JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said in Parliament that India’s premier intelligence agency – the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was engaged in a scheme to destabilise the North. Participating in the adjournment debate on Geneva based UNHRC report and alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the war, MP Dissanayake said: …
by Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday requested the Opposition members not to engage in ‘civet’ politics (Ugudu Deshapalanaya) at night. Participating in the adjournment debate on Geneva based UNHRC report and alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the war, the Prime Minister said: “Don’t play dubious games. I request you …
by Shamindra Ferdinando The Second Mandate of Paranagama Commission prepared after having obtained international legal and military opinion has strongly justified the killing or capturing of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during the final phase of the Vanni offensive. Troops recovered Prabhakaran’s body on the morning of May 19, 2009, on the banks of the Nanthikadal …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Amidst the often tortuous and boring abundance of advertisements promoting candidates seeking election in the run up to the August 17 General Election, there was one ad that stood out for its clarity and unambiguous statement. This well produced and impactful ad in Sinhala, was presented in the depiction of a classroom …
By Rohan Pethiyagoda 21st death anniversary of Gamini Dissanayake In every generation, it is given to but a handful of politicians to become creatures of legend. When posterity judges, it judges harshly, sans any of the ‘accountability’ we so yearn to see in politicians themselves. Public memory is whimsical and capricious, almost never just. With …
Continue reading ‘Gamini Dissanayake Was a Man in a Hurry Not Just For Himself, But For Sri Lanka’ »
By Ashwin Hemmathagama Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe set the stage for the second day of the Adjournment Motion on the resolution passed by the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) on Sri Lanka by telling his fellow lawmakers yesterday that it was better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. “We all suffered …
(Concluding Remarks made by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on October 23rd 2015 in the Parliamentary debate on the resolution on Sri Lanka passed by the UN Human rights Council in Geneva) The national unity government has committed itself to winning the peace, securing the country from political violence that has haunted it since independence and …
By Malinda Seneviratne Congrats MS & Co! Over 270 days have passed since Maithripala Sirisena became President. That’s 170 days beyond the ‘100 Days’ by the end of which we were led to believe Sri Lanka would be a different country. All promises have been kept. Three hearty cheers for Maithri, Ranil, Champika, Chandrika, Rajitha …
By Saman Indrajith The pre-historic Kuragala site in Balangoda would be conserved for the posterity ensuring that interests of both Sinhala and Muslim communities would be safeguarded, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday. It was a national heritage site with archaeological evidence of the Balangoda civilisation and some artefacts found there were more than …
By Saman Indrajith Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D. M. Swaminathan yesterday told Parliament that there was an urgent need to bring in new laws to criminalise hate speech. Participating in the debate on Geneva based UNHRC report and alleged human rights violations during the last phase of the war, the Minister said: …
By Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that there was no such thing as the Desmond Silva report on reconciliation or on human rights issues of Sri Lanka. “I have been accused in media by some persons of not tabling a report by Desmond Silva when I tabled the reports of the …
By Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige Parliament sittings were suspended for 10 minutes at 12.55 pm yesterday after Opposition member Dinesh Gunawardena took away the Mace alleging that the Chair had been biased towards the government in allocating time for them to speak. When the name of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hind Religious Affairs …
By Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige The view of the Commission of Inquiry into Abductions and Disappearances (Maxwell Paranagama Commission) has found that the principal reason for the loss of civilian life during the final phase of the war was the hostage taking and use of human shields by the LTTE. It was …
BY CHAMIKARA WEERASINGHE The government is firm on taking whatever action it deems appropriate to meet the Geneva proposals within the framework of the Sri Lankan Constitution, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday told leaders and top members of political parties in the country. The President had called this meeting with the country’s political party leaders to …
By Nadira Gunatilleke Cabinet approval had been granted for a proposal by Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D. M. Swaminathan to accelerate judicial process regarding the persons who are in remand custody as suspects in connection with terrorist activities during and after the conflict,Cabinet Spokesman and Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said. Addressing …
By Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that no permission had been granted by the Ministry of Defence nor booking notes had been issued to release weapons to sea marshals from the floating armoury belonging to the Avant Garde Company. Responding to a series of questions raised by JVP leader Anura Kumara …
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday told visiting Japanese official Motoo Noguchi of the Public Prosecutor’s Office that his government had never ever contemplated the appointment of foreign experts as judges exercising judicial power in respect of the Sri Lankan armed forces and other Sri Lankan citizens. The former President stressed that such a course of …
A 43 year old lawyer Sri Lankan Tamil origin has been elected as a Canadian member of Parliament from the Liberal party at the 42nd Canadian general elections held on October 19th 2015. He is none other than the son of veteran Sri Lankan Tamil politician Veerasingham Anandasangaree leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front(TULF) …
By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya At the end of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent visit to Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Mass Media and the Official Government News Portal announced that on 6th Oct the PM addressed the Parliament of Japan, known as the National Diet. In fact he did not. According to Japan’s …
by Luke Savage Plenty of Canadians are celebrating that Stephen Harper’s autocratic and malicious rule has finally come to an end, and their sentiments are perfectly understandable. But I hope those enthusiastic about the words “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau” will try to understand why some of us don’t feel like celebrating today, and why the …
By Upul Joseph Fernando Wimal Weerawansa is on record saying that Mahinda Rajapaksa never agreed to conduct a domestic inquiry into alleged war crimes. This is an absolute falsehood. Mahinda who presented his 2015 Presidential Election Manifesto agreed for a domestic inquiry on war crimes, the London based Daily Mail reported. The British Daily Mail …
by Prasad Gunewardene The expansion of ministerial portfolios certainly undermined the value and status of Cabinet Ministers which was only 35 and quite adequate till 1989. It was late President Ranasinghe Premadasa who made the initial blunder by introducing a large number of ‘State Minister’ portfolios to please his confidantes. The 1978 Constitution does not …
By Saman Indrajith The Commission of Inquiry that probed Abductions and Disappearances (better known as the Maxwell Paranagama Commission) has found that it was the LTTE which killed majority of Tamil civilians during the last 12 hours of the final stage of the war, according to the commission report tabled in Parliament yesterday. Prime Minister …
The much awaited Udalagama and Paranagama reports along with the report and resolution adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council were tabled yesterday in Parliament. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tabling the report assured the Parliament a debate will be allowed for all three reports. Thursday and Friday sessions have been set aside for this …
By IAN AUSTENOCT Justin Trudeau “I knew that the challenge I would be facing all my life would be having people think that I expected anything to be handed to me in politics because of my last name.” JUSTIN TRUDEAU •Born in Ottawa on Dec. 25, 1971 to Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister at …
By Bruce Cheadle Liberals are en route to forming a majority government after steamrolling through Atlantic Canada and Quebec and turfing Stephen Harper’s Conservatives from office almost before the polls had closed in British Columbia. The stunning victory makes Trudeau, 43, Canada’s first dynastic prime minister, following in the footsteps of his father Pierre Elliott …
By N Sathiya Moorthy Independent of prevailing perceptions, arrest of former Eastern Province Tamil Chief Minister, Sivanesanthurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pillayan’ in connection with the Christmas Day church killing of TNA parliamentarian Jospeh Pararajasingham in 2005, has the potential to cut both ways. While it is reassuring that the new Government has begun to act on …
By Ranga Jayasuriya The government has announced a four-fold increase for education under the budget in 2016. The allocations for education would go up to Rs. 185.9 billion from the Rs. 47.6 billion allocated in the 2015 Budget. That is obviously a lot of money. In the first place, it is a salutary decision, a …
by Rasika Jayakody The vessel and the consignment of arms are now detained by the Navy, which conducted a probe into the matter early last week. The Avant Garde company is making headlines again with a controversial ship, carrying a consignment of arms for the company, arriving at the Galle Harbour last week, seemingly with …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe yesterday emphasized that convicted LTTEers couldn’t be released unless the Maithripala Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration took a policy decision to that effect. Minister Rajapakshe said that about 60 convicts were among approximately 270 detained by successive governments over a period of time. The President’s Counsel was responding to persistent demand …
By Udhav Naig Amidst much drama and intense campaigning, the South Indian Film Artistes Association, also known as the Nadigar Sangam, conducted its elections on Sunday. Nasser, part of the ‘Pandavar Ani’ with Vishal, Karthi, Karunas and Ponvannan, has been elected Nadigar Sangam president, with 1344 votes. Sarath Kumar polled 1231 votes. Vishal has been …
by Prasad Gunewardene Spiritual teachings of all religions say that retribution comes without notice. The doctrine of Lord Buddha is the practical way of life. At times one has to pay for his/her sins during their lifetime and not in births that are anticipated after death. When Hewa Koparage Mervyn Silva born 25 March 1944 …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene In its September 2015 report on Sri Lanka, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) quotes immensely interesting asides from the (yet unpublished) report of the Udalagama Commission of Inquiry (2006). We have been promised by the Prime Minister that the Udalagama report will be tabled …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “When the social contract is abrogated, when trust between a government and its citizens fails, disillusionment, disengagement or worse follows.” Joseph Stiglitz (The Price of Inequality) The protest was peaceful, until the police intervened. The protestors were demanding access clean water. This was October 12, 2015, in Bandagiriya, in the Hambantota district, …
It was ten days before parliamentary elections on August 17 when news reached the highest levels of the Government about a secret account held by a young politician, the son of a former VVIP, at the Emirates National Bank of Dubai (NBD). That was to cause considerable excitement. The prospect of obtaining the details and …
At the weekly ministerial meeting on Wednesday, they were discussing a recommendation by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of a Joint Committee for Consular Affairs between Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Minister Champika Ranawaka said a newspaper had published details of a bank account …
By C.A.Chandraprema The revelation by a Sunday newspaper (not the Sunday Island) last week that the Sri Lankan government had moved courts in ‘a Middle Eastern country’ to freeze the account of the ‘son of a VVIP of the former regime’ set the cat among the canaries. The courts were to freeze the account last …
The hunger strike by suspected ex-LTTE detainees was called off yesterday on an assurance given by the President to establish a mechanism to look into their grievances. The President has asked the Justice Minister to formulate a mechanism to look into their issues and finish the process between October 31 and November 7.
By Arthur Wamanan President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday pledged to commence a special process at the end of the month to address and solve the issues of Tamil prisoners arrested and detained under the prevention of terrorism laws. The undertaking was conveyed to Justice Minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Opposition Leader, R. Sampanthan over a telephone …
AT HER home in a quiet residential compound, Sanda Samanthie Ahubudu runs a thriving business. She sells her clients lists of suggested names for everything from shops to babies. Staff are almost constantly on the phone to customers. Clients who visit Ms Ahubudu in person have to take a number and wait, as at a …
By Sudat Pasqual Freedom of the press can be harsh sometimes. It can be most hard on politicians with prickly skin. Time and again we come across champions of free expression and media freedom having second thoughts once they are caught in the glare of public scrutiny. Freedom of expression, especially when it is freely …
By K. Ratnayake Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visited Japan for four days, ending October 7, as part of the Colombo government’s sharp shift of foreign policy to distance itself from China. Wickremesinghe also sought Japanese investment and aid on his trip, made just four days after President Maithripala Sirisena’s visit to New York …
By Ruki Fernando After four contentious resolutions on Sri Lanka, the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva on Oct. 1 adopted a “consensus resolution” for foreign judges and prosecutors to help Sri Lanka try those accused of serious crimes during the decades-long civil war. This resolution came as a response to a report by the …
By Dr. Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi A recent visit to Jaffna with a group of informed individuals for a small meeting with their counterparts was not only revealing, but also alarmingly informative. The meeting was scheduled to have three short presentations and a discussion. The theme was biblical with special reference to the story of Cain and …
By Ridma Dissanayake The Presidential Commission of Inquiry investigating into mass scale frauds and corruption yesterday rejected the preliminary objections raised by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s counsel and decided to go ahead with its mandate. Defence Counsel Gamini Marapone appearing for the former President before the Commission raised objections that serving judges of the High …
By Shanika Sriyananda MP and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa threw back allegations against him to the United People›s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), saying it was not him but the alliance which should be held responsible for the financial loss caused to the State-run television channel – the Independent Television Network – for carrying out propaganda advertisements …
By Ajith Siriwardana The public hearing into the ITN controversy fixed for today by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC), was postponed for tomorrow. The hearing was postponed after the lawyers representing former president Mahinda Rajapaksa raised …
By Chitra Weerarathne The Colombo High Court Judge Devika De Silva Tennekoon yesterday acquitted Danuna Tilakaratne of the Charge of submitting forged documents stating that he and two others were the local agents in Sri Lanka for British Borneo Private Limited of Australia to provide equipment to the Sri Lanka Army. Danuna after absconding for …
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that the government wanted to take political revenge from him by holding inquiries on false and fabricated corruption charges which were actually not related to him. After appearing before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Probing Serious Acts of Corruption at the BMICH, Rajapaksa told The Island …
By Chanaka Bandarage Towards mid October 1505, the Portuguese Naval Captain, Lorenzo De Almeida, aka Don Lorenzo (son of Francisco de Almeida, First Viceroy of the Portuguese India), who manned a fleet of nine war ships, had decided to return to Portugal as he could not secure marine rope from the Islands of Maldives or …
By Harischandra Gunaratna Leader of the Democratic Party Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka yesterday said that the government had given the impression to the masses that it was conniving with the crooks of the previous government who had squandered billions of rupees belonging to the state. “The government has let big crooks off the hook while …
by Malinda Seneviratne The Sirisena Dictionary and other politidbits of the week The Sirisena Dictionary Having submitted to the dictates of the United States, Maithripala Sirisena screams, ‘Victory!’ and adds that he ‘saved the war heroes’. Did someone mutter, ‘victory my foot!’? Now if a resounding defeat warrants celebration that costs taxpayers tens of millions …
By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena A curious mix of jubilation and sober introspection is currently prevalent in Sri Lanka. Indeed, the dissonances that emerge are striking. A passing remark made by a scholar friend to me during a visit to New Delhi recently that ‘Sri Lanka offers hope to South Asia besieged by gloom’ sums up heady …
By S. Thavarajah, Leader of Opposition, NPC In response to a question raised by me in the Northern Provincial Council sitting on 08.10.2015 with regard to a letter sent by the Resident Coordinator of the UN to the Chief Minister, the Chief Minister read out a lengthy statement attacking the UN. His statement accuses the …
by Chitra Subramaniam This piece is an invitation to anyone out there who can explain the idea of India in one sentence. I am not talking about the Preamble to the Constitution, but a sentence that all Indians can understand, cherish and nurture as their own. Try and experience the futility of the attempt. It …
(Text of a press release issued by the Tamil National Alliance media office) TNA MP and Spokesperson M.A Sumanthiran visited the Anuradhapura Prison along with Northern Provicial Council members Asmin Yakoob and Sanankiyan Sayandan today and spoke to the Political Prisoners who were observing a token fast demanding their release by the government today . …
By Upul Joseph Fernando * Twenty two containers with 3,154 firearms and 745,859 rounds of ammunition detected at Galle Port – 8.1.2015 * The CID commences investigations on the order of the IGP – 9.1.2015 * Court impounds the ship owner’s passport – 23.1.2015 * Prohibition on ship owner’s passport lifted and passport released on …
By Rasika Jayakody There was a string of political assassinations targeting prominent Tamil politicians during the first half of the Rajapaksa rule, starting from November, 2005. Nearly a month after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ascension to power, a prominent Tamil Parliamentarian was shot dead by a gunman while attending a Christmas midnight mass at St. …
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka “Well I’m older now but still running against the wind” – Bob Seger As a boy, I grew up reading a column in the Ceylon Observer called “Off My Beat” by “The Outsider”. The writer was my father Mervyn de Silva and his choice of pen-name, the English translation of the title …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Attorney-at-law J. C. Weliamuna says some of those who complained regarding accountability issues here to UNSG Ban Ki-moon’s Panel of Experts (PoE) on the condition of anonymity are likely to give evidence before the proposed domestic mechanism with foreign participation. The PoE comprised Marzuki Darusman (Indonesia), Steven Ratner (US) and Yasmin Sooka …
BY DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA Preambular Paragraph 3 of the October 2015 resolution says that the resolutions of 2012, 2013 and 2014 formed the basis of the resolution of 2015. The 2015 Resolution flows directly from the 2014 Resolution which mandated the Office of the High Commissioner’s investigation on Sri Lanka. What is important is to …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Attorney-at-law J.C. Weliamuna yesterday confirmed that there would be international participation in the proposed domestic court to inquire into accountability issues in Sri Lanka. Addressing the media at the Information Department, Weliamuna said that Parliament would have to make the required amendments to pave the way for international participation in the process. …
By Udaya P.Gammanpila M.P. When the Constitutional Council (CC) was established by the 17th Amendment and modified by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, it had a noble cause. It was to ensure the independence of the commissions such as Judicial service, audit services, bribery or corruption investigation and procurement. However, it is near impossible …
By Madura Ranwala People of Bandagiriya in the Hambantota police area, who demanded clean drinking water yesterday morning by blocking the road between Tissamaharama and Matara for nearly four hours, were baton-charged by the police. The angry crowd hurled stones at police and an SLTB bus that tried to move forward in the afternoon.
by Waruni Karunarathne The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) calls for the Sri Lankan government to commit to implement the UN resolution in full. While some members of the TNA constituent parties expressed disappointment at the UNHRC resolution that calls for a domestic mechanism, senior TNA member and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan says the UN resolution …
by Ridma Dissanayake The CID arrested former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilleyan over former parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham’s murder. The former Chief Minister who was summoned, arrived at the CID at 5.25 p.m. yesterday, accompanied by his lawyer. Meanwhile, a group of CID officers left for Batticaloa on Saturday night to …
A landmark event in a West Asian capital will play out today (Oct 11th) and it will send shockwaves around Sri Lanka. This is when a court there hears a case where lawyers for Sri Lanka Government are seeking an order to freeze nearly a half a billion dollars in a bank account. It has …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene In a ‘letter to the editor’ of a Sri Lankan national newspaper recently, someone pointed to the need for a fearless Atticus Finch to emerge from post-war Sri Lanka. Conflicted by race This was a nostalgic beckoning of Pulitzer prize-winning author Harper Lee’s iconic portrayal of a small-town white lawyer in …
By Ranga Jayasuriya After decades of foreign policy miscalculations, many of which were deliberate ideological fallacies committed to boost the over-sized images of local political leaders, we finally seem to be getting onto the right side, at the right time. One way to gauge an emerging rapport between the States is to observe how respective …
By Prasad Gunewardene Has there been a phenomenal impact of film stars on the Sri Lankan political scene? It’s more a matter to wonder as we’ve seen a few of them in the Parliament Chamber over the past quarter century. Their presence must be assessed from a social and political perspective. Since independence, we had …
By C.A.Chandraprema Sri Lanka joined the US initiated resolution against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC as a co-sponsor – an act which amounts to accepting the resolution in toto. Usually, nations express reservations about or opposition to individual paragraphs in such resolutions. In 2014, the Indians opposed operative paragraph 10 of the resolution against Sri …
By Rasika Jayakody Soon after the government came to power early this year, there was severe criticism that the anti-corruption investigations it initiated were selective and lopsided. Amid this criticism, law enforcement bodies, including the newly formed Police Financial Crimes Investigations Divisions (FCID) launched inquiries into complaints against some top echelons of the previous government. …
By B.Kolappan Actor, comedian and singer Manorama, affectionately referred to as ‘Aachi’, whose performance matched and sometimes bettered the lead actors of her movies, died of multiple organ failure here on Saturday. She was 78 and is survived by her son and singer-actor Boopathy. She had acted with MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, NTR, Jayalalithaa, Kamal Haasan, …
Continue reading ‘Versatile Tamil Actress cum Singer “Aachi” Manorama Passes Away in Chennai’ »
The Government will hire counsel and pay legal costs to military personnel who may face charges of war crimes. The assurance has been given to military officers by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. He has been tasked by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to speak to officers and men of the armed forces …
A joint investigation has been launched by the Indian High Commission (IHC) and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS) into complaints of soliciting sexual favours from women in the North in return for houses from the Indian Housing Project (IHP), an Indian High Commission spokesman said. “The IHC took up the issue with SLRCS …
By Malinda Seneviratne Regimes acquire tags, leaders too. When they resonate with general public perception they become part of everyday usage. It was Victor Ivan who called President Chandrika Kumaratunga ‘Chaura Regina’ (The Thieving Queen). It stuck. No one knows who first used ‘Sahodara Samaagama’ (‘The Company of Brothers’ or perhaps ‘Brothers Incorporated’) to describe …
SCARBOROUGH, ON – A re-elected Conservative Government will expand the presence of Canada’s High Commission to Sri Lanka by opening a consulate in Jaffna, the Honourable Jason Kenney announced today. “A re-elected Conservative Government will continue Canada’s strong commitment to peace and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans,” said Kenney. “Expanding our diplomatic reach to Jaffna …
By Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that the government would not cancel the Central Bank transfers and it would further pursue its objective of creating a better banking service to the people. The PM, responding to a special statement made by MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, said: After the elections I met …
By Saman Indrajith Opposition members of the UPFA yesterday walked out of the Chamber of Parliament protesting against what they called Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s use of unparliamentary language. The group of MPs who walked off were led by NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, NLF leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Udaya Gammanpila, Dullas Alahapperuma, Kumara Welgama, Johnston Fernando, …
By Ishara Rathnakara Additional Magistrate of Colombo Nishantha Peiris ordered the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) yesterday (8) to inform Court why former President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and former Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Anusha Pelpita, who had been clearly identified as suspects in the case of misappropriating Rs 600 million from the Sri …
COLOMBO: Four Sri Lankan soldiers were today sentenced to 25 years in prison by a court in Jaffna for raping two Tamil women in the island’s former war zone in 2010, in a rare prosecution of military personnel for sex crimes. Jaffna High Court judge Manikkavasagar Ilancheliyan ordered the convicted soldiers to pay a compensation …
By Shamindra Ferdinando The government is contemplating a new law to regulate social media, particularly in a bid to curb posting of sexual images and defamatory material. The move is to protect the privacy of individuals in the wake of a spate of complaints received by relevant authorities. According to well informed sources, the Law …
By Saman Indrajith The government yesterday submitted a supplementary estimate seeking parliament’s approval to allocate 526 million rupees to cover expenses coming under the expenditure heads of President Maithripala Sirisena. According to the supplementary estimate presented to Parliament by Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilake, approval has been sought to allocate Rs 526,099,939 to pay for various …
By Zacki Jabbar in Tokyo, Japan The government says that it is planning to create a new judicial structure to inquire into human rights violations. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing the Japanese Parliament on Tuesday, said that under the leadership of President Maithripala Sirisena the national government they had established after the January 9 presidential …
By Shamindra Ferdinando (The following are excerpts from a brief interview with former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa) Q: Do you really believe the proposed judicial mechanism can help address accountability issues? A: Execution of surrendering LTTE cadres during the last phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front was one of major accusations directed …
By Upul Joseph Fernando Different views and thoughts have surfaced amongst top government ranks in Colombo over the conduct of the United States of America with regard to the recent developments in Geneva and New York. Prior to the tabling of the UNHRC Resolution, US Senior Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal arrived in Colombo …
By Saman Indrajith Pandemonium reigned in Parliament yesterday following a protest mounted by opposition MPs inside the Chamber against the alleged moves to set up a hybrid court to prosecute the military personnel who crushed terrorism. The rumpus led to the suspension of sittings for ten minutes. When Parliament commenced notice of motions and orders …
By Saman Indrajith The government yesterday submitted a supplementary estimate seeking the approval of Parliament for an allocation of Rs. 180 million to renovate and refurbish the official residence of President Maithripala Sirisena. The supplementary allocation of Rs. 180,688,000 was presented to Parliament by Chief Government Whip Media Minister Gayantha Karunatillake.
UPFA parliamentarian Janaka Bandara Tennakoon was today arrested by the CID in connection with a killing that had taken place in 1999. Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said the former minister was arrested while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
BY THYAGA SRIMALI BANDARA FROM TOKYO Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is now on an official visit to Japan announced that he would introduce a new Foreign Service in the country and noted he was working with the belief that there is no Foreign Ministry in Sri Lanka. ” There appears to be utter confusion …
By Col R Hariharan Sri Lanka agreed at the 30th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at Geneva last week to what it had resisted for six years: International intervention in investigating alleged war crimes and human rights excesses committed during the Eelam War. But handing over the whole process to international judges …
By N. A. de S. Amaratunga Sri Lanka’s history is replete with betrayals of catastrophic proportions. The Island editorial of 30th September 2015 aptly titled ‘D-Day’ mentions most of these and to good effect and they include the Peace Agreement entered into with the Tamil separatist terrorists, the LTTE, a deed done by the then …
By R. Chandrasoma We are told by high authorities in the government that our former President has good hopes of being alive in the years ahead because of the political heroism and encompassing compassion of those who defeated him at the recent historic elections. Indeed, the claim has been made by no less a person …
More than 200 new species of animals discovered in the Easter Himalayas have thrown up several oddities – including a walking fish and a sneezing monkey. The report on wildlife in Nepal, Bhutan, the far north of Burma, southern Tibet and north-eastern India has revealed discoveries in the past five years including 133 plants, 26 …
by Prasad Gunewardene Six weeks ago the Government of Unity took office to establish Good Governance. It pledged to establish law and order for people to live without fear. On the contrary we witness that the law and order and public discipline is being eroded. Innocent youth and students arrested on suspicion are being mercilessly …
(The full text of a statement issued by Former President and current Kurunegala District Parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa) Though the passage of the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC without a vote last Thursday is being hailed as a diplomatic victory for Sri Lanka, I am unable to share that view. Operative paragraph …
by Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema The police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) has last week raided a company operated by former First Son and United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa as part of a probe being carried out under the Money Laundering Act. The FCID is carrying out a probe covering the operations of …
By Ranga Jayasuriya In the Buddhist folklore, there was this monkey that a king reared as his trusted companion. The king had full faith in the ape, who accompanied the sovereign anywhere he went. On one fine day, after attending the affairs of the State, the king took a short afternoon nap, leaving his sword …
Placed on the table as they took their seats at the conference room of ‘Temple Trees’ was the English text of the US backed resolution on Sri Lanka together with a translated Sinhala text. Army officers of two-star rank or Majors General and above were there. So were the equivalent counterparts, Rear Admirals of the …
BY DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA “You serve them well I’m not surprised You’re of their kin You’re of their kind Never mind Never mind The story’s told With facts and lies You own the world So never mind” –Leonard Cohen, ‘Never Mind’ It is difficult to predict how things will look in the rearview mirror, but …
Continue reading ‘October 1st 2015 is the most Shameful day in Sri Lankan History in my Lifetime’ »
(Following are excerpts from the Political Affairs Column by the Political Editor appearing in the “Sunday Times” of October 4th 2015) The event at Palais de Naciones in Geneva clearly showed that the opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is sharply divided. Two of its parliamentarians and a Provincial Councillor used the good offices of UNHRC-recognised …
By Col R Hariharan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe consolidated their hold on power by luring some of the senior members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to join the national unity government. This had dissipated the effectiveness of SLFP to function as the main opposition party. As a result, the …
By Rasika Jayakody The grand reception organized to welcome President Maithripala Sirisena at the Bandaranaike International Airport, (BIA) Katunayake, on his arrival from Geneva was certainly a throwback to the Rajapaksa era. For instance, when former President Rajapaksa arrived from an official visit to Jordan, on May 17, 2009 – a day before the end …
By C.A.Chandraprema The passage of the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka without a vote in the UNHRC is being hailed in Sri Lanka as a major victory for the government. The prime minister himself went on record as saying that Sri Lanka has now been ‘taken off the UNHRC agenda’. He was also reported …
by Shamindra Ferdinando Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been summoned by a special presidential commision again over his alleged failure to pay over Rs. 103 mn to the State-run Independent Television Network (ITN) for carrying his advertisements during the last presidential polls campaign will commence on Oct.15. Well informed sources told The Island that former …
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan, Umesh Moramudali and Ruwan Laknath Jayakody President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday (2) said that the country had achieved a great victory at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) by managing to exclude the ‘electric chair’, an international investigation, and a hybrid special court from being included in the United States sponsored …
(Text of a statement issued by the Tamil National Alliance) The Tamil National Alliance welcomes the passage of today’s resolution on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council. We welcome, in particular, Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship of the resolution indicating their willingness to implement it in full. The TNA has already welcomed the tabling of the …
British Prime Minister David Cameron has welcomed the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’.Prime Minister David Cameron said in a statement : ” Today’s resolution is a crucial step towards uncovering the truth about alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, ensuring accountability for the past and respect …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Pivithuru Hela Urumaya Leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday said that failures and shortcomings on the part of the previous government in handling accountability issues was not the reason for external intervention by way of a hybrid court to inquire into alleged atrocities committed during the conflict. The military had brought the war to …
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The SLFP yesterday stressed that the US resolution on Sri Lanka had been based on opinions of different people who had no knowledge of either the country’s Constitution or the judicial system. Addressing a press conference at the SLFP Headquarters in Colombo, Transport Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva noted that whatever the …
By P.K.Balachandran India told Sri Lanka at the 30th. Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Thursday, that “meaningful devolution of authority” to the provinces under the 13 th. Amendment of the Lankan constitution, and “building on it”, are essential for ethnic reconciliation in the island nation. Speaking after the consensual …