction on his name. He said that this decision has been taken due to the tendency …

Continue reading ‘“Bodu Bala Sena” CEO Dilantha Wijemanne Reveals That Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero Is Using the Pseudonym “Apey Hamuduruwoo(Our Monk ) On Facebook Because the Monk’s Name has been Blocked by Facebook’ »

By Don Manu Last Sunday at the re-consecration of the blood splattered statue of Jesus Christ at the reconstructed Easter Sunday bomb damaged Katuwapitiya’s St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, turned his religious pulpit into a political podium; and transformed what could otherwise have been a Godly homily into …

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Has Turned his Religious Pulpit into a Political Podium and Transformed what could Otherwise have been a Godly Homily into an Unholy Political Sermon.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene There is a powerful thrust to communal politics that is now global in nature, led by unscrupulous demagogues who whip up their supporters with chants of hate. This week, as I watched the President of the United States wave his hands benevolently even as his supporters screamed ‘send them back’ to …

Continue reading ‘Sanctimonious Humbuggery of Members of Parliament sitting on the Select Committee to probe the Easter Sunday attacks by Sri Lanka’s ‘home-grown’ Jihadists’ »

By A B Sosa,Air Vice Marshal(Retd) NDC,PSC INTELLIGENCE– This subject is currently very much in vogue and discussed and opinions expressed by a wide cross section ranging from experts to well-meaning persons. These views are quite interesting but sometimes misses the wood for the trees. Most of the theories are at a micro level and …

Continue reading ‘We are now aware that the Easter Sunday catastrophe here was planned by the American founded ISIS.’ »

by Tisaranee Gunasekara “Suspended over the abyss, the life of Octavia’s inhabitants is less uncertain than in other cities. They know the net will last only so long.” Italo Calvino (Invisible Cities) The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration’s failure to abolish the executive presidency has brought Sri Lanka to this impasse. Replacing the executive presidency with a more …

Continue reading ‘The Sri Lanka Podujana Party is not just a Family Affair but is also Sinhala-Buddhist Supremacist, Socially Conservative and Politically Illiberal’ »

By C.A.Chandraprema As we go to press, the newsrooms are abuzz with the rumour that President Maithripala Sirisena is preparing to issue a gazette notification with regard to the holding of the long delayed Provincial Council elections (PC). Whatever the veracity of this gazette notification story is, that concerted efforts are being made in the …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s Latest Game is to Try and Hold Provincial Council Elections Before The Presidential Elections Take Place.’ »

By Chinthaka Gurusinghe Introduction Nagananda Kodituwakku, a prospective candidate for the forthcoming presidential election in Sri Lanka, has proposed a novel method to repeal and replace the existing constitution, disregarding its current provisions, for such repeal and replacement. He asks the voters to treat their votes for him not as votes for himself, but as …

Continue reading ‘Nagananda Kodituwakku’s Proposal of an “Autochthonous Constitution” Provides a way of Freeing Ourselves of the Entrenched Clauses of the Present Constitution which had no Approval of the People of the Country, Except of Those in Power.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday carnage Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri, yesterday, making a special statement expressed his gratitude to the parliament staff and his fellow committee members for their support for conducting a special session to record the testimony of State Intelligence Service Chief Senior DIG …

Continue reading ‘State Intelligence Service Chief Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardene Giving Evidence in Camera Before Parliamentary Select Committee Evades Questions About Whether He Conveyed Information about Impending Terrorist Attacks To President Sirisena and Remains Non -committal.’ »

The Kurunegala Magistrate Thursday granted bail for a Muslim doctor police say has been illegally detained for two months following false and fabricated charges that he sterilized thousands of Sinhala-Buddhist women. Magistrate Sampath Hewawasam, who himself is now under investigation for tampering with court records to extend the incarceration of Dr. Mohamed Shafi, granted bail …

Continue reading ‘Illegally Detained Dr. Mohammed Shafi Released on Bail by Kurunegala Magistrate Sampath Hewavasam Who Faces Probe For allegedly Tampering with Court Records to Extend Incarceration of Victimised Muslim Surgeon.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Personally Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila MP announced, yesterday, that wartime Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had officially relinquished his US citizenship. Attorney-at-law Gammanpila emphasised that there was absolutely no issue over Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s current status. Gammanpila, one of the key people, who spearheaded the campaign for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s entry into …

Continue reading ‘Udaya Gammanpila Tells Media that Gotabaya Rajapaksa has Relinquished his US Citizenship in May this Year and that he Could Confirm It Because he himself had Personally Seen the US State Dept Documents Regarding the Matter.’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekera The Supreme Court yesterday issued an Interim Order preventing the Special High Court Trial-at-Bar from hearing the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum case filed against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and seven others until 1 October. The order was delivered by the Supreme Court three-judge bench consisting of Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Gamini Amarasekara, and …

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Issues Interim Order Preventing Special High Court Trial at Bar Case From Hearing DA Rajapaksa Memorial Museum Case Filed Against Ex -Def Secy Gotabaya rajapaksa and Seven Others Until Oct 1’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday terror attacks Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Director SSP Shani Abeysekera yesterday said he believed all those involved in the attacks had either died or been arrested and the issue was “80% over”. According to SSP Abeysekera, the Police arrested several persons …

Continue reading ‘“As far we know all those who involved in the Easter Sunday attacks are either dead or under our custody. The problem is around 80% over” – SSP Shani Abeysekera Testifies Before Parliamentary Select Committee.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Head of the Criminal Investigation Department Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, yesterday, said that a fresh CID investigation was in progress to ascertain why there had been no action on the basis of foreign and local intelligence reports warning of the impending terror attacks on Easter Sunday. Testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee, …

Continue reading ‘Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne Tells Parliamentary Select Committee That they Have no Evidence to say the Easter Attacks Were Carried out by the ISIS.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Head of the Terrorist Investigation Division DIG Waruna Jayasundara yesterday admitted before the Parliamentary Select Committee probing the Easter Sunday carnage that failure to take preventive measures had led to the disaster. Testifying before the PSC he said that the measures taken to find Mohmad Zahran Hashim and his group members before …

Continue reading ‘TID Got “Eyes Only”Information on April 10th 2019 that Zahran’s Group was Ready to Attack and Orders Were Given to Arrest Them Immediatelybut TID Officers Could Not Locate Zahran, His Brothers or Supporters Reveals Terrorism Investigation Division Head DIG Waruna Jayasundara Before PSC’ »

By Norman Palihawadana The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) would definitely announce its Presidential candidate on August 11, Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday. Rajapaksa however again refused to reveal whether former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa would be the SLPP’s candidate.

By Chathuri Dissanayake United National Party (UNP) Parliamentary group meeting heated up yesterday with some members openly calling for nomination of Sajith Premadasa as the presidential candidate. First time to be discussed, Minister Kabir Hashim raised the question of presidential candidate during the meeting nominating Sajith Premadasa, sources privy to the meeting told Daily FT. …

Continue reading ‘Several MP’s Including Kabir Hashim and Malik Samarawickrama Openly Voice Support for Sajith Premadasa as Presidential Candidate at UNP Parliamentary Group Meeting but no Final Decision Taken: Meeting Ends Abruptly After Many Walk Out After Booing Ravi Karunanayake.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena lambasted Cardinal Malcom Ranjith over his call for the government to step down for allegedly failing to ensure an effective investigation. Sirisena said the cardinal had used the third anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings to launch a politically motivated attacks against him as well as the authorities investigating the attack. He …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Hits Back Strongly at Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Without Referring to Catholic Prelate by Name.for Delivering a Politically Motivated Sermon at St.Sebastians Church in Negombo’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Let us not dissemble about the fact that the killing of five students of Tamil ethnicity in January 2006 was a cold blooded murder of innocents. The dead victims had been awaiting university entrance when they were mowed down. Bright, eager students, these were the best that Sri Lanka promised. No …

Continue reading ‘Killing of Five Students of Tamil Ethnicity in January 2006 Was a Cold Blooded Murder of Innocents But Institutions of Justice in Sri Lanka Seem to Preferably Favour the State Over Innocents Caught Up in the Brutal Conflict.’ »

The head of Sri Lanka’s Roman Catholic Church Sunday lambasted the government and its foreign allies and said the power struggle between the President and the Prime Minister allowed the Easter attacks which were part of an “international conspiracy”. Addressing a congregation at the consecration of the Katuwapitiya St. Sebastian’s church, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said …

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Flays UN for Being Concerned About Human Rights; “UN Officials Visit only the Suspects and Not the Victims of Violence”Says Catholic Prelate who Also Describes President and Prime Minister As Being Without a “Backbone”.’ »

by Sanjana Hattotuwa ‘Upon a Sleepless Isle’, the astonishingly good new book by Andrew Fidel Fernando has a vital lesson for new and generally excitable students of misinformation in Sri Lanka. Countering the spread of rumour, from the risible to the inflammable, is all the rage. The focus and framing are largely on Facebookas well …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka has a high adult literacy without a comparably high media literacy whereby the media consumed is questioned or engaged with critically.’ »

By Anurangi Singh and Aanya Wipulasena On the night of May 17, 2012, the Sri Lankan rugby captain was found dead in his burning car near Shalika Hall on Park Road, Colombo 05. The death seemed sinister and mysterious at the time, but Narahenpita Police ruled that Thajudeen’s death was a result of an accident. …

Continue reading ‘Senior DIG Anura Senanayake Indicted on June 27th for His Alleged Role in the Cover Up of Havelocks Rugby Star Wasim Thajudeen’s Murder Due to Assault Injuries as a Motor Accident During Rajapaksa Regime’ »

By Aanya Wipulasena In the beginning, there was a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police. Then the Director of the Teaching Hospital. Last week, two complaints were filed with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) against a Magistrate. A third is expected to be filed tomorrow. Most recently, in an act of broad overreach, the National …

Continue reading ‘Evidence Available So far Clearly Indicates Racially Charged Political Conspiracy Against Dr. Seigu Shihabdeem Mohammed Shafi Allegedly Involving Hospital Authorities, Police Officers and Judicial Officials in Kurunegala’ »

Sri Lanka’s National Film Corporation, a state agency set up in 1971 has re-nationalized film distribution under an administration of United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe creating a state monopoly giving final authority to its chief, a government notice shows. Under a gazette notice issued this month, all films imported will have to …

Continue reading ‘Gazette Notice Issued by Govt Empowers National Film Corporation To Have Monopoly Over Import and Distribution of Foreign Films and Control Over Domestic Film Industry By way of Registration,Grading and Scheduling’ »

Investigation into the alleged sterilisation of Buddhist mothers by a Muslim doctor in Kurunegala has taken a new turn with complaints of improper conduct of the magistrate hearing the case. The police Criminal Investigations Department reported to the Kurunegala magistrate Sampath Hewawasam on July 11 that there was no evidence of surgical malpractice, but the …

Continue reading ‘Kurunegala Magistrate Sampath Hewavasam Under Scrutiny for Refusing to Release Dr. Mohammed Shafi on Bail and Tampering With Court Proceedings; Magistrate’ss Wife Dr.Hiroshini Jayasinghe Alleged to be Part of Group at Kurunegala Hospital That Ganged Up and Framed Muslim Surgeoon on False Charges.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake There must be great joy at the rising trend in American politics among those who have been shouting loud against the ACSA, SOFA and MCC deals with the United States. Donald Trump has brought a rise in racism in US politics, with him asking Democrat congresswomen, who are non-white – and two …

Continue reading ‘Donald Trump’s Racist Politics in the USA Would be a Real Beacon of Support for the Rising Racist Forces in Sri Lanka.’ »

In late April, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former defence secretary and the brother of a past president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced that he would contest the presidential election that is due to be held in late 2019. The Economist Intelligence Unit believes that he is likely to win that contest, and in this article we look at …

Continue reading ‘What Would a Gotabaya Rajapaksa Presidency in Sri Lanka Look Like? – An Analysis by “The Economist” Intelligence Unit’ »

In April this year, Ahimsa Wickrematunge filed a lawsuit against former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the District Court of Central California, alleging his involvement in her father Lasantha Wickrematunge’s 2009 assassination. In response, on 27 June, a petition was filed on behalf of Rajapaksa before the District Court, requesting a dismissal of Ahimsa Wickrematunge’s …

Continue reading ‘“I filed a Case Against Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the USA Because he Seems to be Enjoying Unique Impunity in Sri Lankan Courts” – Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Daughter Ahimsa in Interview’ »

(Former Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary H.M. G. S. Palihakkara Delivered the keynote speech at the inauguration of the BCIS Diploma Course on March 9th 2019 on the theme “Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy Challenges”. Given the ongoing debate about SOFA,ACSA BRI, India and SL’s foreign policy posture , Relevant excerpts from the keynote speech are published …

Continue reading ‘“Foreign Policy by Itself Cannot Make Miracles When There is Partisan Bickering on Key Domestic Public Policy Issues in Sri Lanka” – Ex-Foreign Secretary HMGS Palihakkara’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene There is a tragic disconnect between what Sri Lanka’s leaders say to the public and the patent disbelief with which these words are received. This will eventually have dangerous repercussions beyond the electoral defeat of those men, impacting on the nation as a whole as it is pushed in a perilous …

Continue reading ‘There is a Tragic Disconnect Between what Sri Lanka’s Leaders say to the Public and the Patent Disbelief with Which These words are Received.’ »

by Sanjana Hattotuwa Do not buy ‘Upon a Sleepless Isle’.The author, Andrew Fidel Fernando,is better known for his sporting columns. This is his first book – described as a labour of love–a term usually reserved for how parents think of juvenile delinquents when they were born & still beautiful.The Lonely Planet inspired cover suggests a …

Continue reading ‘Andrew Fidel Fernando’s “Upon a Sleepless Isle” is a Compelling Capture of Sri Lanka’s Irrepressible Character and Atextured Patina of Life, Love and Loss’ »

By Sugeeswara Senadhira Red Indian Chief, Seattle, in his speech known as ‘letter’ made a ‘powerful, bittersweet plea for the respect of Native American rights and environmental values.’ President Maithripala Sirisena quoted Seattle at the inauguration of the Moragahakanda-Kaluganga Multi-purpose project and said that the wars since ancient times were for either land or water …

Continue reading ‘Provisions allowing the sale of lands to foreigners and foreign companies Under Proposed New Land Laws could be detrimental to the land rights of Sri Lankan citizens especially landholders of farmer settlements’ »

By Shamara Wettimuny The recent Easter attacks targeting a number of churches and hotels devastated Sri Lanka. Over 250 people were killed, and many more injured. Within days of the attack, it emerged that the perpetrators of the attack were affiliated to radical Islamist groups in Sri Lanka. However, the identification of the perpetrators as …

Continue reading ‘A brief history of anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake President Sirisena must be enjoying his stay in Britain, watching the campaign for the election of the next Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister, there. Will he be getting new ideas for an anti-democratic leadership campaign for the SLFP, even the SLPP, and to again be the common candidate at the coming …

Continue reading ‘Our democracy of seventy years and more has clearly left this country without political leadership of quality.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran The simultaneous bombing of four posh hotels and three churches in Sri Lanka by a bunch of Islamic radicals on April 21 Easter Sunday, was clearly not aimed at the island’s majority Sinhalese Buddhist community as the targets indicate. And yet, a noticeable consequence of the terrorist act is the revival of a …

Continue reading ‘It is Believed that President Sirisena Pardoned and Released Anti- Muslim Monk Gnanasara Thero From Prison Because he Needed a Sinhala Buddhist Rabble Rouser to Counter the Appeal of Gotabaya Rajapaksa in the Presidential Election.’ »

By Hannah Beech GINTOTA, Sri Lanka — The Buddhist abbot was sitting cross-legged in his monastery, fulminating against the evils of Islam, when the petrol bomb exploded within earshot. But the abbot, the Venerable Ambalangoda Sumedhananda Thero, barely registered the blast. Waving away the mosquitoes swarming the night air in the southern Sri Lankan town …

Continue reading ‘The Rise of Militant Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar.’ »

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary revoked a three-month detention order against a Muslim doctor incarcerated on a false charge of sterilising Buddhist women, but a court in Kurunegala remanded him after protests by Buddhist monks. The bizarre turn of events at the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court came despite state attorney Thusith Mudalige acknowledging that there was no …

Continue reading ‘Travesty of Justice in Kurunegala! Court Denies Bail and Remands Muslim Doctor For Two More Weeks Due to Pressure by Buddhist Monks and Their Lawyers Despite Falsely Accused Surgeon Being Cleared of all Charges by CID and Attorney -General.’ »

Professionals affiliated to former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were described as ‘misogynists’ after they denied the existence of sexually harassment of women in public transport and on the streets. An organisation called the Viyathmaga which promotes Rajapaksa as a presidential candidate rejected remarks of senior editor of the Daily FT, Marianne David, who focused on …

Continue reading ‘Senior Editor’s Comment On Twitter About Colombo Mayor’s “Car Free Day” Proposal Evokes Misogynist Response From Retired Navy Chief and “Viyathmaga” Organization Promoting Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Presidential Candidacy.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama The Vote on the No-Confidence Motion presented by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) was defeated yesterday in Parliament with a majority of 27 votes, with 119 lawmakers voting against the Motion and 92 votes received in favour. Thirteen lawmakers including United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MPs Udaya Gammanpila, Duminda Dissanayake, Dr. V. …

Continue reading ‘No Confidence Motion by JVP Against Govt Defeated by 27 Votes with 119 MP”s Including TNA Voting Against and 92 Voting for With 13 MP’s Absent at Voting Time.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde The Attorney General (AG) yesterday directed police to recommence investigations into the killing of five students in Trincomalee in 2006, after all 13 accused in the case were acquitted last week. In a letter to the Acting IGP, the AG directed that the police trace and record the evidence of three vital …

Continue reading ‘Attorney -General Directs Police to Re-commence Investigations Into Killing of Five Students in Trincomalee in 2006 After Acquittal of 13 Accused Due to Lack of Evidence by Trinco Chief Magistrate; Wants Police to Trace Whereabouts of Three Key Witnesses and Send Progress Report to A-G.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde The Attorney General will file a revision application in the Colombo High Court against the bail order in favour of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, given by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday. AG Department spokesperson State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said that revision application …

Continue reading ‘Attorney – General to File Revision Application in Colombo High Court Against Bail Order Given by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne in favour of IGP Pujitha Jayasundara and Ex -Def Secy Hemasiri Fernando’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekera Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday granted bail to former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundera saying there was not enough grounds to charge them with murder. Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara were remanded on charges of criminal negligence and murder for failing to …

Continue reading ‘Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne Releases Remanded IGP and Ex -Def Secy on Bail Saying There was Insufficient Evidence to Substantiate Murder Charges: Asks why No Proper Investigation was Conducted or Statements Obtained From Suspects Before Being Charged with Murder’ »

A fresh petition has been filed before the Supreme Court against the proposed State Lands (Special Provisions) Bill that was moved in Parliament by the Government recently. The petition said the proposed bill is against Sri Lanka’s Constitution and seeks a court order calling for a two-thirds majority in Parliament as well as a referendum …

Continue reading ‘Ven Ulapane Sumangala Thero Files Petition in Supreme Court Against Proposed State Lands (Special Provisions) Bill; Accuses Govt of Having Intention to Allow Transfer of State Land to Foreigners’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne An ordinary farmer who owned about a quarter acre of land, after selling it to a multinational company would be destitute, said President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva in the Supreme Court yesterday when he supported a petition against the Lands (Special Provision) Bill. The petitioner was MP Udaya Gammanpila. Manohara de Silva …

Continue reading ‘Manohara de Silva Argues in Supreme Court in Support of Petition Filed by Udaya Gammanpila MP Against Lands Special Provisions Bill.’ »

By Rathindra Kuruwita The Ranil Wickremesinghe administration was attempting to create a cheap labour force needed to facilitate the implementation of neoliberal economic policies, by amending` land laws, Chinthaka Rajapakshe, Convener of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) said commenting on the scheme to grant outright ownership of land to one million people.

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka DEW Gunasekara belonged to a great progressive camp and powerful current in world history: that of socialism, tracing its origins back to the October Revolution of 1917 (and intellectually to 1848 and the Communist Manifesto of Karl Marx), and led globally and historically by the land of Lenin. In choosing that path, …

Continue reading ‘Comrade DEW Gunasekara is the only Political Leader in Sri Lanka who Openly Advocates Provincial Autonomy and Retention of the 13th Amendment Within the Indo-Lanka Accord, while Rejecting Neoliberalism and Neocolonialist Interference.’ »

Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero yesterday pledged to build a Sinhala Parliament that would enable the Sinhala people to decide policy and laws as they wished, which in his view, is essential to rejuvenate the country. Speaking in Kandy, the Thero was insistent that hung Parliaments where minority political …

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena Gen Secy Gnanasara Thero Declares at “Sivu Hele Maha Samuluwa” Rally in Bogambara Stadium that he Wants to Create a Sinhala Parliament By Mobilising Sinhala Population Into a Single Vote Bloc With the Support of 7000 Out of 10000 Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka’ »

By M.K. Bhadrakumar The Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka on 21st April in which 259 people were killed and over 500 injured were initially attributed to the Islamic State (IS). But no hard evidence is available to substantiate such a reading and it remains an open question as to the perpetrators. The Sri …

Continue reading ‘Blatant US Interference is De-stabilising Sri Lanka Due to India’s Passivity Bordering on Acquiscence; Is it in India’s Long Term Interests to let Sri Lanka be De-stabilised?’ »

By Chandeepa Wettasinghe Students in Sri Lanka’s education system are being ridiculed and are facing ‘punishment’ for using stationery produced by a firm caught in an anti-Muslim boycott, an official said. Atlas Axillia, a top stationary and publishing company has been targeted by anti-Muslim activists following suicide attacks by an extremist Islamist group, some of …

Continue reading ‘Students and Teachers Using Stationery Products of “Atlas Axillia” Being Targeted in Systematic Boycott Campaign Conducted Through Social Media by Racist Anti-Muslim Elements.’ »

By Maneksha Borham Two key suspects in the Avant Garde floating armoury case had already left the island shortly before Attorney General Dappula De Livera ordered the CID to arrest eight individuals implicated in the high profile money laundering and illegal weapons smuggling investigation. The CID had informed the Attorney General that Chairman of Avant …

Continue reading ‘Attorney – General Orders Immediate Arrest of Eight Persons Implicated in Avant Garde Floating armoury Case but CID Informs Dappula de Livera that Key Suspects Maj(Retd) Nissanka Senadhipathy and Cmdr(Retd) Nandana Diyabalanage Have Left the Country’ »

By Sanjana Hattotuwa Every year, for close upon two decades, on Christmas Day, I watch ‘Love Actually’. There is a scene in it where Hugh Grant, playing the British PM, takes on the American President, played by Billy Bob Thornton. The trans-Atlantic relationship between the UK and US, in the film, is strained by the …

Continue reading ‘The Country’s Worst Racists Never Lose an Opportunity to Publicly Proclaim Their Friends Include Tamils and Muslims Just Before or Immediately After Rabid Commentary Against Them’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene There is palpable confusion in the air. Is Sri Lanka’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujitha Jayasundara, arrested this week along with former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando on a range of offences under the Penal Code, including murder and causing death by negligence, still holding the position of head of the …

Continue reading ‘Has the Attorney -General “Erred in Law and Fact” by Describing the Alleged Offences of IGP Jayasundara and Ex-Def Secy Fernando Under Our Criminal Laws as Being ” Grave Crimes Against Humanity Under International Law?’ »

By Anurangi Singh A five-judge bench constituted for the first time in the history of the Court of Appeal heard lengthy submissions on the writ application filed to prevent the execution of four prisoners condemned to death, having been convicted on drug trafficking offences. All last week, the CA bench led by President of the …

Continue reading ‘A five-judge bench constituted for the first time in the history of the Court of Appeal heard submissions on the writ application filed to prevent the execution of four prisoners convicted on drug trafficking offences.’ »

By Dharisha Bastians and Anurangi Singh A 43-year moratorium on executing the death sentence has become entrenched in the law and in the mind of every High Court judge that hands down the death sentence, Counsel for a prisoner condemned to death and challenging the decision to resume judicial hangings told the Supreme Court on …

Continue reading ‘The 43 Year Moratorium on Executions in Sri Lanka Has Instilled Into the Minds of Judges That the Death Sentences They Issue Will Not Be Carried Out’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake There is a political dancer of much experience giving a display of performing skills. “Ellungas Sira” who has little if any of maithriya associated with his performances today, sees the gallows and scaffold as his theatre of deadly political delight. It was not a very difficult move from being the Common Candidate …

Continue reading ‘“Ellungas Sira” Who Has Little “Maithriya” Sees the Gallows and Scaffold as his Theatre of Deadly Political Hangman’s Delight’ »

Dr Nihal Jayawickrama When President Sirisena announced his intention to hang the convicted drug offenders lingering in the death cells of the Welikada prison, he was congratulated by President Duterte of the Philippines.When he returned from a recent visit to the Philippines, President Sirisena publicly expressed his admiration of the manner in which President Duterte …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Who Admires Duterte’s way of Dealing with Drug Offenders seems Unaware of the Pariah Status that the Philippines President has Earned for Himself Within the International Community.’ »

By S.S. Selvanayagam The Supreme Court yesterday issued an Interim Order preventing implementation of the death penalty till 30 October. The Supreme Court granted Interim Relief directing the Commissioner General of Prisons and the Welikada Prison Superintendent to immediately desist from executing any prisoner consequent to a death warrant signed by the President. The Bench …

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Issues Interim Orders Until October 30 Preventing Implementation of Death Penalty and Suspending Operation of Any and All Death Warrants Signed by President .’ »

By Anbarasan EthirajanBBC At a funeral for one of the victims of Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday bombings, a grief-stricken relative wailed and shouted: “We need Gota, We need Gota.” She was referring to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the wartime defence chief who played a leading role in crushing Tamil rebels in a bloody civil war which ended …

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa: The Wartime Strongman who Wants to run Sri Lanka’ »

By A. T. M. Gunananda The STF and Police personnel accused of killing five students in Trincomalee were acquitted yesterday after a lengthy trial. Thirteen suspects including 12 STF personnel and a policeman held in connection with the killing of five persons including two undergraduates and injuring two others by shooting near the Gandhi roundabout …

Continue reading ‘13 STF and Police Personnel Chrged with Killing of Five Youths Including Two Undergrads and Attempting to Kill Two Others in Trincomalee Town Acquitted of all Charges and Released’ »

By Amadoru Amarajeewa Twelve STF personnel and one police officer who were charged for killing five people including two university students at the Gandhi Roundabout in Trincomalee on January 2, 2006 were acquitted from all charges today after lengthy hearing by Trincomalee Chief Magistrate M.M. Mohammed Hamza. The CID had filed charges against them under …

Continue reading ‘12 Special Task Force Personnel and One Policeman Charged with Murder of Five Tamil Students In Trincomalee Town on Jan 2nd 2006 Acquitted of all Charges by Trinco Chief Magistrate M.M. Mohammed Hamza.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lanka is on the verge of signing the highly controversial Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the United States, which, according to strategic experts, could theoretically make the island nation a happy hunting ground of “millions” of US servicemen, Defense Department personnel and Defense Department contractors. On the anvil is another controversial …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Signing the SOFA with the USA Could Make the Island the “Happy Hunting Grounds” of Millions of US Servicemen, Defence Dept Personnel and Defence Dept Contractors.’ »

By Bandula Jayasekara Sirisa Pathikada programme stepped into its fifth year on 1 July 2019, celebrating summers, winters, autumns and springs. We had Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne, Chief of Defence Staff as our special guest on the programme and shared our happiness and joy with traditional kiribath. Pathikada is aired on Sirasa Television on weekdays from …

Continue reading ‘Popular “Pathikada” Talk Show Over Sirasa Television on Week-day Mornings from 6 to 6.30 am Entered Its Fifth Year on July 1st 2019’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake  The Colombo Magistrate yesterday remanded both IGP Pujitha Jayasundara and former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Hemasiri Fernando until today, for neglecting their duty to prevent the terror attacks on Easter Sunday, which killed over 250 people. Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne placed the two top officials in remand custody, after …

Continue reading ‘Simultaneously “Hospitalised” IGP Pujitha Jayasundara and Ex-Def Sect Hemantha Fernando Arrested by CID on Orders of Attorney -General on Charges  Relating to Negligence of Duties;Colombo Chief Magistrates “Visits”  Hospitals and  Places  Both  Under Remand’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Attorney General Dappula De Livera yesterday directed the Acting IGP to produce IGP Pujith Jayasundera and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando in court saying the two stand accused of “grave crimes against humanity” for gross negligence of their duties which led to the 21 April terror attacks. In a hard-hitting letter sent …

Continue reading ‘Attorney -General Dappula de Livera Wants Acting IGP Chandra Wickramaratne to Submit Written Explanation For Not Complying With His Order to Arrest IGP Putjitha Jayasundara and Ex-Def Secy Hemasiri Fernando and Produce Them in Court on Charges of “Grave Crimes Against Humanity” and Gross Negligence of Duties’ »

Sri Lanka’s police chief and a top defence official should be tried for “grave crimes against humanity” over failure to prevent Easter bombings that killed 258, the state prosecutor said Monday. Dappula de Livera said Inspector-General of Police Pujith Jayasundara and Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando failed to act on advance warnings of the deadly April …

Continue reading ‘Attorney -General Dappula de Livera Opines IGP Pujitha Jayasundara and Ex-Def Secy Hemasiri Fernando’s Alleged Negligence of Duties Amounts to Grave Crimes Against Humanity Under International Law.’ »

By Lahiru Pothmulla The Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) today said Army Commander Mahesh Senanayake has lied with regard to a call made by former minister Rishad Bathiudeen asking him about an arrested suspect in the Army custody. Addressing a news conference, PHU Leader Udaya Gammanpila said Army Commander Senanayake has said in an interview with …

Continue reading ‘Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila Accuses Army Commander Lt. Gen Mahesh Senanayake of LYing on the Ex- Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen Telephone Call Issue.’ »

If President Sirisena went ahead with the executions, he, as a Buddhist, would never be able to sleep peacefully as the ghosts of the four hanged convicts would haunt him forever, national list United National Party (UNP) MP Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne said yesterday. “President Sirisena has on more than one occasion gone back on promises …

Continue reading ‘“If President Sirisena Being a Buddhist Goes Ahead with the Executions He would Never be able to Sleep Peacefully as the Ghosts of the Four Hanged Convicts will Haunt him Forever” – Dr.Jayampathy Wickramaratne MP’ »

The President said Monday(july 1) he had rejected a telephone appeal by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to reconsider his push to reintroduce the death penalty after 43 years. “I told the Secretary General that I want to save my country from drugs,” Maithripala Sirisena told a meeting in Colombo to mark his anti-narcotics drive. …

Continue reading ‘UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres Telephones President Sirisena and Asks him to Re-consider Death Penalty Issue but Maithripala Rebuffs him saying “I want to save my country from Drugs”.’ »

By S.S. Selvanayagam President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to resume judicial hangings in Sri Lanka after 43 years has continued to run into a storm of opposition, as a spate of petitioners filed fundamental rights cases in the Supreme Court yesterday, seeking to stay the executions. Four prisoners condemned to death are among those who have …

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Bombarded with Fundamental Rights Petitions From Death row Prisoners, Academics, Religious Leaders and Rights groups Seeking to Restrain Authorities From Going Ahead With Capital Punishment’ »

By Aanya Wipulasena R. Parameshwari smiles humbly as she walks into the premises of 150A, Vipulasena Mawatha, Colombo 10. Escorted by a female companion she approaches a small group gathered at the entrance to a hall that could comfortably accommodate at least 100 people. Clad in a pink t-shirt and a long white skirt with …

Continue reading ‘Janaposha Foundation Suspends Distribution of 1300 -1400 Free meals On Week-days to Colombo, Kalubowila and Maharagama Hospitals After Sinhala Newspaper Published Report Quoting UPFA Parliamentarian Gamini Lokuge’s Allegations Against the Muslim Run Charity.’ »

By Anurangi Singh “Then I awake and look around me At four grey walls that surround me And I realize: Yes, I was only dreaming For there’s a guard And there’s a sad old padre Arm in arm we’ll walk at daybreak Again, I’ll touch The green, green grass of home” The famous ballad Green, …

Continue reading ‘Statistics Available from 1948 to 2010 Prove Logically the Argument that There is no Direct Relationship Between Imposing the Death Penalty and a Reduction of Crime.’ »

By Uditha Kumarasinghe Former Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen testifying before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks, said on Friday (28) that the allegations being made by some opposition lawmakers linking him to the extremist terrorist group that carried out the Easter Sunday suicide bomb attacks, emerged from the …

Continue reading ‘457 Houses, 198 Business Establishments and 70 Vehicles Belonging to Muslims Were Destroyed in 36 Hours in Kuliyapitiya, Nikaweratiya, Bingiriya, Panduwasnuwara, Wariyapola, Chilaw and Minuwangoda States Ex-Minister Rishad Bathiudeen Before Parliamentary Select Committee’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene For good reason and going by past bitter experience, Sri Lankans have learnt to distrust wildly acrimonious statements by their two quarrelling ‘yahapalanaya’ (good governance) leaders, President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe as a doomed political entanglement unravels amidst mutual personal distaste. But with acrimony between the two men deepening each …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka is a Country where Crime/Drug Kingpins are Situated at the Highest Levels of the Political and Law Enforcement Machinery. They are the ‘Untouchables’ Immune to the Reach of the Law.’ »

“THEY,” LIKE its cousin “them,” sounds an innocent word. Given the wrong context, though, even a simple pronoun can turn insidious. Since a pack of suicide-bombers, claiming to act in the name of Islam, killed 261 people on Easter morning, Sri Lanka’s 2m Muslims have collectively felt that turn. After a thousand peaceful years as …

Continue reading ‘“Us vs Them” Syndrome in South Asia Enables Politicians to Conveniently Divide Voters by Race,Religion and Caste – “The Economist”.’ »

By Anurangi Singh and Aanya Wipulasena A Fundamental Rights petition filed in the Supreme Court by Dr Shafi Shihabdeen details a stunning and elaborate plot to frame the medical officer of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital, spearheaded by a top cop of the area, which culminated in the ‘sterilisation scare’ that took the country by storm …

Continue reading ‘Fundamental Rights Petition Filed in Supreme Court by Dr.Shafi Shihabdeen Provides Shocking Details of an Elaborate Conspiracy Spearheaded by a Top Polce Official To Frame the Kurunegala Medical Officer on False Charges.’ »

By Aanya Wipulasena Forty days after Dr. Seigu Shihabdeen Mohamed Shafi of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), evidence gathered by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) showed that the allegations of forcible sterilization by the senior medical officer were based on speculation fuelled by media reports. This week, …

Continue reading ‘CID Submits a 200 Plus Page Report to Court Saying There is No Evidence to Link Dr.Seigu Shihabdeen Mohamed Shafi With Alleged Forced Sterilization and that Case Against the Senior House Surgeon was Fabricated.’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Is the Head of State and Government, the Commander-in-Chief of forces one who is mentally suitable to hold such office? Recent statements by President Sirisena have raised major questions about the status of mind of the person, and his commitment to both the process and the principles that saw his election as …

Continue reading ‘Is Maithripala Sirisena Mentally Stable Or Suitable to Hold the High Office of Being Head of State and Govt and Commander -in – chief of the Armed Forces?’ »

By Saman Indrajith Former Minister of Industry Rishad Bathiudeen told Parliamentary Select Committee probing the Easter Sunday carnage yesterday that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, former Minister of Industry Piyasena Gamage and former Minister Prof GL Peiris had known Yusuf Mohamed Ibrahim, the father of two suicide bombers who carried out …

Continue reading ‘Rishad Bathiudeen Tells PSC that Yusuf Mohammed Ibrahim was Known to Mahinda Rajapaksa,Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, Piyasena Gamage and GL Peiris and Submits Photos of all four with the Father of Two Suicide Bombers.’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekera The Attorney General (AG) yesterday filed indictments against former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Maahendran, his son-in-law Perpetual Treasuries owner Arjun Aloysius and eight others before the three-member Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar. Co-ordinating Officer to the AG State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne, stated that the Special High Court has summoned the accused to appear …

Continue reading ‘Attorney -General Files Indictment with 23 Charges at Permanent High Court Trial at Bar Against Ten Persons Including Ex -Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and his Son in Law Arjun Aloysius Regardng Treasury Bond Transactions.’ »

By S. S. Selvanayagam The Commissioner General of Prisons yesterday undertook to the Court of Appeal that no prisoner would be executed within the next seven days from Friday. He gave this undertaking when the Writ Petition against the implementation of the death sentence came up before the Court of Appeal before the Bench comprising …

Continue reading ‘Journalist Malinda Seneviratne Files Petition Seeking Writ of Prohibition Against Execution Of Death Sentence: Prisons Commissioner -General Assures Court of Appeal That No One Would Be Hanged During the Next Seven Days.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Former Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen told a Parliamentary Committee yesterday that the allegations being made by Opposition MPs linking him to the terrorist group that carried out the Easter day attacks have to do with his refusal to support the October political coup. “The attacks against me are politically …

Continue reading ‘“SB Dissanayake and Wimal Weerawansa Who Pleaded With Me Last October to Join New Govt Are Now Alleging That I have Links to Terrorist Group Because I Refused Their Offer” Reveals Rishad Bathiudeen to Parliamentary Select Committee’ »

By Aanya Wipulasena The Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has written to the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chandana Depal Wickramaratne on Friday (21) calling for a probe into the recent statements made by the Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera, and saying the remarks advocated national, racial and religious hatred. …

Continue reading ‘Centre for Policy Alternatives Writes to Acting IGP, A-G, President and Prime Minister Urging Action Under 291 A of Penal Code and Sec 3 of ICCPR Against Asgiriya Prelate Warakagoda Gnanarathana Thera for Statement Advocating National, Racial and Religious Hatred.’ »

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne has informed the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to probe Easter Sunday attack that according to the investigations carried out into the complaints against former minister Rishad Bathiudeen so far, there is no evidence to show that the minister was involved in the Easter Sunday …

Continue reading ‘Acting IGP Wickramaratne Informs Parliamentary Select Committee That Investigations Into Complaints Made Against Rishad Badiutheen Have Failed So Far to Uncover Any Evidence of the Ex-Minister’s Alleged Involvement in Easter Attacks or any Terrorist Activity.’ »

(Text of a Media Release Issued by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) in Washington and Johannesburg on June 27th 2019) Sri Lanka’s presidential hopeful, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, faces ten new claims for damages in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from victims of torture inflicted while he was secretary of …

Continue reading ‘Ten New Claims For Damages Filed by Eight Tamils and Two Sinhalese Including Three Women In US California District Court Against Gotabaya Rajapaksa for Alleged Torture Inflicted On Them While he was the Secretary of Defence in Sri Lanka.’ »

The interrogation of a hardcore National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) leader recently extradited from Saudi Arabia has led to the single biggest detection of explosives belonging to the now proscribed organisation. The police identified the suspect as Hayathu Mohammadu Ahamed Milhan, a close associate of Zahran Hashim, the mastermind of Easter Sunday bombing campaign. Zahran triggered …

Continue reading ‘NTJ Leader Zahran Hashim’s Key Associate Ahamed Milhan Who was Extradited From Saudi Arabia Leads Police to Huge Explosives Cache of Gelignite, Detonators and Rounds of T -56 Ammunition Concealed in Ollikkulam in Kattankudi Police Division.’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday expressed stern views regarding the 19th Amendment, describing it as a “curse” on the country and insisting abolishing it should be done before the Presidential elections or that must be the first task undertaken by the new President. President Sirisena, addressing media heads in Colombo, was repentant of …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Says the 19th Constitutional Amendment He Helped to Pass in Parliament was Drafted to “Please NGO’s” by “Political Ignoramuses” and Refers to MP’s Jayampathy Wickramaratne and MA Sumanthiran by Name.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde A controversial circular that made it mandatory for women in the State sector to wear either the saree or osari to work will be amended to include appropriate attire that is “decent and upholds the respectability of the public service”. The draft circular got approval of Cabinet on Tuesday. The circular adds …

Continue reading ‘Controversial Govt Circular On Dress Code for State Sector Women Stipulating Only Saree or Osari to be worn to work Amended by Cabinet to Include Appropriate Attire That is “decent and upholds the respectability of the public service”.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Army Commander Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake yesterday told a Parliamentary committee that there is no “imminent” threat of another terrorist attack but it is also not practical to say this problem is completely over. “We cannot give a percentage and say that the problem has been solved by this percent but given …

Continue reading ‘Army Commander Lt.Gen Mahesh Senanayake Tells Parliamentary Select Committee that Ex-Minister Rishad Badiutheen had only Telephoned him to Ask Whether a Person Named Ishan Ahmed was Arrested and That He was Never Pressured to Release any one From Army Custody.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the Easter Sunday attacks was told, yesterday, that the President’s Office and the Defence Ministry functioning under President Maithripala Sirisena had helped Colossus (Pvt) Ltd. a factory owned by Yusuf Mohamed Ibrahim, the father of two the suicide bombers who carried out Sunday attacks, for manufacturing non-ferrous …

Continue reading ‘Parliamentary Select Committee Told That the President’s Office and Defence Ministry Functioning Under President Sirisena Enabled Factory Owned by Yusuf Ibrahim the Father of Two Suicide Bombers Procure Used Brass Artillery Shells from Defence Sector Authorities.’ »

Sri Lanka’s police Tuesday stepped in to prevent a local council from banning Muslim traders from a weekly fair in another backlash from the devastating Easter attacks blamed on Islamic extremists. The local government body had ordered minority Muslims not to participate in the farmer’s market in the town of Dankotuwa, 47 kilometres (30 miles) …

Continue reading ‘Police Obtain Court Order Against Wennappuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman’s” Islamophobic ” Ruling That Prohibited the Muslim Vendors from Selling Their Wares at the Dankotuwa Market.’ »

By Sanja de Silva Jayatilleka On Easter Sunday this year, Sri Lankan people came face to face with international terrorism for the first time. At several international security conferences held in the Russian Federation over the last three months, the theme of international terrorism forming a part of ‘hybrid threats’ was discussed at length, with …

Continue reading ‘Growing Global Consensus on Terrorism, Hybrid Threats and National Security.’ »

by Sanjana Hattotuwa “Why isn’t anything going on in the senate? Why are the senators sitting there without legislating? Because the barbarians are coming today. What’s the point of senators making laws now? Once the barbarians are here, they’ll do the legislating” – Waiting for the Barbarians, C P Cavafy To condone the stoning of …

Continue reading ‘Why has Former SLFP and Current UNP Parliamentarian Mayantha Dissanayake Who was in the Company of the Asgiriya Mahanayake Thero Not said a Single word Against or Distanced Himself from the Prelate’s Incendiary Sermon?’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Muslim people don’t love us… I say don’t go to those shops. Don’t eat or drink from those shops…. It is clear that they are a group who gave poison to our people, who tried to destroy our people… I think that the younger generation who eats (from them) will not have …

Continue reading ‘“The most venerable chief prelate of Asgiriya is unlikely to be held accountable for uttering words which are in gross violation of both the Buddha’s teachings and the country’s laws”’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene This week, a small child died of malnutrition in Tissamaharama at the same time that Sri Lanka’s Parliament debated the passing of millions of public funds to purchase luxury vehicles for Ministers as well as former President and current Opposition Leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Laid out in her white coffin, dark and …

Continue reading ‘What we Hear From Senior Buddhist Priests Indicate that Overtly Racist Sentiments are not Confined to the ‘lunatic fringe’ of the Clergy alone as some Mistakenly Believed.’ »

Muslims in Sri Lanka say they fear new attacks after a top Buddhist monk called for violence against members of the religious minority, claiming a Muslim doctor had sterilised thousands of Buddhist women. Activists, politicians and members of the Muslim minority said Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero’s speech last week was likely to fan communal tensions, …

Continue reading ‘“Lack of action against Warakagoda Sri Gnanrathana Thero’s Hateful and Harmful Speech Reflects the Sinhala Buddhist Hegemonic Majoritarianism that Prevails in the Country” Says TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran’ »

by Jayantha Somasundaram Mervyn de Silva 20TH Death Anniversary: June 22nd “Wandering between two worlds, one dead/The other powerless to be born” – Matthew Arnold On June 22 1999, as the twentieth century drew to an end, Mervyn de Silva left us. At that time, one could sense that with his passing, an era in …

Continue reading ‘In Tenuous Times: Mervyn de Silva’s Progressive Liberalism From the South’ »

By S.Sandarage I observed the news item in relation to the order issued by the Attorney General Dappula de Livera to Acting Inspector General Chandana Wickramaratne to take disciplinary action against the nine police officers including three DIGs. This order was based on the final report of the three-member presidential committee which investigated lapses that …

Continue reading ‘How Credible, Unprejudiced and Impartial Can the Committee of Inquiry Appointed by President Sirisena be When It Consists of Ex- IGP N.K.Illangakoon and former Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order, Pathmasiri Jayamanne?’ »

(Excerpted from the “Sunday Times” of Sri Lanka) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, declared India’s cherubic High Commissioner, Taranjit Singh Sandhu at a recent lecture, is “not only the leader of the largest democracy in the world, but also a leader with the largest popular mandate in the world.” True. There are more attributes to Premier …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Eligible Bachelor Namal Rajapaksa MP to Marry the Only daughter of Thilak Weerasinghe and Aruni Wickramarathna on September 17 This Year.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Sri Lanka faced and fought a terrorist threat for thirty years and prevailed, ten years ago. Just recently, on Easter Sunday, we were confronted by a new terrorist threat. So, Sri Lanka is not apologetic, when I say that we view all these problems through the prism of the existential threat that …

Continue reading ‘Terrorism can be fought, and sustainable socio-economic development can be guaranteed only by a strong efficient democratic State.’ »

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorala said yesterday that Minister Sajith Premadasa will definitely be the next President of the country and that he would get the blessings of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard. She made this prediction on the occasion of the 204th model village, named “Katurodagama,’ that was constructed …

Continue reading ‘Sajith Premadasa Will Contest the Presidential Elections With the Blessings of Ranil Wickremesinghe and Become the Next President Says Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorala.’ »

The Head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka on Thursday issued a scathing criticism of the Government over the Easter attacks that killed more than 250 people, decrying a “total lack of interest” in determining why intelligence reports were ignored. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith spoke of his frustrations just hours before he was due to …

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Catigates Govt for Lack of Responsibility and Blame Passing Over Easter Bombings Saying Even Even President’s “own culpability in the matter might be in question, so they are trying to hide it”’ »

Sri Lanka has initiated criminal investigations against nine officers over lapses leading to the Easter Sunday attacks, but the head of state intelligence Nilantha Jayawardena and IGP Pujith Jauasundara have been spared. Attorney-General Dappula de Livera in a letter to Acting Inspector General Chandana Wickramaratne ordered that disciplinary action be taken against the nine men, …

Continue reading ‘Attorney -General Orders Acting IGP to Take Disciplinary Action Against Nine Officers Including Three DIG’s For “Lapses” In the April 21 Bombings but No Action Against IGP Jayasundara, SIS Chief Jayawardena or Ex -Def Secy Fernando.’ »

By Chandani Kirinde Intelligence officers were tipped about the possible whereabouts of Zahran Hashim about a month before the 21 April attacks and were also given a telephone number of the terror attack mastermind’s brother in a bid to help track him down, a witness before the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) inquiring into the incidents …

Continue reading ‘“Zahran did not say in public that he was with the ISIS, but he preached violence and spoke of setting up the Islamic State here. His dress and style promoted the IS brand” States Sri Lanka Thowheed Jamath President A.K. Hisham Before PSC’ »

By Chandani Kirinde A representative of the Sufi community told the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks that members of his sect were at the receiving end of regular vicious verbal attacks by Zahran Hashim, the leader of the terror group. Al Haj Abdul Jawadh Alim Waliyyullah Trust Secretary Sufi Moulavi K.R.M. …

Continue reading ‘“In his Speeches Terror Group Leader Zahran Hashim “Called to wet the earth of this country from the blood of people of other faiths,” Discloses Sufi Moulavi K. R. M. Sahlan Before Parliamentary Select Committee’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekera Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday directed Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake and his wife to give a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on 7 July in connection with making false statements before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry during an investigation into fraudulent bond transactions. He and his wife …

Continue reading ‘Colombo Chief Magistrate Directs Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake and wife to Give Statements to CID in Connection with Making False Statements to Presidential Inquiry Commission Probing Treasury Bond Scam on July 7th’ »

S. Vijay Kumar Heightened security arrangements are in place across Tamil Nadu, particularly in the western districts, following intelligence inputs from a central agency on a terror module planning to target vital installations in South India. Police sources said a three-member cell named ‘Abu Alqital’ was formed to target upscale restaurants, places of worship, shopping …

Continue reading ‘Indian Intelligence Alert on Islamic State Operatives Forming Three -Member Cell Named “Abu Alqital” to Target Upscale Restaurants, Places of Worship, Shopping Malls and Vital Installations in South India’ »

UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim yesterday said he had decided to accept his previous Ministry portfolio after giving deep consideration to appeals made by the most Venerable Mahanayake Theras, other religious representatives, his district voters, the Muslim community, the Prime Minister, the President and Minister Sajith Premadasa. Former ministers Kabir Hashim and M.H.A.Haleem, who resigned from …

Continue reading ‘Some Individuals condemn the Muslim politicians when they resign from their portfolios and continue to denounce the same ministers when they re-accept their portfolios -Kabir Hashim’ »

The Criminal Investigations Department has secured judicial orders forcing the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital director to cooperate with their investigation into the alleged illegal sterilization of Sinhala Buddhist women. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the CID which took over the case on May 27 asked and secured an order from the Kurunegala magistrate forcing hospital director …

Continue reading ‘Kurunegala Teaching Hospital Director Dr. AMS Weerabandara Who Allegedly Conspired with DIG Kithsiri Jayalath to Implicate Dr. Shafi in Sterilisation Charges Refuses to Cooperate in CID Inquiry but Police Get Court Order Ordering him to Cooperate in Proble’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Wednesday slammed a Buddhist monk’s controversial comments targeting Muslims and urged “true Buddhists” to unite against the “Talibanisation” of the religion. In a tweet he posted on Wednesday morning, Mr. Samaraweera said: “True Buddhists must unite NOW against the Talibanization of our great philosophy of …

Continue reading ‘Mangala Samaraweera Calls Upon “True Buddhists To Unite Against the Talibanisation of our Great Philosophy of Peace and Love” in the Aftermath of Anti-Muslim Statements by Asgiriya Chief Monk.’ »