By Lakmal Sooriyagoda The Colombo Commercial High Court yesterday ordered National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerawansa that compensation of Rs. 10 million be paid to JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva. This is for publishing and distributing the book titled Neththa Venuwata Aththa in violation of provisions of the Intellectual Property Act. In his judgment, Commercial …

Continue reading ‘Colombo Commercial High Court Orders NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa to Pay Rs.10 Million to JVP Gen -Secy Tilvin Silva as Compensation for Publishing and Distributing Book Titled “Neththa Venuwata Aththa” in Violation of Intellectual Property Act.’ »

(Text of Media Release Issued by Centre for Policy Alternatives on Jan 11th 2019) The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned by the recent appointment of Major General Shavendra Silva as the Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and urges President Maithripala Sirisena to immediately review the appointment in light of serious …

Continue reading ‘Centre for Policy Alternatives Urges President Sirisena to Immediately Review the Appointment of Maj-Gen Shavendra Silva as Sri Lanka Army Chief of Staff in the Light of Serious Allegations Levelled Against Him.’ »

By Kelum Bandara That President Maithripala Sirisena desires to be the next presidential candidate surfaced once again when newly appointed General Secretary of his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Dayasiri Jayasekara made some utterances to that effect early this week. Jayasekara said that his party wished to field President Sirisena as the candidate for the …

Continue reading ‘Recent Signs Clearly Indicate Maithripala Sirisena Is Getting Ready to Contest the Presidential Elections Again’ »

(Text of Editorial appearing in “The Island” of January 10th 2019 under the heading “The hunt begins?) The JVP has torn into Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Russia Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, who, it says, backed the 26 Oct. government change. It has, however, stopped short of explaining how he did so. Is it referring to his …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Should have a Competent Ambassador Acceptable to the Russians, in Moscow Because the UNF government has Tilted its Foreign Policy in Favour of the West at the Expense of the Country’s Traditional Friends-The Island.’ »

(Text of a media release issued by Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 9th 2019 under the heading “Four years of misrule and the fate of future generations in this country”) Sri Lanka faces three major dangers as we complete four years since the change of government on 9 January 2015. The first …

Continue reading ‘New Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa Says Sri Lanka Faces Three Major Dangers After the Change of Govt Four Years Ago on Jan 9 2015.’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne The indictment against Janaka Ranawaka the former Mayor of Kotte was read out to him yesterday in the High Court of Colombo. He has been indicted with undue access to the computer of the then Deputy Mayor. The accused is on bail at present.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed three judges to the Supreme Court, including two whose appointments were delayed following a constitutional coup. Court of Appeal President Preethi Padman Surasena, S Thurairaja and E N P G R Amarasekera were sworn in before the president, his office said.

By Disna MudaligeCamelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi The Independent Television Network (ITN) is a ‘den of thieves’ and the best way to reform the institution is to operate it as a “public broadcasting service,” Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera told Parliament yesterday. The minister was making a ministerial statement in response to a …

Continue reading ‘Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera Tells Parliament that Independent Television Network (ITN) is a “Den of Thieves” Which Needs Institutional Reform to Operate as a “Public Broadcasting Service”.’ »

By Camelia Nathaniel Major General Shavendra Silva has been appointed as the 53rd Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army from yesterday. Major General Silva is currently the Adjutant General and Colonel Commandant of the Gajaba Regiment. A proud product of the Sri Lanka Military Academy he was enlisted on the fifth of March …

Continue reading ‘Maj-Gen Shavendra Silva Appointed as 53rd Chief of Staff of the Sri Lankan Army.’ »

By Saman Indrajith The Constitutional Assembly will meet, at 10.30 am tomorrow (11) with Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri presiding. The expert panel report, which contains draft constitutional proposals, will be tabled by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe during the sitting. The views of political parties are also given in the report and the report will be …

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Will Table Expert Panel Reports Outlining Draft Constitution Proposals When Parliament Convenes as Constitutional Assembly on Friday Jan 11 Morning.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Concerns regarding the conduct of Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka had been raised during a recent meeting of the Committee on High Posts, JVP MP Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament yesterday. Participating in the debate on Regulations under the Diplomatic Privileges Act, MP Rathnayake said that Dr. Jayatilleka’s conduct as …

Continue reading ‘JVP’s Bimal Rathnayake Raises Concerns About Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Dayan Jayatilleka Saying “Dr.Jayatilleka May Have the Right Academic Qualifications but he acts more like a Political Campaigner than a Political Scientist”.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Putting the issue of party membership before the Judiciary, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday said it was up to the courts to decide whether any Parliamentarian has resigned from his party membership and reaffirmed United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) lawmaker Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Leader of the Opposition. In the absence of Speaker …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Rules That the Judiciary and Not Legislature Should Decide on Issues Like Validity of Political Party Membership or Eligibility of an MP To Retain Parliamentary Membership.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Speaker Karu Jayasuriya had reaffirmed the recognition of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Opposition Leader of Parliament, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri told Parliament yesterday. Speaker Jayasuriya is currently attending the Conference of Speakers of Commonwealth Countries in Malta and the Deputy Speaker read out the Speaker’s announcements to the House at …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Confirmed as Leader of the Opposition: Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri Informs Parliament that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has Re-affirmed his Earlier Recognition of Kurunegala Dist MP as Opposition Leader.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka President Sirisena’s foreign policy, just as that of any other leader anywhere in the world, must be seen in relation to several factors. These are the success or otherwise of the policy he inherited, the character of his own foreign policy as it evolved, and most importantly, the ‘fit’ or otherwise of …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s foreign policy thinking and practice shows a marked pivot towards Greater Eurasia, as the main axis of his Asia-centric Nonalignment.’ »

By Ahimsa Wickrematunge I first came to know of the MiG Deal in August 2007. I was living in Canada with family when my father called me from Colombo. He told me that The Sunday Leader had reported on a shady military contract involving Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Air Force. My father had just watched …

Continue reading ‘“What ‘They’ Did To My Father and Why ‘They’ Did It”- Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Daughter Ahimsa Writes of Her Father and his Assassination.’ »

(Text Of Editorial Appearing in the “Sunday Observer”of January 6th 2019 Under the Heading “Who is Lasantha?) The words are still chilling, a decade later. “Who is Lasantha?” retorted a once all-powerful Defence Secretary angrily, when a BBC journalist dared to question him incessantly on the brutal murder of founding editor of The Sunday Leader, …

Continue reading ‘‘Who is Lasantha?’ He’s just another murder,’ said the country’s former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa incredulously 10 years ago – Sunday Observer Editorial’ »

By Keith Noyahr (In some ways, Keith Noyahr’s abduction and assault in May 2008 was the harbinger of the more brutal crime that was to follow. At the time of his abduction, Keith Noyahr was the most senior journalist to be attacked during that dark era for press freedom in Sri Lanka. That dubious honour …

Continue reading ‘Abducted and Tortured Ex-Associate Editor Keith Noyahr Breaks 11 Year Silence by Writing About Slain Editor Lasantha Wickrematunge to Denote 10th Death Anniversary.’ »

By- Sharmini Serasinghe The leader of a nation is like a parent to one’s children. The children emulate the examples set by the parent, for better or for worse. The morally upright parent sets morally upright examples and standards and ensures the children abide by them. What happens when the leader/parent is immoral, unethical and …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Ably Supported by Sections of the Buddhist Clergy has Set the Course for the Sinhalese Buddhists of Sri Lanka to Self-destruct.’ »

By Marwaan Macan-Markar In the Great Game being played across the Indian Ocean, the U.S. Navy has its eye on Sri Lanka’s northeastern port of Trincomalee to serve as a logistics hub for South Asian waters churned by India, Japan and China. Western diplomats in Colombo, the Sri Lankan capital, noted an upping of the …

Continue reading ‘Strategic Importance of Trincomalee,Colombo and Hambantota Ports Have Seen 450 Naval Vessels From 28 Countries Visiting Lanka Since 2008: India Leads with 90 Visits; 65 Foreign Warships in 2017 Alone.’ »

By Sawani Sheshadi If there are issues and crises related to religious as well as ethnic co-existence in Sri Lanka, solutions can be solicited through the spiritual guidance taught in religions. Hence, any unwanted foreign involvement should be frowned upon, said Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith attending the launching ceremony of the biography of Ven. …

Continue reading ‘Catholic Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Says if Sri Lanka Could Be Compared to a Tree then Buddhism is The “Stem” and Followers of Other Religions the “Branches”.’ »

By Yoshitha Perera Mihin Lanka has paid a loan of Rs.8.2 million for a car (Nissan- N16) which was gifted to Astrologer Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the year 2007, Astrologer Abeygunawardana informed the SriLankan Airlines Commission yesterday. He informed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into irregularities at SriLankan airlines, SriLankan …

Continue reading ‘Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa Gifted a Car ( Nissan -N16) to His Astrologer Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena in 2007 For Which Mihin Lanka Had Allegedly Paid 8.2 Million Rupees.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene When chastened supporters of the Rajapaksa-led ‘Pohottuwa’ (lotus bud) Party bewail the December 2018 decision of the Supreme Court holding that the Presidential dissolution of Parliament was unconstitutional with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa having to step back from a contested Prime Ministerial seat and return to opposition ranks, a frequent lament …

Continue reading ‘With all its unpleasantness and political crudities 2018 demonstrated that Sri Lanka still has enormous civic resistance Which is something to be proud of’ »

By A ” Sunday Observer” Special Correspondent In 2007, journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge published a series of exposes about a murky arms procurement that has since come to be known as the ‘MiG deal’. The articles resulted in Lasantha and his newspaper being sued for defamation over his reporting on the alleged involvement of then Defence …

Continue reading ‘Air Force Officers Interviewed by FCID Have Made it Clear That There Would Have Been No MiG Deal Without Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Udayanga Weeratunga.’ »

by C. Mahendran I spent my entire professional life from 1957- 2004 representing the Sri Lankan government’s interests abroad, heading our diplomatic missions in China, Japan, South Korea and the UN mission in New York. I have worked with Sri Lankan politicians from different parties implementing different policies. So I have watched with bemusement the …

Continue reading ‘Continuing Character Assassination Without a Factual Basis of Arjuna Mahendran by Certain Political Operatives and Why the Ex- Central Bank Governor Unlikely To Get a Fair Hearing in the Current Political Set-up in Sri Lanka.’ »

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” – HP Hartley (The Go-Between) The Iliad begins when the Trojan War is in its ninth murderous and exhausting year. In between trying to breach the famed walls of Troy, the Greeks raid nearby settlements for booty, material and human. Chryseis …

Continue reading ‘The Yearning for Democracy in Sri Lanka is Real But The Question Is Can The Non/anti-Rajapaksa Parties Understand This Mood and Respond To It?’ »

By Sanjana Hattotuwa New Year. Old problems. Those who have taken a medium or long haul flight in recent years know the feeling. You are promised hundreds of channels of the best entertainment, more than enough to last the length of the flight. In reality, the films and shows are those you have seen before, …

Continue reading ‘Those most volubly against the President and Rajapaksa, were those who were not card-carrying supporters of the UNP or Mr. Wickremesinghe.’ »

By Dr Nihal Jayawickrama Article 33A of the Constitution states that the President “shall be responsible to Parliament for the due exercise, performance and discharge of his powers, duties and functions under the Constitution and any written law”. Parliament, therefore, has a constitutional duty to call upon the President to account for his actions, especially …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Must Summon President Sirisena Before The Bar of Parliament To Account For His Repeated and Intentional Violations of the Constitution.’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando President Maithripala Sirisena has named UPFA MP M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, Colombo Municipal Councillor Azath Sally, who is also the leader of the National Unity Alliance (NUA) and leader of the United National Freedom Front (UNFF) Maithree Gunaratne as Governors of the Eastern, Western and Central Province, respectively. Hisbullah was accommodated in parliament on …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Appoints MLAM Hisbullah, Azath Sally,Maithri Gunaratne, Sarath Ekanayake and Peshala Jayaratne Bandara as Governors of Eastern,Western, Central, North -Central and North -Western Province Governors.’ »

The 10th anniversary of the assassination of The Sunday Leader founder Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunge, which falls on 8 January, will be marked with a service at his graveside. Family, friends, former colleagues and others, including those from political and diplomatic circles, will gather at Borella Kanatte at 9 a.m. to mark the anniversary and remember …

Continue reading ‘Graveside Memorial Service to mark 10th Anniversary of Lasantha Wickrematunge’s Assassination On 8 January 9 a.m. at Borella Kanatte’ »

A forum titled ‘10 Years After Lasantha: Whither Investigative Journalism in Sri Lanka?’ will be held on 8 January at the Lighthouse Auditorium, No. 24, Horton Place, Colombo 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. The speakers will comprise – The Sunday Morning Editor and former The Sunday Leader Editor Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema, Sunday Observer Editor …

Continue reading ‘‘10 Years After Lasantha: Whither Investigative Journalism in Sri Lanka?’ Forum on 8 January’ »

The Kerala Chief Minister’s Office on Friday claimed that a 46-year-old woman from Sri Lanka entered the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala last night to offer prayers. The woman, however, said that police had stopped her from entering the temple despite her reaching close to the 18 sacred steps that lead to the shrine. The Chief …

Continue reading ‘46 Year Old Sri Lankan Woman Sasikala Says she was Stopped by Police From Worshipping at the Sabarimala Ayyappan Temple Shrine in India But Kerala StateChief Minister’s Office Claims She did Enter Temple Precincts.’ »

BY Yohan Perera and Sheain Fernandopulle Former civil servant Devanesan Nesiah officially returned the “Deshamanya” award conferred to him by President Maithripala Sirisena today. Dr. Nesiah and his daughter handed it over to the Presidential Secretariat last evening. Talking to journalists, Dr. Nesiah said he decided to return the award as he was disappointed with …

Continue reading ‘Civil Servant With Distinguished Service Record Dr.Devanesan Nesiah Officially Returns the “Deshamanya” Award Conferred on Him in 2017 In Protest Against President Sirisena’s Chaos Creating Recent Action.’ »

A Sri Lankan couple living in Rome had the honour of being the parents of the first baby born in the New Year. The baby had been born ten seconds after the dawn of the New Year at St. Philip Neri’s Hospital in Rome.

By Yohan Perera Minister of National Integration, Official Languages and Social Progress Mano Ganesan requested the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka to ensure the inclusion of Tamil language in signboards erected at Chinese funded development projects. He said the signboards had been written in Chinese, English and Sinhala only.

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka January 1st 2019– 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution Jan 1st marks the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution; 60 years of the revolutionary Cuba that we have known. The Cuban revolution was a pure revolution, the purest revolution we have seen. By pure I do not mean a revolution that was …

Continue reading ‘The Cuban Revolution Unlike All Other Revolutions “did not devour its own children”.’ »

By Don Manu If the year 2018 began with a bang for Mahinda Rajapaksa when his ghost-led Pohottuwa party swept the local polls in February, the year ended for him with a whimper stuck in the sinking sands of his fluctuating political fortunes. Whatever his royal astrologer may have predicted of the rosy things to …

Continue reading ‘The Rise and Fall of Mahinda Rajapaksa Within a Period of Six Weeks’ »

By Gamini Weerakoon It may be good times for some people and bad times for others. But, undeniably, it is interesting times for most of us watching antics of politicians though not necessarily a blessing. Close on the heels of the rowdy Sri Lankan parliamentary ‘comedies’ that brought this island into focus in the international …

Continue reading ‘Does Mahinda Rajapaksa Have “Dual Membership” By Being Both a De-jure Member of the UPFA and a De-facto Member of the “Pohottuwa” Party?’ »

Sri Lanka’s October coup that brought former president Mahinda Rajapaksa briefly back to power may have backfired on a close relative, ex-ambassador to Washington and fugitive from justice, Jaliya Wickramasuriya. The prospect of a Rajapaksa government in Colombo prompted justice authorities in Washington to publicly disclose money laundering and visa fraud charges against Wickramasuriya, a …

Continue reading ‘US Authorities Disclosed Details of Legal Cases Against Ex-Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya to Prevent Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Restoring Cousin’s Immunity to Avoid Prosecution.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As a foreboding New Year by way of the Gregorian calendar dawns for Sri Lankans, the choices before us (at least, politically) are not felicitous by any stretch of the imagination. Atavistic demons conjured up by opportunists A cynic may question, ‘when were the choices ever felicitous during the past five …

Continue reading ‘Political expediency is a peculiarly bitter sauce which, if tolerated for the gander, must equally be so for the goose.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran Colombo, December 28: Sri Lanka saw cataclysmic political events in 2018. Democracy, which was introduced way back in 1931 and was thought to be well and truly entrenched in Sri Lanka, was put in danger in October-November when President Maithripala Sirisena dismissed Prime Minister Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and dissolved parliament in brazen …

Continue reading ‘Well-Entrenched Democracy Restored in Sri Lanka After Violation of Constitution by President Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

BY RAJITHA JAGODA ARACHCHI & RASULA DILHARA GAMAGE Continuous rains in the northern part of the country during the past few days inundated large areas of Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Jaffna. Overall, 123,178 people belonging to 39,669 families were displaced by the bad weather. Meanwhile, 474 houses had been fully damaged and another 4,522 houses …

Continue reading ‘Armed Forces Win Hearts and Minds of People in the North By Rescuing Thousands of Families Affected by Incessant rains and Resultant Floods.’ »

President Maithripala Sirsiena has allocated all state media institutions to the ministry of Finance and Media ending speculation that he may keep some of them under his direct control as the country heads for an election year. In an Extraordinary Gazette notification dated December 24, but published Saturday, the President listed the two state television …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Retaining Control of the Police By Bringing it Under Defence Ministry Likely to Cause Friction With the Commonwealth of Nations.’ »

By Sharmini Serasinghe Sri Lanka is politically bankrupt! The two main players in Sri Lanka’s political arena – the UNP and the SLFP – have outlived their lifespan. Further, each time they form new coalitions and their identities and symbols are changed more frequently than their underwear, the average voter is left so utterly confused, …

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Many of us fought like hell to give you the second chance you got, but you don’t seem to have learnt your lesson.’ »

By Don Manu Today on the presidential throne of Lanka, there sits a man who gambled with the nation’s heirloom of democracy and endangered the people’s sovereign inheritance, who gambled with the nation’s economy and imperiled it, on Manuwho gambled with the nation’s international image and sullied it, who placed his bets and waged his …

Continue reading ‘How Is Maithripala Sirisena Able To Continue as Executive President after The Supreme Court Found Him Guilty of Intentionally Violating the Constitution and Fundamental rights Sri Lanka’s Citizens?’ »

By the “Sunday Times”Political Editor President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected a request by the United National Party (UNP) to re-activate the onetime ‘National Government’ with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and thus enlarge the Cabinet of Ministers. It was made on Saturday night by a four-member UNP delegation led by the then Prime Minister …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Nominates 36 Names Cabinet Ministers But Maithripala Reduces it to 28 Only; Six Names Dropped are UNF’s Palitha Range Bandara, Ravi Samaraweera, D.M. Swaminathan and Sarath Fonseka and SLFP’s Piyasena Gamage and A.H.M. Fowzie’ »

By a “Sunday Observer” Staff Reporter Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa found himself in another political conundrum this week when his new appointment as the Opposition Leader was challenged in Parliament and his parliamentary membership too appeared to be at risk. While the country grappled with a prolonged political deadlock since October 26 following Rajapaksa’s appointment …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Political Fate Regarding Parliamentary Membership and Leader of the Opposition Post Hang in the Balance as Speaker Jayasuriya Facing Conundrum Seeks More Time.’ »

By Anurangi Singh President Maithripala Sirisena had referred two other names to the Constitutional Council (CC) seeking approval to be appointed to the Supreme Court. The CC has been called upon to consider the names of two Court of Appeal judges, Deepali Wijesundera and Kumudini Wickremasinghe for the vacant posts in the Supreme Court. The …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Refers Appeal Court Judges Deepani Wijesundara and Kumudini Wickramasinghe to the Constitutional Council(CC) To Be Appointed as Supreme Court Judges After CC Had Already Approved Justices Gamini Amarasekara and S. Thurairajah fir the Two Vacancies in SC’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday postponed his decision on whether MP Mahinda Rajapaksa would be Opposition Leader despite the request for the appointment of a Parliament Select Committee. Extending the period to deliver his decision, Speaker Jayasuriya informed the House he has received letters from a group of lawmakers seeking a committee to …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Seeks More Time to Decide On Who Should be Recognized as Leader of the Opposition.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday appointed three non-Cabinet Ministers, 17 State Ministers, and seven Deputy Ministers at a ceremony held in the Presidential Secretariat in the evening. United National Party Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva was appointed as the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution, while Ajith P. Perera was appointed as Minister of Digital …

Continue reading ‘Three Non – Cabinet Ministers Along With Seventeen State and Seven Deputy Ministers Sworn in Before President Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

(The Tamil National Alliance has made written submissions urging the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya not to recognize Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa as Leader of the Opposition. The TNA Outlining several reasons fir taking up yhis position has requested that a Parliamentary Select Committee be appointed to go into the matter and arrive at a final …

Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance Makes Written Submissions to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Outlining Several Reasons as to why Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa Should not be Recognized as Leader of the Opposition.’ »

Sri Lanka’s police detained two navy intelligence officers at the Fort magistrate’s court Wednesday amid fears of a threat to the life of a key detective investigating the abduction and killing of several people allegedly by navy officers. Police spotted two navy men identified as N. M. W Janaka (38190) and A.S.N. Tony (103183) sitting …

Continue reading ‘Two Naval Intelligence Officers Sitting Among Litigants at Fort Magistrates Courts While Being Supposedly on Duty at Welisara Base Were Arrested By Police On Suspicion of Conspiracy to Murder Chief Investigator Nishantha Silva the Key Witness in Case Against Navy Personnel on Ransom and Murder Charges.’ »

Twenty -nine ministers headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were sworn in as members of the new cabinet on Thursday December 20th .The new Ministers took their oaths before President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s office in the morning. The list of Ministers and portfilios are : 01. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe – Ministry of …

Continue reading ‘Twenty -nine Cabinet Ministers Headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Sworn in Before President Maithripala Sirisena at the President’s Office on December 20th.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Following a crisis marked by two competing claims to the office of the Prime Minister, R. Sampanthan — Leader of Opposition since 2015 — on Wednesday challenged the Speaker on his naming of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the position. Referring to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s announcement on Tuesday, following a request made …

Continue reading ‘Leader of the Opposition Rajavarothayam Sampanthan Raises Issue of Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Eligibility to Remain as a Member of Parliament Due To Leaving the Party Through Which he was Elected and Joining a new Party.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama The appointment of MP Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Opposition Leader was challenged yesterday in parliament by ITAK MP Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who held that he is the Opposition Leader unless the Speaker decides otherwise and removes him. According to MP Sampanthan, the Speaker will have to remove him from the post before appointing …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa as Leader of the Opposition is Challenged by Rajavarothayam Sampanthan Who Says He is the Opposition Leader Unless Speaker Decides Otherwise and Removes Him.’ »

( The following news item was published in the “Daily Financial Times” of November 12th 2018 under the heading “MR takes SLPP membership” relating to the joining of SLPP By Mahinda Rajapaksa,Namal Rajapaksa and 31 others from the SLFP-UPFA. There was also a picture of a smiling Mahinda with SLPP chairman GL Peiris and SLPP …

Continue reading ‘Newspaper Report Published on Nov 12th 2018 States Mahinda Rajapaksa Formally Left the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Joined the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to Contest Elections Scheduled for January 5th 2019:31 Other MP’s Followed Suit.’ »

By Sirimantha Ratnayake SLFP Vice President and Kalutara District MP Kumara Welgama says that President Maithripala Sirisena should resign from his post immediately. “The Supreme Court has found that President Sirisena violated the Constitution. One who has acted in contravention of the Constitution should not hold that position. He can be impeached any moment and …

Continue reading ‘Kalutara District MP Kumara Welgama Wants Maithripala Sirisena to Resign Immediately Because the Supreme Court has Ruled That the President has Violated the Constitution.’ »

By Disna Mudalige, Camelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi Questions were raised in Parliament yesterday over the appointment of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Opposition Leader. The Speaker, listening to arguments of both sides of the House, said he will give his ruling on the Opposition Leader’s post on Friday. At the commencement of the …

Continue reading ‘Have Mahinda Rajapaksa and son Namal Along with Over 40 SLFP/UPFA Parliamentarians Who Joined the SLPP a Month Ago, Forfeited Their MP Seats According to Article 99 (13) (a) of the Constitution?’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Many an eyebrow has been raised over former Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s recent declaration that SLFP/UPFA lawmakers hadn’t received Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) membership. Addressing a gathering at Maharagama over the last weekend, the chief architect of the SLPP claimed that the party was yet to take SLFP/UPFA lawmakers to …

Continue reading ‘Eyebrows Raised Over Basil Rajapaksa’s Recent Declaration that More than 50 MP’s from SLFP/UPFA Including Mahinda Rajapaksa Who Took SLPP Membership After Nov 9th Have Not Been Given Party Membership Yet.’ »

ALL’S WELL that ends well, or so Shakespeare would have it, when a seeming tragedy turns into a heart-warming story of persistence and redemption. Such was the relief that Sri Lanka felt on December 16th, as seven weeks of political turbulence ended like a summer squall. After a period when the country had first two …

Continue reading ‘It Was Satisfying For Many To Watch The Lushly Mustachioed Former Strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa Exit The Stage With a Scowl Having Failed To Usurp The Premiership – The Economist’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama UPFA lawmakers Gamini Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa, Lakshman Senewiratne, and Indika Bandaranayake crossed over to join the Government soon after Parliament was convened yesterday for the first time after UNP MP Ranil Wickre-mesinghe was reappointed as Prime Minister. Explaining the reasons which compelled the three of them to leave the United People’s Freedom …

Continue reading ‘Wijayamuni Zoysa, Lakshman Seneviratne and Indika Bandaranayake Cross Over In Parliament From SLFP -UPFA to the Govt Complaining of Step Motherly Treatment Under President Sirisena.’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Speaker Karu Jayasuriya nominated MP Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Leader of the Opposition soon after Parliament convened yesterday, but responding to protests from Parliamentarians, said he would decide whether to appoint a Select Committee to look into the validity of the appointment. Filling three other important positions in Parliament, Speaker appointed United …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Nominates Mahinda Rajapaksa as Leader of the Opposition But May Appoint Select Committee Following Protests to Ascertain Whether the Kurunegala District Parliamentarian is Eligible to Remain as Opposition MP’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday made an open request to United National Party Parliamentarians to voluntarily give up Ministry portfolios, in a bid to limit the Cabinet to 30 members. Initially, only Party senior Malik Samarawickrama offered to step down, but seeing there were no volunteers, Party leaders who form the United …

Continue reading ‘Mano Ganesan, Rishad Bathiudeen and Malik Samarawickrama Accede to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Request and Volunteer Not to Become Cabinet Ministers to Help Prime Minister Limit Cabinet to 30 Ministers.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday informed Parliament that he recognised Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Leader of the Opposition. He also recognised UPFA MP Mahinda Amaraweera as the Chief Opposition Whip. However, UNP and TNA opposed the recognition of Rajapaksa as the Opposition Leader and called him the leader of a …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Recognizes Mahinda as Leader of Opposition But UNP,TNA and SLMC Raise Questions About the Legality of Rajapaksa Being Opposition Leader and MP and Describe him as “Stranger in the House”.’ »

Sri Lanka’s reinstated Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe marked his first day back in office Monday with a hostile president resisting his nominations to a new cabinet. Party officials said Wickremesinghe was battling to form a government as Maithripala Sirisena insisted that he wanted to retain media and the law-and-order portfolios. Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP) …

Continue reading ‘Tussle Between President and Prime Minister Delays Cabinet Formation with Wickremesinghe Resisting Sirisena’s Demands that Media and Law and Order Ministries be Allocated to Him.’ »

Triggering a fresh controversy, President Maithripala Sirisena has demanded state media institutions, making the negotiations over the appointments of a new Cabinet even harder. Sirisena has reportedly informed the UNP that he would place two state media institutions under his direct purview.

By Uditha Jayasinghe and Nuwan Senarathna Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday led from the front by calling on the public to give a two-thirds majority to a coalition led by the United National Party (UNP) at the next general election to abolish the Executive Presidency and outlined plans to form a new coalition titled the …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Addressing Mammoth UNF Rally at Galle Face Unveils Plans to Form New Alliance Named National Democratic Front To Contest Elections Seeking Two-Thirds Majority to Abolish Executive Presidency’ »

(Text of Speech Made by President Maithripala Sirisena to a Gathering of UNF representatives after swearing in Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister on December 16th 2018) The January 08, 2015 Presidential election was an extraordinary people’s victory achieved through a challenging election campaign. In that victory, the people of the country had many of their …

Continue reading ‘“If People Including NGP Persons and some MP’s want to Assassinate me I will Order the Army and STF to Go away and Open the Gates Myself For them to Come and Burn me and my House Down” – Says President Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya After an uphill battle by the people,who are not necessarily the fans of the United National Party, a good deal of activism by the civil society, lawyers and online chatter; and finally an unanimous Supreme Court verdict that ruled the dissolution of Parliament as illegal and ultra-vires, Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in …

Continue reading ‘Beginning of UNP’s Undoing Could Happen Very Soon and Very Rapidly if “Tainted” Ravi Karunanayake is Appointed Finance Minister.’ »

Sri Lanka will prepare an interim budget to keep the government ticking from January 2019, after a new cabinet of ministers is appointed, United National Party legislators said. “We expect to appoint a cabinet of ministers within 48 hours,” UNP legislator and former state minister for finance Eran Wickramaratne said. “We will talk with party …

Continue reading ‘New Govt in Formation to Seek Parliamentary Approval for Vote on Account as Interim Measure First and Follow It Up By Presenting Full Budget in January 2019.’ »

Heavyweights Mangala Samaraweera and Ravi Karunanayake are alleged to be fighting over the key Finance Ministry portfolio whilst political analysts claim it would not be a surprise if either fails to secure it. Karunanayake is keen to regain the once lost portfolio though he also briefly held the Foreign Minister title. Given the speculation, sections …

Continue reading ‘Intense Internal Struggle Between Mangala Samaraweera and Ravi Karunanayake To Become Finance Minister May Result in Ranil Wickremesinghe Retaining Portfolio Himself Or Allocating it to Another Person.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena, yesterday, told newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and other UNP MPs at a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, that he was still of the view that Wickremesinghe should not have been appointed Prime Minister. A media statement issued by the President Secretariat, yesterday quoted President Sirisena as having said: “When I …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Re-appoints Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and then Tells him and UNP that in his Opinion Ranil Should Not Have Been Appointed Premier Again.’ »

(Text of special Ststement Issued by recently removed and subsequently re-appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe after being worn in by President Maithripala Sirisena) The full statement is reproduced below: Special Statement made by the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka 16th December 2018 It is a pleasure to me to address you once again as …

Continue reading ‘“We will have discussions with the Tamil National Alliance and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to bring about a political solution in which all citizens can live in harmony in a unitary state” – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By Arun Tambimuttu Prince Gunararasa Casinader, former MP for Batticalo, passed away on December 12, 2018 at the age 92. Prince Casinader is much more than a popular personality, as far as Batticaloa is concerned he was an institution for more than half a century. As an educationalist, civil society leader and legislator, he served …

Continue reading ‘Batticaloa Bids Farewell To Its Beloved Prince!’ »

United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on Sunday, ending a 51-day power tussle in the island nation that had crippled the government. Mr. Wickremesinghe, 69, was administered the oath of office by President Maithripala Sirisena, who had sacked him on October 26 in a controversial …

Continue reading ‘Status Quo Restored in Sri Lanka as President Sirisena Who Removed Prime Minister Unconstitutionally on Oct 26 , Swears in Ranil Wickremesinghe as Premier on Dec 16th at Auspicious time of 11.16 am’ »

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court shooting down President Maithripala Sirisena’s premature sacking of parliament will have far reaching consequences for him as well as future leaders, according to the landmark judgment. The cogently written judgments also demolished the state Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya and chided him for trying to confer “royal prerogative powers” on the Sri …

Continue reading ‘Unanimous Supreme Court Ruling Severely Admonishes Attorney -General Jayantha Jayasuriya For Trying to Confer “Royal Prerogative Power” on the Sri Lankan Head of State Despite the Executive President Not Being Above the Law.’ »

Sri Lanka’s crisis looked over on Saturday as strongman Mahinda Rajapakse bowed out of a power battle that had crippled the island nation for seven weeks and sent it heading for a possible debt default. Rajapakse held a multi-religious service at his home where he signed a letter backing down from the post of prime …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Holds Multi – Religious Worship at His residence Before Signing a Letter Quitting Seven Week Long Controversial Prime Minister Post Conferred on Him on Oct 26’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene As former President Mahinda Rajapaksa ignominiously retreated following the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal delivering a richly deserved lesson on constitutional propriety to President Maithripala Sirisena, the nation faces sobering questions close to the dawn of a new year. Betrayal of the electoral compact Euphoria in preventing the President …

Continue reading ‘Attempted extra-constitutional capture of political power by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 26th 2018 did not come upon us in a vacuum’ »

All the Rajapaksas combined failed to defeat the independence and integrity of our legislature and judiciary, and he resigned from a position he has not held for the last one month. Today, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s efforts to gain power through the backdoor have failed, UNP deputy leader, Sajith Premadasa said. “I challenge Mahinda Rajapaksa to win …

Continue reading ‘If Mahinda Rajapaksa Wants to Regain Power He Must Confess His Sins to the Country, Seek Penance and Go Before the People in a Lawful, Free and Fair Election says Sajith Premadasa.’ »

(Text of English translation of a speech made by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at his Wijerama Mawatha residence on 15 December 2018) Most venerable members of the Maha Sangha, Clergymen of all religions, Members of Parliament, Ministers, and dear friends, The Supreme Court has delivered a judgement against the holding of the general election that …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Lashes Out at Tamil National Alliance In His “Farewell”Speech Saying the UNP Has Been Taken Hostage by the TNA and that the Tamil party Holds the Remote Control in Parliament.’ »

Sri Lanka’s disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has signed what was called a ‘resignation’ letter at his residence in the capital Colombo, ending an extraordinary saga in the country’s parliamentary history where he clung on to power despite suffering no-confidence motions. Rajapaksa was appointed Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Rajapaksa Prime Minister on …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Signs a “Resignation Letter” At His Residence After Clinging On to Power For 7 Weeks As the First and Only Purported Prime Minister in Commonwealth History’ »

By the “Daily FT” Special Political Correspondent Lord Denning M. L., the 20th Century British Judge and Jurist, in his famous book ‘The Family Story’, remarked: “Every Judge, on his appointment, discards all politics and all prejudice. You need have no fear. The Judges of England have always in the past – and will – …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Offers Prime Minister Position to Karu Jayasuriya, Sajith Premadasa, John Amaratunga and Daya Gamage To Deprive Ranil Wickremesinghe But UNP Stalwarts Stand Firmly Behind Party Leader Who will be Taking Oaths for the Fifth time as Premier’ »

By Wijith de Chickera In a palpable blow felt around the body politic, three courts have delivered a trifecta of punches to the coup’s solar plexus. It is not a full, final or binding ruling. But it is a first step towards something solid, stable, and altogether salutary – or so it seems. And there …

Continue reading ‘The judiciary at three levels of its being has asserted its mettle against unconstitutional political ambition and unbridled militarism.’ »

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court yesterday against the former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva over Contempt of Court. Senior Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Prof. Hewa Waduge Cyril, and Senior Prof. Prashantha Gunawardena filed the petition.

By Chathuri Dissanayake and Nuwan Senarathna President Maithripala Sirisena-appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday decided to quit, ending seven weeks of political turmoil in the country, as ousted Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe readies to retake his oaths yet again tomorrow. Rajapaksa, whose appointment for the post was disputed from the beginning, decided to ‘resign’ as Prime …

Continue reading ‘Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa To Quit After 7 Weeks; Harin Fernando Confirms Ranil Wickremesinghe will Be Sworn in as Prime Minister at 10 am Before President Sirisena on Sunday Dec 16’ »

By S. S. Selvanayagam Supreme Court yesterday granted special Leave to Appeal the petition filed by MP Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 others against the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal but declined Interim Relief. The bench comprised Justices Eva Wanasundera, Buwaneka Aluvihara and Vijith K. Malalgoda. Justice Vijith K. Malalgoda dissented in granting …

Continue reading ‘Appeal Court Ruling Restraining Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 Others From Functioning as Prime Minister and Ministers Upheld Unanimously by Three -Judge Bench Of Supreme Court Headed By Eva Wanasundara.’ »

UNP sources say ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will be reappointed Prime Minister on Sunday. This follows a telephone conversation between President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe that took place a short while ago.

By Maria Abi-Habib and Dharisha Bastians Sri Lanka’s political crisis appeared to edge toward a resolution Friday when one of the two men claiming to be the country’s rightful prime minister agreed to step down. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa planned to relinquish his claim to be prime minister in an address to the nation on …

Continue reading ‘In the Aftermath of Two Adverse Supreme Court Rulings, Mahinda Rajapaksa Likely to Relinquish His Claim of Being Prime Minister and Step Down After an Address to the Nation.’ »

NOT FOR the first time in recent weeks, Sri Lankans held a collective breath on the afternoon of December 13th, as citizens gathered outside the Supreme Court in Colombo, the capital. When seven judges eventually faced the packed crowd in Room 502, their decision was unanimous: President Maithripala Sirisena had breached the constitution last month, …

Continue reading ‘Despite the Supreme Court Slap to The Head of State, Sirisena’s Opponents May Not Be Able to Write The President Off So Easily -The Economist’ »

By Nuwan Senarathna Indicating no change in his stance, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said he would only make a decision after observing the proceedings of the Supreme Court on the Interim Order issued by the Court of Appeal today, according to the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarians. The Appeal filed against the Interim Order …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Ready to Move Back To Opposition and Let Ranil Form Govt But President Sirisena Refuses to “Take a Step Back” and Insists He “Would Not Govern Country With Ranil Wickremesinghe Under Any Circumstances”.’ »

Jubilant United National Party (UNP) members, led by MP Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday, called on President Maithripala Sirisena to respect the Supreme Court judgement and immediately establish a Government that has the support of Parliament. UNP leader and MP Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a Twitter post minutes after the landmark judgement, said he hoped Sirisena will “promptly …

Continue reading ‘UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe Asks President Sirisena to Respect the Supreme Court Verdict and Immediately Establish a Govt That Has the support of Parliament.’ »

By S. S. Selvanayagam In a landmark judgement, a seven-judge Bench of the Supreme Court yesterday unanimously ruled that the Gazette dissolving Parliament, issued by President Maithripala Sirisena on 9 November, was unconstitutional, and Parliament cannot be dissolved until four and a half out of its five year term is completed. In the much-awaited judgment, …

Continue reading ‘Seven Judge Bench of Supreme Court Led By Chief Justice Unanimously Rules in 87 Page Judgement That Parliament Cannot be Dissolved Until Four and a Half Years of Its Five Year Term is Completed.’ »

By S.S. Selvanayagam, Farook T. Thajudeen and Shehan Chamika Silva A fuller Bench of seven Supreme Court (SC) Justices today unanimously ruled that President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to dissolve parliament on November 9, before the completion of four and half years, was unconstitutional and illegal. The highly anticipated judgement, delivered before a packed court of …

Continue reading ‘Justice Sisira De Abrew Gives Different Reasons For His Ruling While Concurring With Chief Justice and Other Five Judges in Delivering a Unanimous Supreme Court Verdict That President Sirisena’s Gazette Proclamation on Nov 9th Dissolving Parliament was Unconstitutional and Illegal and Had No Force in Law.’ »

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court today ruled in a landmark judgement that President Maithripala Sirisena’s Gazetted decision to dissolve Parliament and hold snap elections was unconstitutional and unlawful. Chief Justice Nalin Perera delivering the verdict said that if the President wants to dissolve Parliament before four and half years, as stipulated by the Constitution there should …

Continue reading ‘Seven Judge Bench of Supreme Court Headed by Chief Justice Perera Rules Unanimously in a Landmark Verdict That Dissolution of Parliament and Scheduling of Elections Gazetted By President Sirisena was UnConstitutional and Unlawful .’ »

Controversial Supreme Court judge Eva Wanasundera is set to hear an appeal by her law-college pal Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday raising concern among opposing petitioners who fear bias. The appeal filed against a Court of Appeal interim order restraining Rajapaksa and his purported cabinet exercising the powers of their offices is to be taken up …

Continue reading ‘Concerns Rise Over Possible “Biased” Rulings as Three -Judge Supreme Court Bench Headed by Eva Wanasundara Along With Buvaneka Aluvihare and Vijithkumara Malalgoda Is Set To Hear Appeal by Mahinda Rajapaksa Against Appeal Court Interim Order On Friday Dec 14th’ »

By Meera Srinivasan In a crucial verdict that could possibly end Sri Lanka’s current political impasse, the Supreme Court will, at 4 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, rule on President Maithripala Sirisena’s November 9 move dissolving Parliament and calling for snap polls. The judgement will be delivered by a seven-judge bench, seven weeks after Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘Seven Judge Supreme Court Bench Headed by Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice To Issue Crucial Ruling at 4 PM On Dec 13th on President Sirisena Ordering Dissolution of Parliament and Holding of Elections’ »

By Zacki Jabbar The UNP said yesterday that it would institute legal action against the Podujana Peramuna for circulating a false agreement that the UNP had purportedly entered into with the TNA. UNP MPs Ashu Marasinghe and Mujibur Rahuman, addressing the media at Temple Trees, yesterday evening, challenged the authors of the false agreement to a …

Continue reading ‘Bogus UNP -TNA Pact Written In Sinhala With Ranil’s English and Sampanthan’s Sinhala Signatures Being Circulated: UNP Threatens Legal Action Against Podujana Peramuna.’ »

By Saman Indrajith Ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday, told Parliament that he would strive to find a political solution to the ethnic problem within an undivided country. Addressing Parliament soon after a motion of confidence in him was passed Wickremesinghe said: “The words of former US President Abraham Lincoln that “government of the people, …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Re-iterates in Parliament His Commitment Towards Achievement of a Political Solution Within an Undivided Country, Abolition of Executive Presidency and Strengthening of Provincial Councils.’ »

The Court of Appeal yesterday fixed Quo Warranto writ application filed by 122 MPs challenging the appointment Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Cabinet for arguments on January 16, 2019. The Court directed all respondents to file written objections by January 4 while the petitioners were directed to file their counter objections by January 11.

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Following the Vote of Confidence yesterday, confirming UNP MP Ranil Wickremesinghe as having the confidence of Parliament, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has informed President Maithripala Sirisena of the results officially. In his letter to President Sirisena, the Speaker explained the background to the Motion and the channel followed in the House. “The Motion …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Informs President Sirisena Officially That Ranil Wickremesinghe MP Has The Confidence of the House Following a Motion of Confidence Being Passed With 117 Parliamentarians Voting in Favour..’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa yesterday appealed to President Maithripala Sirisena to end the Constitutional standoff by accepting MP Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, and allowing the country to return to normal without further delay. Moving the Vote of Confidence yesterday in Parliament, to prove MP Wickremesinghe commands the confidence of Parliament to function …

Continue reading ‘Sajith Premadasa Moving Vote of Confidence In Parliament Tells President Sirisena to Stop wasting Time and Allow Country to Return to Normalcy Without Further Delay by Appointing Ranil Wickremesinghe Who Has the Confidence of the House as Prime Minister’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Reasserting his majority in Parliament, UNP leader MP Ranil Wickremesinghe won the Vote of Confidence yesterday in Parliament, receiving 117 votes with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) declining to participate. The motion showed MP Wickremesinghe commands the confidence of Parliament to function as the Prime Minister. UPFA lawmakers continued to boycott the …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Proves Conclusively That He Has the Confidence of Majority in Parliament By Winning Vote of Confidence with 117 To 0: UPFA Boycotts and JVP Abstains But TNA Votes Together With UNF’ »

By S.S.Selvanayagam The Court of Appeal yesterday overruled the Preliminary Objection raised by the Respondent on the non-compliance of Rule of the Court involving a technical issue. The Court fixed the Petition for Argument on 16, 17 and 18 January 2019, and directed the Respondents to file their Objections on or before 28December, and the …

Continue reading ‘Appeal Court Overrules Preliminary Objection By Respondents And Denies Plea to Cancel Interim Order Issued in Quo Warranto Case Against Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and His Cabinet.’ »

By Kelum Bandara President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have asked for creation of public opinion on the conduct of a referendum on dissolution of Parliament, in case the Supreme Court rules out. At the meetings of the parliamentary group of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Wants UPFA Parliamentarians to Create Public Opinion in Favour of Conducting a Referendum If the Supreme Court Rules Adversely on the Question of Dissolving Parliament and Holding Elections’ »

By Taylor Dibbert Sri Lanka’s political crisis continues. The attempted coup is a huge mess. No one knows how the imbroglio will end, although the coup has been failing. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the project to illegally put Mahinda Rajapaksa in the prime minister’s post will fail. But the fact that coup …

Continue reading ‘Coup Supporters have Relied upon Illegality and Dishonesty to try to put Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Prime Minister’s Post.Let’s Hope They Don’t Succeed.’ »

By Ranga Jayasuriya In 1978, when the all-powerful executive presidency was introduced, LSSP stalwart N.M. Perera asked what would happen “if the presidency goes to a mad man”? The manifest limits of due process and absence of checks and balances against the behaviour of the incumbent has raised that pertinent question once again. Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘When JR Introduced Executive Presidency in 1978 LSSP Leader Dr.N.M. Perera Raised The Prophetic Question “What Would Happen If Presidency Goes to a Madman?’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando An ongoing high profile case before the Fort Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake into the then Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne allegedly helping Lt. Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, a suspect in the alleged wartime abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youth, to flee the country in early last year, took a dramatic …

Continue reading ‘How Ex-Navy Chief and Chief of Defence Services Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne Became Remand Prisoner No 9550 At High Security Section in Welikade Jail.’ »

A petition was filed at the Court of Appeal yesterday seeking a writ of quo warranto to disqualify UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from being a Member of Parliament, declare that his appointment as a member of Parliament was void and state that he had no right to continue to hold office as a member of …

Continue reading ‘Petition Seeking Writ of quo Warranto To Disqualify Ranil Wickremesinghe as Member of Parliament Filed at Court of Appeal by Co-chair of Women for Justice Sharmila Roweena Jayawardene Gonawela.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena Monday faced a new challenge from an unexpected source questioning his mental condition to govern the country as a political crisis triggered by him dragged without any sign of resolution. A public interest case was filed by a woman activist identified as Thakshila Jayawardena who argued that “irrational” behavior of the president …

Continue reading ‘“Public Interest” Case Filed on Behalf of Thakshila Jayawardena in Court of Appeal Wants a Panel of Doctors from Angoda Mental Hospital to Examine and Determine Whether President Maithripala Sirisena is of a Sound Mind.’ »

By Nuwan Senarathna In a bid to end the country’s current political deadlock, President Maithripala Sirisena will today make a special request to Chief Justice Nalin de Silva through Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya for the Supreme Court’s decision on the Gazette dissolving Parliament to be issued as early as possible, MP Wimal Weerawansa revealed yesterday. …

Continue reading ‘Wimal Weerawansa MP Tells Media That President Sirisena Will Convey a “Special Request” Through Attorney -General Jayantha Jayasuriya to Chief Justice Nalin Perera That the Supreme Court Makes a Ruling as early as possible in the Parliament Dissolution Case.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan For Chandrani Mendis, the political crisis gripping Sri Lanka since October 26 has had a specific cost — her pension for November. “After my husband died, I had been receiving 250 rupees (roughly ₹100) a month as an allowance, but they stopped it last month,” said the 60-year-old, seated in her modest …

Continue reading ‘How the Political Crisis Caused Since Oct 26 Affects People In Rural Moneragala District – Abrupt Halt to Financial assistance, Subsidies, Pensions and Free School Uniforms.’ »

By Awahnee Mendis In Grade 3, my Social Studies textbook described Sri Lanka as being a multicultural country, where people of all ethnicities lived together in harmony. What is ironic, and what my eight-year-old self didn’t realise, is that this was what I was being taught while the country was in an ethnic civil war. …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan History That is Taught to Children is Extremely Sinhala-centric, with Only a Few Paragraphs Mentioning the Jaffna Kingdom and the Tamil People.’ »