By Dharisha Bastians and Jeffrey Gettleman Sri Lanka’s politics plunged into deeper turmoil on Friday when a majority of the country’s parliamentarians refused to recognize the appointment of the new prime minister amid rising tensions and accusations of millions of dollars in bribes. Last week, President Maithripala Sirisena unexpectedly fired Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, accusing …

Continue reading ‘118 of 225 MP’s Meet Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in Parliament Committee Room and Submit Resolution Refusing to Accept President Sirisena’s Appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister .’ »

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday confirmed that President Maithripala Sirisena had in fact insinuated that an Indian spy agency was involved in plotting his assassination at a heated Cabinet meeting two weeks ago. Details of the explosive Cabinet meeting made local and international headlines, but President Sirisena and members of the Government staunchly denied the …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Confirms in NDTV Interview that President Sirisena Had Insinuated at a Heated Cabinet Meeting. About an Indian Spy Agency Plotting his Assassinastion .’ »

By Aruna Bogahawatte Parliament would not be dissolved even if the Opposition defeated the government’s vote on account to be presented shortly, Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said, yesterday. Addressing a media conference, at the SLFP headquarters in Colombo, the Minister said that the Opposition would not be able to muster …

Continue reading ‘Parliament Wont be Dissolved Even if the Vote on Account was Defeated in Voting Saus Nimal Siripala de Silva.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake With President Sirisena remaining non-committal on reconvening Parliament before 16 November despite assurances given, the constitutional crisis, now in its eighth day, remains in deadlock in spite of repeated requests to immediately call the House to session. The United National Party (UNP) yesterday made a great show of numbers at the Party …

Continue reading ‘Pressure Mounts on Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Re-Convene Parliament Immediately With or Without President Sirisena’s Sanction.’ »

Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella informed the Speaker in writing that the Parliament has no confidence in the newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa or the subsequent appointments. The letter said “No-Confidence in the purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa or the purported Government appointed on or after 26 October”. The Speaker has promised to …

Continue reading ‘Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella Hands Over No Confidence Motion Against Purported Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Appointed on Oct 26 and Purported Govt to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’ »

Noting that the Maha cultivation season had begun under favourable weather conditions throughout the country and the economy was about to gain an impetus with all hydro reservoirs reaching full storage capacity, the government yesterday announced a series of relief measures to ease the high cost of living by reducing prices of selected essential commodities …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena -Rajapaksa “Govt -in -Formation” Announces a Series of Relief Measures to Including the Reduction of Selected Essential Items to Ease the High Cost of Living’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Purawesi Balaya co-convenor Gamini Viyangoda alleges that what he calls the illegally constituted Sirisena-Rajapaksa government wants to sabotage investigations into several high profile accountability and mega corruption cases. Dismissing President Maithripala Sirisena’s claims that he had invited his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa to take over premiership due to alleged conspiracy targeting him, Viyangoda …

Continue reading ‘“Purawesi Balaya” Co-convenor Gamini Viyangoda Alleges That the “Illegally Constituted Sirisena-Rajapaksa Govt Wants ti Sabotage Investigations Into Several High Profile Accountability and Mega-Corruption Cases.’ »

Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne has issued the following summary of his statement at a recent media briefing on the current crisis: A constitutional crisis has been precipitated with President Sirisena purporting to remove Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and purporting to appoint Mahinda Rajapakse MP as Prime Minister on 26 October 2018. Before the Nineteenth Amendment to …

Continue reading ‘Purported Removal of Wickremesinghe and Purported Appointment of Rajapaksa as PM are Both Unconstitutional and all Subsequent Steps Taken are “Void Ab Initio”- Dr.Jayampathy Wickramaratne’ »

By Jayadeva Uyangoda A major point of great significance being debated in Sri Lanka these days is the validity of the actions of Sri Lanka’s president to sack his prime minister and swear in a replacement. President has claimed a few times that his actions are entirely in accordance with the constitution. He has also …

Continue reading ‘With Their Understanding of Political Power Being Different,Will There be a Fresh Power Struggle Between the “old” President Sirisena and his Newly Appointed Prime Minister Rajapaksa?’ »

By Sasanka Perera When President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe on 26th October 2018, and prorogued Parliament until 16th November, he injected new meaning to Sri Lanka Tourist Development Authority’s global sales pitch, ‘a land like no other.’ Indeed, in what land other than Lanka would a sitting Prime Minister be sacked without …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s parliament is like a veritable auction house where elected MPs can be purchased by the highest bidder’ »

Thirteen cabinet ministers, State ministers and Deputy were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat today November 1st 2018. The Breakdown is as follows – CABINET MINISTERS: Duminda Dissanayake sworn in as Minister of Irrigation, Water Resources and Disaster Management Dayasiri Jayasekara sworn in as Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training …

Continue reading ‘Two Cabinet Ministers, Five State Ministers and Six Deputy Ministers From the SLFP/UPFA Sworn in by President Sirisena.’ »

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa have decided to go for a Vote on Account and not a vote of Confidence in their government when parliament meets later this month. If the government wins the Vote on Account it means that the Rajapaksa government has enough support in parliament and that …

Continue reading ‘If Vote on Account To be Presented by Mahinda Rajapaksa When Parliament Re-convenes Is Defeated in a Vote,then President Sirisena Will Dissolve Parliament and Hold New Elections.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan In the face of growing calls to end week-long political impasse in the country, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has reconvened Parliament on November 5. “Parliament will reconvene on Monday,” a top official at the President’s office told The Hindu on Thursday morning, confirming Mr. Sirisena’s decision to partially revoke his order …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Will Re-convene Parliament on Nov 5th and not on Nov 16th but Speaker Will Allocate Prime Minister Seat to Mahinda Rajapaksa Gazetted as PM.’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema In the middle of the sensational events of the past few days, the sacking of one prime minister and the appointment of another, the multiple press conferences being held by the rival camps, the shooting incident at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, the petroleum strike, and the crossovers and counter crossovers taking …

Continue reading ‘What is the Real Reason Behind Reduction of Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Security Detail From 1000 to 10?’ »

The Sri Lankan parliament will meet on November 5 as originally scheduled, President Maithripala Sirisena told the four Ambassadors who had presented their credentials on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Speaker formally announced the seating arrangements in parliament according to which the seat allotted to the Prime Minister will be given to Mahinda Rajapaksa who was appointed …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Tells Four Ambassadors Including New US Envoy Alaina Teplitz That Sri Lankan Parliament will meet on Nov 5th as Originally Scheduled.’ »

By Ajantha Kumara Agalakada President Maithripala Sirisena has said that he would neither let the North and East to be merged nor allow the country to be a federal state. He told the SLFP electoral organizers who met him in Colombo that he would have to be killed to get those two done. The President …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena Tells SLFP Organizers in Colombo That He Wont Remain as President for Even One Hour If Ranil was Re-appointed as Prime Minister.’ »

Tamara Kunanayakam, Economist, Expert on international affairs, Former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN at Geneva, Former Chairperson/Rapporteur of the UN Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development yesterday asked why West had been silen on some grave wrongdoings of the ousted Premier Wickremesinghe. Kunanayakam, was speaking at a briefing organized by …

Continue reading ‘Group of Mostly Western Foreign Envoys Meeting Ousted Prime Minister Formally is Unprecedented and Unacceptable says Former Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam.’ »

By Prof. Saviri Goonesekere The President and his lawyers have argued that the removal of the Prime Minister on 26. 10. 2018 in the aftermath of the collapse of the current coalition government was lawful under the Constitution of Sri Lanka. His subsequent appointment of a new PM and Cabinet at his individual discretion, is …

Continue reading ‘The Speaker has the Constitutional Responsibility to the Nation to Summon Parliament While Informing the President It is Being Done to Prevent the President from Violating His Own Constitutional Responsibility.’ »

By A special Correspondent Advising one party whose position may be at odds with the President’s position could put the Attorney General in a pickle, which may explain why he has declined to give an opinion, lawyers told the Daily FT. The experts said that, based on views expressed by President Sirisena and the letter …

Continue reading ‘Instead of Opining Whether President’s Actions are Unconstitutional or not as an Attorney -General Ought to, Jayantha Jayasuriya Keeps Mum Saying Its “Inappropriate” to Comment.’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe In a predictable policy U-turn, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was appointed as Finance Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday, backed promoting populist and protectionist economic policies that would give subsidies to farmers, do away with the fuel formula and possibly reduce taxes. Rajapaksa, addressing the staff of the Finance Ministry after …

Continue reading ‘Newly Appointed Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Wants to Move Away from Liberalisation Policies and Promote Populist,Protectionist Policies Including Farmer Subsidies,Tax Reduction and Fuel Price Formula Abolition.’ »

By Dr.Asanga Welikala There have been intense public debates over the meaning and interpretation of the Constitution, and especially the far-reaching changes introduced by the Nineteenth Amendment in 2015, since the dramatic and ongoing attempt at an unconstitutional transfer power that began on the evening of Friday 26th October. Unfortunately, the discussion has been clouded …

Continue reading ‘Nailing Canards: Why President Sirisena’s Actions Remain Illegal, Unconstitutional, And Illegitimate’ »

Thousands of protestors yesterday Oct (30) thronged the Liberty Roundabout in an unexpectedly massive show of support for mounting calls on the Speaker of Parliament to reconvene the House and end the constitutional deadlock, even as Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was controversially deposed as Prime Minister last week, stood his ground for a fifth straight day. …

Continue reading ‘Defiant Ranil Steps Out of “Temple Trees” Clad in Bullet-proof Vest To Address Huge Crowds Demonstrating Against “Attempted Coup” By Maithripala and Mahinda to Retain Power Through Extra-Constutional Means.’ »

By The Economist Intelligence Unit Sri Lanka is set to undergo another period of political turmoil as the country faces a constitutional crisis. The growing tensions and ideological differences within the ruling coalition between the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) came to the fore on October 26th, when the …

Continue reading ‘“The SLFP and the SLPP will eventually succeed in gaining parliamentary approval for their new administration in mid-November”- The Economist’ »

By Kelum Bandara Newly-sworn in Education and Higher Education Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said today President Maithripala Sirisena had ‘inherent powers’ to dissolve Parliament in case the Vote on Account to be presented by the new government was defeated. He told a hurriedly summoned news conference that the foremost task of the new government was the …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Can Dissolve Parliament According to Westminster Conventions if Vote on Account Interim Budget Presented by “New” Govt is Defeated in Parliament says Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.’ »

The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) is deeply concerned by the constitutional crisis prevailing in the country following the events that transpired on the 26th of October 2018 and the subsequent proroguing of parliament by His Excellency the President. The NCEASL reiterates that the Constitution is the Supreme Law of the land, …

Continue reading ‘National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka Issues Call to uphold the Constitution, democracy and rule of law in Sri Lanka’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “Sovereign is he who decides on the exception” — Carl Schmitt At the heart of the current debate is the issue of national and people’s sovereignty, on the one hand, vs. the supremacy of the legislature on the other. This debate is based on a monumental misperception. There is a complete misunderstanding …

Continue reading ‘The Logic of the Republican Constitution and the Relative Autonomy of the Presidency: A Political Science Perspective.’ »

By Atul Aneja China on Monday said it did not intend to interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, but was “closely following” the situation in the island nation, and had contacted the leaders involved in the crisis. “China and Sri Lanka are close and friendly neighbors. We are closely following in the changes in the …

Continue reading ‘China is Closely Following What is Happening in Sri Lanka but does not Intend Interfering in the Affairs of a Friendly Nation.’ »

By Marwaan Macan-Markar Sri Lanka is on a knife edge after President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday, a move seen partly as a reaction to India’s behind-the-scenes maneuvering. Sirisena engineered what some experts have called a “coup” and installed former political foe Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister. Back …

Continue reading ‘While India Seems Annoyed at Being Dragged Into Sri Lanka’s Internal Politics, China Seizes Island’s Current Crisis as a Political Opportunity.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Amidst mounting pressure to summon the Sri Lankan Parliament that has been suspended since Saturday, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is expected to soon reconvene the House, following a meeting with all-party representatives scheduled on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the deposed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday said that “a majority” of MPs has asked for …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Tells Meeting of 40 Diplomatic Mission Heads in Colombo that “70 to 75% of People Wanted Ranil Wickremesinghe Removed as Prime Minister”.’ »

By Jayadeva Uyangoda Last Friday, Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremeinghe and appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa, his political rival until the day before, as the new Prime Minister — a surprising move that Mr. Sirisena made in order to resolve a deepening political dispute between himself and Mr. Wickremesinghe. But this act …

Continue reading ‘Unprecedented Constitutional Crisis in Sri Lanka is Beginning of a Dangerous Phase in On Going Three -Cornered Power Struggle Among Sirisena, Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa.’ »

Dr.Sarath Amunugama, social anthropologist, historian and administrator, has been appointed Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister in the new government formed by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa following the ouster of Ranil Wckremesinghe from the Premiership last Friday. President Maithripala Sirisena, by convention, continues to be Defense Minister. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa takes the …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa is Finance and Economic Affairs Minister While Dr.Sarath Amunugama is Foreign Affairs Minister in President Sirisena’s New Cabinet;Douglas Devananda and Arumugan Thondaman Take Over Portfolios Held by DM Swaminathan and P.Digambaram Earlier.’ »

Twelve new ministers were sworn into Sri Lanka’s new cabinet on Monday amidst a severe political crisis prevailing in the island country. The President’s Media Division said the new ministers were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat in capital Colombo. Former President Mahinda Rajapakse who was sworn in as the nation’s …

Continue reading ‘12 New Ministers Sworn in by President Sirisena Including UNP Renegades Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as Education/Higher Education Minister and Wasantha Senanayake as Minister of Tourism/Wildlife’ »

By Nuwan Senarathna MP Arjuna Ranatunga was arrested yesterday by Colombo Crime Division over the shooting incident that resulted in one death at Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), but was shortly released on bail. Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said Ranatunga was accused of being involved in the shooting incident, where a 34 year old man …

Continue reading ‘Ex-minister Arjuna Ranatunga Arrested and Released on Bail After Petroleum Corp Trade Unions Strike Disrupts Fuel Distribution in Country.’ »

Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has summoned a meeting of party representatives at 11 AM today, after 129 MPs placed their signatures on letters urging him to reconvene Parliament, despite the presidential proclamation suspending sittings. Aides to the Speaker said he could not summon a party leaders’ meet, since that must be held in Parliament, …

Continue reading ‘Karu Jayasuriya May Consult Party Leaders and Re-convene Prorogued Parliament on Wednesday Oct 31st as 129 of 225 MP’s Urge Speaker to Do So Despite President’s Prorogation.’ »

Following is the full text of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s address to the nation on Oct 29th 2018). Venerable Maha Sanga, venerable priests of all other religions and friends. On 8 January 2015, 62 lakhs of people of this country got together as a common front to re-establish democracy in the country and to re-establish …

Continue reading ‘“What happened last Friday was an illegal, anti-constitutional and opportunistic act” – Ranil Speaks Out in Hard-hitting Statement.’ »

By Wasantha Rupasinghe In a televised speech yesterday(Oct 28) , Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena attempted to justify his political coup last Friday, in which he unconstitutionally sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister and installed former president Mahinda Rajapakse to replace him. The removal of Wickremesinghe signals a deepening of the country’s political crisis, which …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena in His Self-Serving Cynical Televised Speech Tries to Justify his Unconstitutional Sacking of Wickremesinghe and Installing Rajapaksa as PM.’ »

By Maria Abi-Habib and Dharisha Bastians When Sri Lanka’s president was elected in 2015, he was given a sweeping mandate from voters to investigate accusations of war crimes and graft against his predecessor’s government and to cancel deals with China that had plunged the country into debt. Now the president, Maithripala Sirisena, has become an …

Continue reading ‘Fear Returns to Sri Lanka After The First Unconstitutional Transfer of Power in Island’s Independent History.’ »

(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu” of October 29th 2018 Under the Heading “Avoidable crisis: on Sri Lanka’s political crisis”) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to withdraw his faction from the ruling coalition and replace Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has plunged the country into a political crisis. This …

Continue reading ‘“President Sirisena’s Actions Have Put Sri Lankan Democracy In Peril”- “The Hindu”Editorial’ »

We are a group of Sri Lankan students currently pursuing our education overseas. We write today to express our deep concern about Sri Lanka’s ongoing constitutional and political crisis. Since 1931 Sri Lanka has had an imperfect and fragile, yet electorally and legally mandated, democracy. On Friday the 26th of October, for the first time …

Continue reading ‘A Coup In Asia’s Oldest Democracy: A Statement By Sri Lankan Overseas Students’ »

By Dr Reeza Hameed President Sirisena’s sacking of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa in his place has been described by some as a ‘constitutional coup’. The phrase ‘constitutional coup’ is a contradiction in terms, or ‘an oxymoron’, because it would imply that although President Sirisena’s actions amounted to a coup, …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena Sacking Wickremesinghe and Appointing Rajapaksa as Premier Cannot be Described as a “Constitutional Coup” Because There is no Constitutional Basis For the President to Remove the Prime Minister.’ »

By Sandun A Jayasekera Parliamentarian Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne today said that the removal of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was unconstitutional as President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Mr. Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister of the UNF government on August 21, 2015 and not as the Prime Minister of the national government. He said that three Ministers namely …

Continue reading ‘Dr.Jayampathy Wickramaratne Says Sacking Ranil as PM is Unconstitutional Because 19th Amendment Restrains President From Removing Premier and Points out Ranil was Appointed UNF Prime Minister and Not National Govt PM.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran It was at the request of President Maithripala Sirisena, that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa took up the Premiership of Sri Lanka on Friday, sources close to Rajapaksa said. The Rajapaksa group decided to accept the offer when it found that the President was very keen, the sources, which did not want to be …

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Allegedly Played Up the Issue of RAW Involvement in an Assassination Plot To Increase Maithripala Sirisena’s Insecurity Leading to President Replacing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena said last night that the main reason he decided to form a new government with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was the plot to assassinate him. He claimed that the name of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka had surfaced during investigations by the Criminal Investigation Department, but it was suppressed due to political interference.

By Dharisha Bastians and Jeffrey Gettleman Sri Lanka’s escalating political crisis turned deadly on Sunday when the bodyguard of a former cabinet minister fired on a crowd, killing at least one person and wounding two others, the police said. The former petroleum minister, Arjuna Ranatunga, was a member of the cabinet that President Maithripala Sirisena …

Continue reading ‘Group of Workers Loyal to President Confronted Arjuna Ranatunga as he Tried to Enter His Office at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’ »

One man died and two others were injured when shots were fired on October 28 in Sri Lanka, as a constitutional crisis over the shock sacking of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe turned violent. Bodyguards for Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga fired live rounds as a mob loyal to Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena besieged the Cabinet …

Continue reading ‘One Killed and Two Injured as Bodyguards of Arjuna Ranatunga Fire To Protect Petroleum Minister from Sirisena Loyalist Mob Besieging him in his Office.’ »

Issuing his first statement after taking oaths as the Prime Minister, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he would eschew politics of hate and set up an interim government protecting human rights of all citizens. The full statement issued by Rajapaksa is as follows, “UNP-UPFA government came to an end as the result of the UPFA …

Continue reading ‘Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Issues Statement Explaining Why He Accepted President Sirisenas Invitation to Become Prime Minister and Form Interim Government.’ »

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in a letter to the President Maithripala Sirisena informed today that he had received a request asking that the privileges of Ranil Wickremesinghe be protected until the person with the confidence of a majority in Parliament is established as Prime Minister. The UNP in a letter to Speaker requested yesterday to protect …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Tells President That Parliament Should Have Been Prorogued in Consultation With the Speaker and Requests Sirisena to Reconsider Prorogation.’ »

Sri Lankan Parliament’s Speaker on October 28 recognised Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s Prime Minister, saying he has “obtained a mandate to secure democracy and good governance”, in a major relief to the embattled UNP leader who was sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a dramatic move late on October 26. In a letter to …

Continue reading ‘Speaker Karu Jayasuriya Recognizes Ranil Wickremesinghe Who “Obtained a Mandate to Secure Democracy and Good Governance” and Asks President Sirisena to Restore PM’s Privileges.’ »

Sri Lanka’s opposition leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan has asked parliament to be summon immediately, as a constitutional crisis deepened in to violence. “Recognizing the necessity for upholding the supremacy of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and also, Recognizing the Supremacy of Parliament comprising of the democratically elected representatives of the people,” …

Continue reading ‘Leader of the Opposition Rajavarothayam Sampanthan Wants Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Uphold the Rule of Law by Immediately Convening Parliament Prorogued Unilaterally by President Sirisena.’ »

By K. Ratnayake In what amounts to a political coup, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister on Friday evening and appointed former president Mahinda Rajapakse to replace him. In doing so, Sirisena ended the “unity government” between his faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Wickremesinghe’s United National …

Continue reading ‘New Regime Tightens its Grip on Power With President Sirisena Taking Over State Media Institutions and Law and Order Ministry Which Controls the Police.’ »

(Text of President Maithripala Sirisena’s Address to the Nation Delivered on October 28th 2018) I have decided to address the nation today in the context of the recent political developments in the country, I thought it was essential to clarify the path we have to take in the future and to describe the reasons and …

Continue reading ‘President Maithripala Sirisena Explains in Detail the Circumstances Under Which He Parted Ways With Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Appointed Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM.’ »

By Sandun Jayawardana Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) loyalists have taken control of most state media institutions after the swearing in of Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister. SLPP union leaders or members at state media institutions, including Lake House,Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), Independent Television Network (ITN) and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), were …

Continue reading ‘Mobs Comprising Podujana Peramuna Supporters Allegedly Acting Under The Orders of Kandy District MP Keheliya Rambukwella Forcibly Take Control of State Media Institutions Lake House, ITN, Rupavahini and SLBC.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene If just a quarter of the time reserved by the United National Front (UNF) for juggling with the 19th Amendment by mediocrities of the day professing to be constitutional experts, cosseting Colombo’s privileged inner circles and crooning over applause by the ‘international community’ had been spent in reaching out to Sri …

Continue reading ‘Appointing a New Prime Minister and Proroguing Parliament is an Audaciously Conscienceless Extra-Constitutional Gamble By President Sirisena.’ »

by C.A. Chandraprema Sri Lankan politics is full of surprises and on Friday came the biggest surprise of our lifetimes – Mahinda Rajapaksa was suddenly sworn in as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe was sent a letter informing him that he has been sacked. Later, the newly sacked Mr. Wickremesinghe summoned …

Continue reading ‘The best thing that the UNP can do at this stage is to give their assent to go for fresh Parliamentary elections.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s first ever Northern Provincial Council completed its five-year term last week. About 25 years after the erstwhile North-Eastern Council lapsed, people living in the Tamil-majority areas had propelled their preferred political representatives to power in September 2013, sensing new hope post-war. Just as the Tamil National Alliance’s (TNA) first brush …

Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance in a Quandary Over Its Future Course of Action After the Coalition Government it Supported Falls Through.’ »

By Dharisha Bastians and Maria Abi-Habib President Mathripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka on Saturday suspended Parliament for two weeks as he sought to shore up support for unseating the country’s prime minister, escalating a political crisis. Mr. Sirisena suspended Parliament after ousting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday, a move many lawmakers and government ministers …

Continue reading ‘Namal Rajapaksa MP Tells “New York Times” Confidently “Of Course we have more than 130 Seats in Parliament”’ »

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered that Parliament should be prorogued with effect from October 27th 2018 to November 15th 2018. Deputy General Secretary of Parliament Neil Iddawala confirmed to the media that Parliament has been prorogued based on the instructions of the President. The office of the Speaker has announced that …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Prorogues Parliament Until Nov 16th to Enable Newly Appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to Garner a Majority in Parliament Through Horse Trading; Talks on with several Tamil and Muslim MP’s and a UNP Faction Led by Ravi Karunanayake.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran The appointment of former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the country’s Prime Minister replacing Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday, was sudden but not surprising. Given the highly fractured relationship between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe for the past year or two, and the mounting inner party pressure on the President to …

Continue reading ‘Crucial Vote to Determine Whether Newly Appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Or Ousted Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe Has a Majority in Parliament Likely to be Taken on Nov 16th’ »

By Meera Srinivasan At least three recent developments appear to have incrementally led to President Maithripala Sirisena’s sudden decision on Friday, to sack Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replace him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. According to top political sources in Colombo it was “a statement”, “a rejection” and “a press conference” that escalated tensions …

Continue reading ‘A Statement, a Rejection and a Press Conference Led to President Sirisena Removing Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and Replacing Him With Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

By Marianne David State-owned Lake House newspapers Daily News, Dinamina and Silumina Editorials were taken over by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) unions last night, Daily FT learns. A highly-placed source linked to Lake House told Daily FT that page one of today’s Daily News had been changed by Mahinda Rajapaksa loyalists.No violence had been …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Podu Janaperamuna Unionists “Take Over” Daily News,Silumina and Dinamina Editorial Departments at Lake House After Mahinda Rajapaksa Is Sworn in as Prime Minister; Mobs Attack Rupavahini ,ITN and Take Over Newsrooms. .’ »

By Dr.Asanga Welikala There were three dramatic announcements on the evening of Friday 26th October 2018 from the Presidential Secretariat, which occurred in the following order: (a) the announcement of the withdrawal of the UPFA from the government; (b) the swearing-in of Mahinda Rajapaksa before President Maithripala Sirisena as the Prime Minister; and (c) the …

Continue reading ‘Sirisena’s descent from the heroic standard-bearer of high idealism to a despised villain of the lowest form of low politics has been truly Miltonian.’ »

By Suhasini Haidar Hours after the dramatic turn of events in Colombo, that saw Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena withdraw support from the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and swear in former President Mahinda Rajapaksa instead, the Modi government appears to be weighing its options cautiously, for a number of reasons. New Delhi and …

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi Govt in New Delhi is carefully Weighing Its Options About Current Political Situation in Sri Lanka Without Rushing in Hastily.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan The Opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA), an amalgam of parties representing Sri Lanka’s northern Tamils, has expressed disappointment at the recent turn of events, terming it an “attack on the idea of a national government”. Speaking to The Hindu on Saturday, TNA spokesman and Jaffna district parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said: “The TNA’s …

Continue reading ‘TNA Spokesperson MA Sumanthiran MP Says Recent Turn of Events is an “Attack on the Idea of a National Govt”.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake A defiant Ranil Wickremesinghe held steadfast to his position as Prime Minister yesterday, following President Maithripala Sirisena’s arbitrary move to swear in Mahinda Rajapaksa as Premier, throwing the country into a constitutional crisis. In a snap move, Sirisena removed his party from the Coalition Government he had formed with Wickremesinghe three years …

Continue reading ‘Defiant Ranil Wickremesinghe Says ” I am Still the Prime Minister. I Have The Majority of the House and I Will Continue to Function as the Prime Minister”.’ »

By Maria Abi-Habib in Islamabad and Dharisha Bastians in Colombo Sri Lanka plunged into a constitutional crisis Friday after the president ousted the prime minister, a move that took the nation by surprise and was denounced as illegal by some government ministers. Sri Lankans were glued to their television sets Friday after President Maithripala Sirisena …

Continue reading ‘Grinning Mahinda Shakes Maithripala’s Hand While Being Sworn in as Prime Minister as Erstwhile Arch Rivals Join Together to Oust Ranil as Premier.’ »

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena said he had sworn in ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister and while his former coalition partner Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted he was still in office, throwing the country into a constitutional crisis. President Sirisena said a letter had been delivered to Wickremesinghe saying he had been removed with immediate effect, …

Continue reading ‘President Maithripala Sirisena Creates Constitutional Crisis By Removing Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and Appointing Mahinda Rajapaksa in his Place as Premier.’ »

by Zacki Jabar Ranil Wickremesinghe insisted last night that he was still the Prime Minister even as Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena. Addresssing the media at Temple Trees, Wickremesinghe said that in terms of 40 ( 2 ) of the Constitution, he was still the Prime Minister and …

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Says He Remains as Prime Minister Under 40(2) of Constitution Unless and Until Removed by Parliament’ »

by Norman Palihawadana and Shamindra Ferdinando Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was yesterday sworn in as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena. Newly elected Prime Minister Rajapaksa told The Island last night that the new government was faced with daunting challenges but it would overcome them all. Rajapaksa said that action would be taken to hold …

Continue reading ‘Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Sworn in as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena While UPFA Quits UNP Led Coalition Govt’ »

Sri Lanka’s police Thursday arrested Deputy Inspector-General Nalaka Silva in connection with a plot to kill his former deputy, Senior Superintendent Prasanna Alwis, official sources said. Silva’s arrest and subsequent remanding in custody till November 7 had nothing to do with the alleged plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena, but his suspected plan to attack …

Continue reading ‘DIG Nalaka Silva Arrested and Remanded For Alleged Plot to Kill his Former Deputy SSP Prasanna Alwis and not Over Alleged Plot to Assassinate President Sirisena.’ »

Sri Lanka’s Constitutional Council Thursday averted a major crisis in the judiciary by avoiding controversy and instead recognising integrity and honesty in filling top slots in superior courts. The Council applied high standards of probity and rectitude in considering the nominees for the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal sent in by President Maithripala …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Who Nominated Deepani Wijesundara and Kusala Sarojini Weerawardena as Single Candidates to Constitutional Council as Supreme Court and Appeal Court Judges Adds More Nominees to Avoid Protests From Civil Socierty and Possible Confrontation With CC.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando President Maihripala Sirisena has reiterated that the development of the East Container Terminal (ECTA) of the Colombo Port would be handled exclusively by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). Ports and Shipping Minister and SLFP spokesman Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday explained President Sirisena’s stand, at the weekly media briefing at the SLFP office …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Determined to Develop Colombo Port East Container Terminal by Sri Lanka Ports Authority Alone and Will Not Give in to Combined Pressure by India and UNP Says POrts Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe.’ »

By Shavini Madhara The former Director of the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) Deputy Inspector General of Police Nalaka de Silva was remanded until November 7 by Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday evening. The Criminal Investigation Department arrested Nalaka de Silva yesterday following interrogations. The former Director of the TID was questioned by the CID on …

Continue reading ‘Former Terrorism Investigation Division Director DIG Nalaka de Silva Arrested After 4 Days of Interrogation and Remanded Until November 7th by Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Parting ways with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), C.V. Wigneswaran, who served as the first Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, on Wednesday launched a new political formation called the Thamizh Makkal Kootani (TMK). The kootani or alliance, he said in a public address, would uphold the fundamentals of Tamil nationalism, …

Continue reading ‘CV Wigneswaran Launches New Political Movement Called “Thamizh Makkal Koottani” (Tamil Peoples Alliance) in Jaffna Under his Leadership to Challenge the “Thamizh Thesiya Kootamaippu” (Tamil National Alliance) Led by R.Sampanthan.’ »

By Aneesha Manage and Chandrasena Gamage Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said that he didn’t believe that the Cabinet Ministers would have any links with the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) of India. Responding to journalists after visiting the Henakaduwa Temple at Tangalle, Mr Rajapaksa, however, said the act of one of the Ministers working …

Continue reading ‘Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa Says He Does Not Believe any Cabinet Minister Has Links With India’s Research and Analysis Wing(RAW) as Alleged by Cabinet Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Northern Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran on Tuesday slammed the Colombo government and his own Tamil leadership, holding them responsible for the perceived failure of the Northern Provincial Council to deliver on its promises to the war-affected Tamils. Speaking at the last sitting of the Council — which was elected to …

Continue reading ‘NPC opposition Leader S.Thavarajah Slams “Arm chair Politics” of CV Wigneswaran for Failure of Northern Provincial Council While Chief Minister Blames Govt and TNA Leadership for NPC’s Perceived Failure.’ »

By Zahrah Imtiaz and Kamal Jayamanne Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, jubilant after MP Johnston Fernando’s acquittal, said he never doubted the independence of the Judiciary in the country. He was speaking at a media briefing held at his home in Wijerama Mawatha, joined by JO MPs, Johnston Fernando, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Wimal Weerawansa, Prof G.L. Peiris …

Continue reading ‘Jubilant After Johnston Fernando’s Acquittal Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Says He Never Doubted the Independence of the Judiciary in the Country.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lankan authorities will seek Chinese assistance to tap evidence pertaining to an “assassination plot” said to be targeting President Maithripala Sirisena. On Tuesday, Sri Lankan police won permission from a magistrate court here to approach Chinese multinational Huawei for technical expertise to recover data from a phone manufactured by it. The …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Police will Obtain Technical Expertise From Chinese Multi-national Huawei to Recover Data From Phone Owned By Assassination Plot Informant Namal Kumara to help Investigations.’ »

By Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan The Act as in the expression ‘a Curates’ Egg’ is good in parts and bad in parts. While the proposed new Counter Terrorism Act repeals the earlier Prevention of Terrorism Act and does away with some of its bad features, it introduces some new features which are not desirable and which …

Continue reading ‘While Doing Away With Some Bad Features of Old Prevention of Terrorism act the New Counter Terrorism Act has some Undesirable Which May Lead to Equally Draconian Enforcement.’ »

By T. Farook Thajudeen CID today informed the Fort Chief Magistrate that the Government Analyst had identified 123 voice cuts as those of ex-DIG Nalaka de Silva from the 124 recordings sent to the Government Analyst. He had also detected the voice cuts to be tampered by attaching a software device to the complainants mobile …

Continue reading ‘CID Tells Court That Namal Kumara the Complainant against Ex-TID Director Nalaka de Silva was a Former Employee of Avant Garde Security Services Headed by Nissanka Senadhipathy.’ »

By Charumini de Silva Popular travel guide Lonely Planet yesterday officially named Sri Lanka the number one country to travel to in 2019, citing a growing number of activities, better accessibility, the rise of new hotels and trending wellness tourism as key reasons for the island to be chosen for the top spot in the …

Continue reading ‘Popular Travel Guide “Lonely Planet” Officially Names Sri Lanka as the No 1 Country to Travel To In 2019.’ »

All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) has lodged a complaint with the police headquarters about an alleged plot to kill its leader Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen. ACMC MP Ameer Ali and party secretary S. Subairdeen had made the complaint on Monday, party sources said. Speaking to the press after their visit to the …

Continue reading ‘All Ceylon Makkal Congress Complains to Police About Alleged Plot to Assassinate Its Leader and Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.’ »

CID officials said that the Indian national Mersily Thomas held on Detention order was referred to a mental and orthopedic clinic. The orthopedic doctors had recommended him to undergo surgery on his hand but he had refused to do so. The detained Indian National informed the Magistrate that the Indian Government was trying to kill …

Continue reading ‘Indian National Detained Over Alleged Assassination Plot Is Referred to Judicial Medical Officer After He Tells Court That Indian Govt Is Trying to Kill him with Support of Sri Lankan CID.’ »

By The “Sunday Observer” Political Editor Each week on Tuesday, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers meets, with President Maithripala Sirisena presiding. With a fragile coalition primarily of arch political rivals in the governing seat, Cabinet meetings have been controversial and heated affairs for the better part of nearly four years. Yet last week’s fateful meeting …

Continue reading ‘How News Reports About Explosive Cabinet Meeting in Colombo Almost Caused an “Inter -State Conflict “Between India and Sri Lanka.’ »

By Suhasini Haidar in New Delhi With inputs from Meera Srinivasan in Colombo Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday discussed the progress of a number of pending development projects, with the former expressing “concern” over delays, said a press release issued by the Sri Lankan PM’s office. …

Continue reading ‘Media Communique Issued by Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s Office on Modi -Wickremesinghe Talks Indicative of Deep Divisions Between Lankan President and Premier.’ »

Sri Lanka has got a fresh complaint from India – this time over delaying its development projects, only days after the giant neighbour sought clarification from President Maithripala Sirisena over serious allegations reportedly made against New Delhi that Colombo has staunchly denied. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed bitter disappointment and regret about the …

Continue reading ‘Indian Prime Minister Modi Complains to Sri Lankan Premier Wickremesinghe About Lankan Govt Constantly Delaying India Aided Development Projects in the Island’ »

By Asiri Fernando The Sri Lanka Army will comply with a United Nations request to withdraw the Commanding Officer of its peacekeeping contingent in Mali but will appeal the decision and, if the Lieutenant Colonel is cleared of charges, seek his reinstatement, Military Spokesman Sumith Atapattu said. The UN on Friday requested the Sri Lanka …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Army Will Withdraw UN Peace Keeping Force Commander in Mali Lt. Col Kalana Amunupure as Requested by the UN but Will Appeal for Re-instatement if Cleared of War Crimes Charges.’ »

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka 1. Given that not every nationalist-populist movement is Alt Right, how can any serious, responsible commentator anywhere, confuse the distinction between the ‘Alt-Right’ and the ‘nationalist-populist’ and conflate the two? 2. Given that not everything ‘national’ is nationalist, how can any thinking person confuse ‘nationalist populist’ with ‘national populist’? 3. How …

Continue reading ‘MUSINGS FROM MOSCOW: Ten Political Science Questions On Today’s world’ »

By Lucien Rajakarunanayake This seems a real raw situation. It now looks like the word RAW was never heard at the last Cabinet meeting. What on earth was the media doing? Surely it could have sought the information on the RAW facts from the Right to Information! Looks like President Sirisena had nothing to say …

Continue reading ‘“Raw, Raw, Raw – Dilliye” – President Sirisena Dishing Out RAW Delights To Cabinet Is RAW Reality of Crooked Politics’ »

By K. Ratnayake Media reports that Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena told his cabinet on Tuesday that “Indian intelligence” was plotting to assassinate him have created a political furore in Colombo and New Delhi. Sirisena has denied making the remarks. The response to the alleged comments, however, has revealed deepening conflicts between the coalition government’s …

Continue reading ‘Media Reports About President Sirisena Telling Cabinet of a Plot by Indian Intelligence to Assassinate him Reveals Deepening Conflict Between Coalition Govt Partners UNP and SLFP Faction.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando Ports and Shipping Minister and SLFP spokesman Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday alleged a deliberate attempt by a member or some members of the Cabinet to cause unprecedented rift between President Maithripala Sirisena and India. Samarasinghe said there was absolutely no basis for reports which quoted unidentified sources as having said that President Sirisena …

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe Wants a “No Holds Barred” Inquiry Against Fellow Cabinet Minister or Ministers Responsible Attempt To Create “Rift” Between President Sirisena and India Over Alleged RAW Assassination Plot’ »

(Summary of Report Released by Human Rights Watch About Occupation of Civilian Owned Lands in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka by the Armed Services titled “Why Can’t We Go Home?”) On April 29, 2017, the Sri Lankan navy high command announced it would release 100 acres of land that security forces had …

Continue reading ‘Armed Forces Occupy Civilian Owned Lands In North and East For Commercial Exploitation Rather Than National Security States Human Rights Watch in New Report.’ »

By Kalathma Jayawardhane The Joint Opposition (JO) today said the Indian national, who claimed of a plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family members, was identified as an India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) member bearing the RAW identity card number of RB317217/VJ. JO member MP Wimal Weerawansa told …

Continue reading ‘Wimal Weerawansa Says Indian National Suspected of Being Involved in Assassination Plot is an Operative of the Indian Espionage Agency Research and Analysis Wing, Named Rajendrakumar Bearing RAW ID Card No – RB317217/VJ.’ »

By Yohan Perera Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would have a discussion with the Indian authorities on the alleged plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena, a Spokesman from the Prime Minister’s office said yesterday.

By Suhasini Haidar & Meera Srinivasan Worried about the fallout of reports emanating from a Cabinet meet, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena telephoned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening to clear the air over the contention that he had blamed India’s intelligence agency R&AW for an alleged assassination plot targeting him. “Mr. Sirisena said …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan President Sirisena Telephones Indian Prime Minister Modi Denying he had Accused Indian Espionage Agency RAW of Plotting to Assassinate Him.’ »

By a Special Correspondent President Maithripala Sirisena spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last night after bombshell revelations in the local and international media that President Sirisena had accused the Indian intelligence agency, RAW, of plotting his assassination, followed by a spate of denials by high level Government authorities came close to sparking a …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena,Presidents Media Division, Foreign Ministry and Cabinet Spokesman Engage In Urgent Damage Control Exercises To Prevent Diplomatic Disaster With India.’ »

India has sought clarifications from Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena over his reported remarks that India’s external intelligence agency was plotting to assassinate him, officials said. Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu called on Sirisena on Wednesday, a day after reports of his claim that the Research and Analysis Wing, India’s foreign spy outfit, had …

Continue reading ‘Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu Meets President Sirisena Directly to Seek Clarification About His Allegations of an Assassination Plot Involving an Indian Espionage Agency.’ »

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena shocked his cabinet Tuesday by accusing neighbouring India of plotting to assassinate him on the eve of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi, a ministerial source said. A visibly upset Sirisena accused his senior coalition partner, the United National Party (UNP), of not taking an alleged conspiracy to …

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe In Heated Argument In Cabinet Meeting Over Alleged Assassination Plot by RAW and Giving East Port Terminal to India’ »

By Kelum Bandara President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are reported to have had a showdown at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting over the proposal to develop the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port as an Indian investment. At the meeting, Ports and Shipping Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe submitted a Cabinet memorandum on developing the …

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe in Heated Argument During Cabinet Meeting Involving Mahinda Samarasinghe and Malik Samarawickrama Also.’ »

Former Minister Johnston Fernando, his private secretary Sakeer Mohamed and former Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando, who were remanded on September 3 in connection with the misappropriation of SATHOSA funds worth Rs. 5.2 million in 2013, were acquitted of all charges by the Kurunegala High Court today.

By Chaminda Perera Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera said the SLFP Central Committee which met last night in Colombo did not discuss the forming of a new government led by the SLFP. He said that the SLFP Central Committee had received a letter sent by the SLFP 15 Group demanding that the party leave the …

Continue reading ‘SLFP “Group of 15 MP’s” Send Letter to Central Committee Demanding Party Leaves Present Govt and Forms New Govt Led by SLFP.’ »

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka I woke this morning in Moscow with the news from my cousin Shehan de Tissera that one of the cleverest and perhaps the most outstanding member, and almost certainly the highest achiever of my family had died in Canada– my mother Lakshmi Sylvia’s younger brother, my Athula maama. He indubitably rose to …

Continue reading ‘Death Of An Unforgettable Outstanding Uncle : Prof. A.J.Fernando’ »

By Meera Srinivasan In a move that might seriously impair Indo-Lanka relations, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday accused India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of plotting his assassination. Mr. Sirisena, who was speaking at the weekly Cabinet meeting, told Ministers that the Indian intelligence agency was “trying to kill” him, but that “Prime …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena Speaking at His Cabinet Meeting Accuses Indian Espionage Agency RAW of Plotting his Assassination’ »

by Rex Clementine The International Cricket Council (ICC) yesterday charged former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya under its Anti-Corruption Code. Jayasuriya, had two spells as Chairman of Selectors, the latest being from June 2016 to Sept. 2017 and it is believed that his second term has come under scrutiny. The 49-year-old has been charged with …

Continue reading ‘International Cricket Council Charges Former Sri Lankan Cricket Captain Sanath Jayasuriya Under the ICC anti-Corruption Code Over Alleged Offences During His Stint as Selectors Board Chairman.’ »

By Meera Srinivasan & Ananth Krishnan Over the last week, Indian journalism has finally been forced to confront what has long been its dirty secret. Going by the numerous agonising accounts of women journalists, about some male colleagues and editors abusing power and crossing the line, it appears that sexual harassment is no media outlet’s …

Continue reading ‘Indian Media Editorial Offices Must be Made Safe and Equal for Women — or it Will Lose all Credibility.’ »

By Gehan Gunatilleke Imagine two persons are arrested at the same time. Let’s call the first Asanka and the second Asif. Asanka is arrested because he is suspected of writing the following words on Facebook: “It is time to defend ourselves against the Muslim terrorists. Attack their shops and homes. Drive them back to Arabia.” …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Proposed Counter Terrorism Law Which Places Incredible Power In The Hands Of Police Officers Should Have No Place in a Civilised Rights -Respecting Society’ »

By The “Sunday Observer” Political Editor Talks about the ‘caretaker’ government appeared to have fizzled out late last week, with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa dismissing the claims following several days of inspired leaks in the media that the divided factions of the SLFP had finally reached a working arrangement. Speaking to reporters at the Abhayarama …

Continue reading ‘Was The Commotion Over Alleged Re-alignment Between Mahinda and Maithripala Timed To Convey a Strong Signal To The Judiciary?’ »

By Sarath De Alwis Nothing can be said about our politics that has not already been said about hemorrhoids. It is truly a pain in that part of the human anatomy. Hypocrisy is the single synonym for ‘pragmatic politics.’ Contemporary political science identifies several types of democracies. What we have today after January 8, 2015 …

Continue reading ‘People Do Not Expect The Versatile Trapeze Artiste S.B.Dissanayake To Be Accurate With The Truth About Mahinda-Maithripala Secret Meeting.’ »

By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The Supreme Court’s affirming of the conviction of former parliamentarian Duminda Silva and three of his supporters for causing the death of politician Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and others on 8th October 2011 reflect innovative judicial reasoning that has been ignored in typically sensationalist media coverage of the case. Well-articulated judicial reasoning …

Continue reading ‘Some Media Reports on Duminda Silva Appeal Outcome Give Rise To The Question- Are Some Journalists Actively Taunting The Supreme Court To Take Action Against Them?’ »

By Anurangi Singh With the unanimous judgment delivered by the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court last Thursday affirming the High Court Trial-at-Bar verdict in the murder of SLFP strongman Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, ex-Monitoring MP to the Ministry of Defence Duminda Silva moves to death row in Welikada Prison “Throughout the four hours that Duminda …

Continue reading ‘Unanimous Verdict of Five -Judge Supreme Court Headed By Outgoing Chief Justice Priyasath Dep Ends Speculation That Ex-MP Duminda Silva Would Walk Out a Free Man.’ »

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, which upheld the death penalty of MP Duminda Silva, has also highlighted his criminal activities including the use of an automatic weapon stolen from the Elephant Pass army camp. The outgoing Chief Justice Priyasath Dep in his 51-page order noted a string of crimes, including election law violations, committed by Silva …

Continue reading ‘While Upholding Death Penalty on Duminda Silva In Its Verdict, The Supreme Court Also Exposed The Criminal Conduct of Thuggery, Assault and Intimidationthe Ex-MP Throughout Election Day’ »

By Daniel Alphonsus Take out a map of the world: it’s impossible to miss the lines demarking nation states. The rupture, erasure and displacement of these lines fill history books, news bulletins and many a common room debate. However, the same consideration is not given to the colours tying nation-states into continents and regions. By …

Continue reading ‘The Two Identities of Sri Lanka are Linked to the South Asian Hinerland and the Indian Ocean Rim’ »