Sri Lanka said on Thursday (1) it would heed a UN resolution urging it to establish a credible judicial process, including foreign judges and prosecutors, to investigate alleged war crimes during its conflict with Tamil rebels that ended in 2009. The United Nations Human Rights Council, composed of 47 member states, adopted the resolution brought …
By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lanka has agreed to set up a Special Judicial Mechanism with the participation of Commonwealth and foreign judges, defense lawyers, prosecutors and investigators to try cases of war crimes and other human rights violations in the period between 2002 and 2011. This was implicit when the Lankan government co-sponsored a US-led resolution …
By Dharisha Bastians For two weeks, Sri Lanka has been a hot topic at the 30th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, after a report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation (OHCHR) found evidence of probable war crimes committed in the island during the last years of …
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein has re-iterated his earlier recommendation for setting up an ad hoc hybrid special court for Sri Lanka integrating international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators, mandated to try notably war crimes and crimes against humanity, with its own independent investigative and prosecuting organ, defence office …
By Chanaka Chandrasekara The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was subject to serious allegations, while slashing attacks were levelled by the media, the politicians, and the civil society organizations against the rule by a single family. It was gathering momentum as the Presidential Election came round. However, the Presidential Election on January 8 brought the Rajapaksa rule …
Text of Keynote speech “Reflections on Media Freedom” made by Mr.N.Ram the Chairman and publisher of the Hindu group of Newspapers in India at the Inaugural Award Ceremony of the Esmond Wickremesinghe Annual Award for Media Freedom held at the Committee Room ‘A’ of the BMICH, Colombo on September 29, 2015 “They are run on …
(Text of Statement by Ravinatha P. Aryasinha Ambassador / Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva) Mr. President Mr. High Commissioner, Deputy High Commissioner, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, As you all know, an epoch making event took place in my country on the 8th of January this year at the Presidential Election …
(Full Text of the Address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on September 30th 2015) Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, Being a long standing member of the United Nations, it is indeed an honour and a pleasure for me to address the …
By Rasika Jayakody Lack of judicial independence and political appointments crippling the judiciary were no alien topic to Sri Lankan media over the past 20 years. When former Attorney General Sarath N. Silva was elevated to the position of the Chief Justice under former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Victor Ivan, Editor of a radical vernacular …
We release this statement in response to the draft resolution titled ‘Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka’ tabled under Item 2 and scheduled for debate and adoption on the 30th of September 2015. 1. We reiterate the firm conviction of the victims of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, a majority of …
By Prof. G.L.Peiris The events of the last week demonstrate, with poignant clarity, the folly of naïve expectation and the need for realistic thinking. This cannot be better illustrated than by reference to the reassuring statement, barely hours before the tabling of the Resolution, by the Cabinet Spokesman: “The (UNHCR) Report proposes establishing a hybrid …
By The Island News Desk There was much more to the resolution to be moved on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC shortly than a probe into war crimes allegations, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told the media yesterday at Temple Trees. It was also about restoring democracy and bringing about national reconciliation, he stressed. Addressing newspaper …
The United Nations Human Rights Council should adopt a resolution ensuring a robust international role in Sri Lanka’s justice mechanism for abuses during the country’s brutal civil war, Human Rights Watch said today. The resolution, expected to be adopted on October 1, 2015, contains a number of strong provisions but will need to be thoroughly …
By Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace and Justice The Governments of Sri Lanka, the United States, the United Kingdom, Montenegro, and Macedonia have published the text of a joint resolution which will form the basis of the follow up to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ “OISL” report. What happens now? This resolution can …
Continue reading ‘The International Community now has a duty to Finish what it Started’ »
By Nilan Fernando Earlier this month, the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released its long-awaited investigation into alleged crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil war. The conflict, which began in 1983 and lasted nearly three decades, pitted the Sri Lankan government against various ethnic Tamil rebels, most prominent the Liberation Tigers of …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has outlined the structure of the Sri Lankan armed forces with specific reference to the commanding officers involved in the final phase of the war that occurred in the Northern mainland known as the Wanni. The OISL report names …
By Tamara Kunanayakam A US-sponsored draft resolution against Sri Lanka is back on the Human Rights Council agenda, this time with a vengeance and despite the Ranil – Sirisena government’s conciliatory and obsequious pro-Washington, pro-Western stance! There is no more Mahinda Rajapaksa to blame, no more pro-Beijing foreign policy, no more Non-Alignment, no more ‘megaphone …
(Text of a Statement Issued by US secretary of State John Kerry on September 24th 2015) Today the United States, Sri Lanka, and our partners tabled a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that representslandmark shared recognition of the critical importance of truth,justice, reparations,and guarantees of non-recurrence in promoting reconciliation and ensuring …
Dharisha Bastians Reporting from Geneva Sri Lanka has decided to co-sponsor the US draft resolution to promote reconciliation and accountability in the island, marking a major departure from the rancour that has dominated debate on the country’s human rights record at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva since 2012. The official draft resolution A_HRC_30_L.29 …
By Nisthar Cassim Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last night hailed the compromise between the Government and member states sponsoring a resolution on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, saying the world had accepted their commitment to democracy. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe used his address at the 50th Anniversary celebrations of CIMA Sri …
The draft of a consensus resolution on Sri Lanka initiated by the USA was presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday September 24th 2015. It is likely to be taken up for voting on September 30th after inclusion of changes proposed by member states . Significantly the resolution draft was …
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has in a statement welcomed the draft text of a resolution on Sri Lanka tabled by the co-sponsors led by the USA. The TNA in particular welcomes the draft resolution’s call on Sri Lanka to involve foreign and Commonwealth judges, lawyers, investigators and defenders in a judicial mechanism to be …
Former Sri Lankan President and current Kurunegala district parliamentarian Mahinda Rajapaksa has called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to reject the recently released report on Sri Lanka by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR). In a statement released on September 22nd 2015 , Mr.Rajapaksa has made several critical references to …
The UN Human Rights Commissioner’s Office Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has stated that it has reasons to believe the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam news presenter Shobana Dharmaraja alias “Isaipriya” was captured alive by the security forces who then killed her with gunshots to the head execution-style. The OISL report says Isaipriya was pulled …
The UN Human Rights Commissioner’s Office Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has documented in detail the sequence of events in which several senior leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) who surrendered with white flags according to pre- arranged terms of surrender were summarily executed. It is believed that three top LTTE leaders who …
Eleven United States Congressmen have in a letter written to US Secretary of State John Kerry Reiterated that the USA remains committed to supporting recommendations made in the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Office Investigation Report on Sri Lanka(OISL). The Congressmen comprising eight Republican and Three Democratic Representatives have in the letter stated that …
The UN Human Rights Commissioner’s Office Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has stated that there are reasonable grounds to believe the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran’s 12 year old younger son Balachandran was captured or otherwise taken into custody by the security forces who subsequently extrajudicially executed him. Excerpts relevant to the …
The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has documented a number of cases of targeted killings of politicians during the period designated under the UN probe terms of reference. Among the cases highlighted are the killings of Lakshman Kadirgamar(Foreign minister), D.M. Dassanayake (Minister of Nation Building), Jeyaraj Fernandopulle …
The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has stated that the number of journalists and media workers killed in Sri Lanka also ranks among the highest in the world and placed severe restrictions on freedom of expression. The OISL report also says that the Committee to Protect Journalists …
The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Investigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) report has stated that “As of 2013, Sri Lanka figured as one of the countries with the highest numbers of humanitarian workers killed worldwide”. The OISL report observes that the most significant case of humanitarian workers killed in Sri Lanka is the …
The United States of America (USA) has welcomed the proposal by the Government of Sri Lanka to establish a Commission for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation, and Non Recurrence; an Office of Missing Persons; and an Office for Reparations. The US has however stressed the need for these mechanisms to be independent, impartial, and transparent as well …
Press Conference by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussien Human Rights Commissioner at Geneva after release of OISL Report GENEVA (16 September 2015) – A UN report published today has identified patterns of grave violations in Sri Lanka between 2002 and 2011, strongly indicating that war crimes and crimes against humanity were most likely committed by both …
Summary This report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 25/1, and includes the principal findings of OHCHR’s comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. It also reviews human rights related developments in the country since March 2014, in particular …
The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) has in a statement undertaken to carry out our responsibility “to lead the Tamil people in reflecting on the past, and use this moment as a moment of introspection into our own community’s failures and the unspeakable crimes committed in our name”. Following is the full text of a Press Release …
(Geneva, September 17, 2015) – The call by the United Nations’ top human rights officer for a domestic-international hybrid court to address allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka should receive strong endorsement by members of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, Human Rights Watch said today. On September …
The Sri Lankans Without Borders(SLWB) Based in Canada has welomed the new UN Human Rights Office Report Investigation Report on Sri Lanka. The following is the full text of a media communique issued by the SLWB. Toronto, Canada – Sri Lankans Without Borders (SLWB) welcomes the new report of the United Nations Human Rights Office …
The Government of Sri Lanka has informed the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that it takes note of the Report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (A/HRC/30/61), and the recommendations made by the High Commissioner. The full Text of the response sent by the Sri Lankan Government to the UNHRC …
The hierarchy of the Sri Lankan Tamil political party Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi(ITAK) has devised a three – phased strategy to deal with the problem caused by the Northern Province Chief Minister Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran. A three member delegation comprising Leader of the Opposition and Tamil National Alliance(TNA) leader R.Sampanthan , the ITAK President and …
Three more Cabinet Ministers have been sworn in by President Maithripala Sirisena.The new appointments bring the total number of Cabinet Ministers to 46.Two more vacancies in the Cabinet remain to be filled. 19 State and 21 Deputy Ministers have also been appointed to the Good Governance Government of President Maithripala Sirisena. A number of them …
Fifty – Seven Parliamentarians from the United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA)Including ex – President Mahinda Rajapaksa, ex – speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and ex – senior ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara and Dinesh Gunawardena are to appeal directly to the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya that the current leader of the opposition Rajavarothayam Sampanthan be “de – recognized” and that Kumara …
Forty two Cabinet Ministers Including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were sworn in by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential secretariat on September 4th 2015. Among these were 21 from the UNP,12 from the SLFP and 9 non –UNP MP’s who contested under the elephant symbol of the UNP led UNFGG. Premier Wickremesinghe was sworn in …
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentary group leader and veteran Trincomalee district MP Rajavarothayam Sampanthan has been recognized by the newly elected Sri Lanka parliament as the leader of the opposition. An announcement to this effect was made by the Speaker Mr. Karu Jayasuriya in Parliament on September 3rd morning. The speaker said that the house …
Senior United National Party Leader and National List MP Karunananda Jayasuriya has been elected unanmously as Speaker of Parliament. The name of “Karu” as he is popularly known was proposed by Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and seconded by Nimal Siripala de Silva.
In what is called a dramatic turn of events in the local political arena NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa had tendered an apology to President Maithripala Sirisena when a UPFA delegation met the President yesterday. Weerawansa had tendered the apology to the President for using abusive language during the Presidential election campaign against him (the President). …
By P K Balachandran Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who commanded the Sri Lanka Army during the 2006-2009 Eelam War IV, has refuted the contention of former Tamil Tiger commander “Col” Karuna Amman, that Tiger Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran had shot himself dead and was not killed by Lankan troops as claimed. “He had a head injury …
By Ranga Jayasuriya Since the end of war, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the ex-President kept a nation; mostly its Sinhalese villagers in the rural hinterland petrified by the simple mention of a bogeyman: an international war crime trial. Of course, his nemesis in the West and the fringe groups of the Tamil diaspora unleashed it on him; …
Continue reading ‘With Mahinda Rajapaksa Gone the International Investigation Bogey also Goes’ »
BY N SATHIYA MOORTHY In an interview to N. Ram for ‘The Hindu’ a day after being sworn in as Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister – for a second time in eight months and fourth time, overall – Ranil Wickremesinghe referred to India-facilitated Thirteenth Amendment, circa 1987, “build on it…maximise it” for finding a negotiated settlement …
By The “Sunday Times” Political Editor When Ranil Wickremesinghe led the United National Party (UNP) to victory at the August 17 general elections, it was not merely the end of a hectic 49-day campaign; it was also the culmination of a 40-year-long political career that had few triumphs and many disasters. Wickremesinghe was sworn in …
By Namini Wijedasa The payments were so covertly done that neither Cabinet nor Parliament knew of them. As with many other transactions, the cabal that struck deals for key members of the previous regime played the cards close to its chest. But in July-August 2014, the Sunday Times exclusively revealed that the Sri Lanka Government …
By Shamindra Ferdinando President Maithripala Sirisena has called for a meeting with three UPFA constituents today (Aug. 31) to explore the possibility of reaching a consensus regarding their role before Parliament meets tomorrow. The Presidential Secretariat has requested Ratnapura District MP-elect Vasudeva Nanayakkara (Democratic Left Front), Colombo District MP-elect Dinesh Gunawardena (Mahajana Eksath Peramuna) and …
– BY DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA “…of battles won or lost—but waged—against the enemy.” (Che Guevara: ‘Message to the Tricontinental’) The Mahinda Movement hoped for, believed in and fought determinedly for a victory at the August 17th election, but beneath the rousing nationalist romanticism there was always a tougher-minded realization that what was being waged was …
By Udaya Gammanpila There is a specific objective of introducing the National List in the Constitution of 1978. It is to get important people who are reluctant to contest elections involved in the policy formulation and law making process. Professionals, academics and leaders of insignificant communities such as Malays, Burghers, Vedda and disabled people belong …
By P.K.Balachandran R.Sampanthan, the top most leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), has said that the party can take an official stand on the latest US policy on the mechanism to investigate charges of war crimes in Sri Lanka, only after reading the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human …
By Malinda Seneviratne Maithri’s ‘Miracle’ More than a week has passed since results were released. Parliament has not been convened. There’s no Speaker. No Leader of the Opposition. No Cabinet. Just three ministers have been appointed, all to satisfy the various ‘areas of concern’ of a visiting US civil servant. Now that is the kind …
By C.A.Chandraprema We are now nearing the end of the second week after the parliamentary election with no cabinet of ministers. UNP chairman Malik Samarawickrema announced September 2 as the date on which the cabinet may be sworn in and SLFP general secretary Duminda Dissanayake said that September 4 would be the likelier date due …
By Anura Gunasekera Notwithstanding his rise to ultimate power, Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite being one of the shrewdest political manipulators in the history of this country, opts to place his faith in necromancy, rather than in the intelligence of his political sense. Apart from a pathetic belief in the occult and an abject reliance on heavenly …
Continue reading ‘As Things are at Present, Mahinda Rajapaksa is dead, Politically.’ »
By Rukshana Rizwie The Central Environment Authority (CEA) has suspended the Environmental Protection License of beverage giant Coca-Cola over an incident which occurred on Monday where ‘diesel’ from an underground fuel pipe had leaked into the Kelani river basin. “The CEA is concerned over the environmental damage, which is largely evident in this case,” said …
By K. Ratnayake US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Biswal announced in Colombo yesterday that Washington will sponsor a resolution in UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions next month supporting a Sri Lankan government inquiry into alleged war crimes. The announcement is a major shift by the US which last …
By K. Nesan In the wake of the August 17 parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka, Tamil nationalist parties are serving as key props for President Maithripala Sirisena in his attempt to install a new pro-US regime in Colombo. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has the third-largest faction in parliament, after the United National Party (UNP, …
by Ranil Wijayapala The pain and anguish of Sandya, the wife of Prageeth Eknaligoda and his two sons over the loss of a loving husband and an affectionate father will never cease. The investigation over his disappearance brushed under the carpet for over five years was taken up by the CID as a priority with …
by Rasika Jayakody “Aim for the moon and hit the stars” was the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s rule when it negotiated for ministerial portfolios with the UNP to form a national unity government. As soon as the party’s Central Committee gave its green light to form a national government, the SLFP wanted 16 ministries out …
By P.K. Balachandran The United States appears to have fallen in line with India’s consistent position that charges of war crimes and human rights violations relating to Sri Lanka are best investigated by an independent and credible domestic mechanism rather than an intrusive international mechanism, threatening its sovereignty. The US, which had made the UN …
(TEXT OF PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE MEDIA OFFICE OF THE ILANKAI THAMIL ARASU KADCHI?TAMIL NATIONAL ALLIANCE) At the General Election held on the 17th of August 2015, the United National Party (UNP) emerged as the party with the largest number of seats in Parliament. The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) obtained the second largest …
By P K Balachandran Seven months after he was made de jure Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the main constituent of the opposition United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena became its de facto head on Friday. The group headed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was reduced to a rump …
Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Takes Over SLFP Reducing Mahinda Rajapaksa Group to A Rump’ »
By P.K.Balachandran A senior leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has said that the Tamils will keep pressing for an international probe into charges of war crimes against the Lankan government even though the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Nisha Biswal, has made it clear that the US will only seek …
by Disna Mudalige Former Speaker and UPFA MP-elect Chamal Rajapaksa is to join the National Unity Government. Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, Rajapaksa said he would stand along with the position of the SLFP Party Chairman and President Maithripala Sirisena on forming a Unity Government. He said he was willing to give the necessary …
By Piyumi Fonseka Rejecting reports that her parliamentary seat was being annulled, Geetha Kumarasinghe told Daily Mirror today that despite obstacles, she would definitely take oaths as a Member of Parliament on September 1. “Losers are in a futile attempt to sling mud at me saying I am a Switzerland citizen. According to the 19th …
By Malinda Seneviratne This should have been easy. It has been easy all these years. Hold election, release results, count numbers, pick the leader of the party which returned the most candidates to Parliament and appoint him/her as Prime Minister. Then Parliament convenes, the Speaker is elected, the Leader of the Opposition is selected and …
by Shamindra Ferdinando Former UPFA MP Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha yesterday said that the anticipated change in US policy towards Sri Lanka was aimed atstrengthening the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration. The US policy shift was not at all surprising because the Obama administration had, in no uncertain terms, made known its desire to effect a regime change in …
By P.K.Balachandran Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who has been in the political wilderness since 2005 when the Supreme Court refused to extend her second and last term to November 2006, is now back again at the centre of the Lankan political stage. It was Kumaratunga who made Maithripala Sirisena the Joint Opposition Candidate …
By Dharisha Bastians The National Unity Government continued to show teething problems with a further delay expected in the appointment of the new cabinet of ministers as the tussle for portfolios between the SLFP and the UNP continues and the Government navigates a legislative blockade on the number of Ministers allowed by the Constitution. UNP …
By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lanka has told the United States that it is putting together an independent domestic mechanism to investigate charges of war crimes. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said this to the visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Nisha Biswal, at the bilateral talks held here on Tuesday. Briefing the …
(Text of Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture by former UK prime minister the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair) Thank you very much Mangala, It is a great pleasure and honour to be giving this Lakshman Kadirgamar lecture at the Institute which bears his name. Before I say anything else I should say one thing at the conclusion …
By Dharisha Bastians The small village of Medamulana, nestled deep inside the Hambantota District, is a place of tranquility and scenic beauty. Tiny lakes glisten in the bright sunshine, studded with bright pink lotuses in full bloom. Endlessly green paddy fields extend as far as the eye can see, coconut trees dance and rustle in …
By P.K.Balachandran The US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Nisha Biswal, has said that the US will be moving a resolution on human rights and war crimes in Sri Lanka at the September session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). But the resolution will be drafted in collaboration with the Lankan …
by Chaminda Perera and Disna Mudaliage Breaking what seemed to be a ‘deadlock’ in the national government formation, UNP Chairman and MP elect Malik Samarawickrema said yesterday that an agreement was reached with the SLFP over its mechanism after extensive discussions. According to the agreement, the new Cabinet of the national government will be sworn …
By Shamindra Ferdinando In the wake of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) winning the lion’s share of seats in the Northern and Eastern electoral districts at the recently concluded parliamentary polls, influential South African Tamil Federation (SATF) has reiterated its support to the four-party political grouping. The TNA comprises Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), TELO, …
by Col R Hariharan After the din of recently concluded general election in Sri Lanka is over, the United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as Sri Lanka’s prime minister. He is poised to work with a national unity government. There are eight takeaways from the election and its aftermath that can …
Continue reading ‘Eight Takeaways on 2015 Sri Lanka General Election and its Aftermath’ »
by Mahendran Thiruvarangan When I learnt about Santasilan Kadirgamar’s demise, I felt I had lost a loyal alumnus of my old school Jaffna College and a friend from whose activism I learnt a lot about the significance of inclusive social movements to our quest for justice. My interactions with Silan happened in these two spheres …
By Dharisha Bastians Sri Lanka looked set to escape a minefield of international action on war crimes allegations with a US Government announcement yesterday that it would sponsor a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next month supporting the Government’s plans for a domestic investigation and reconciliation. The announcement marks a departure …
By Shamindra Ferdinando The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda has offered to join the UNP-SLFP coalition. Political sources told The Island that EPDP leader Douglas Devananda had met President Maithripala Sirisena to explore the possibility of joining the coalition on the side lines of on-going SLFP-UNP deliberations as well as talks among …
By Upul Joseph Fernando Prior to the public rally by Mahinda Rajapaksa confidantes at Nugegoda where they proudly claimed that they would protect the 5.8 million votes of Mahinda, Ranil Wickremesinghe threw a challenge asking Mahinda to contest the general election stating he would reduce that 5.8 million votes to the range of four odd …
By Rasika Jayakody “Former President Kumaratunga heads the Office for National Unity. She is also now playing a leading role in the SLFP. And she chaired the Committee which drafted the MoU from their side. President Maithripala Sirisena and the former President Kumaratunga have a moderating influence in the SLFP and I think they are …
By Malinda Seneviratne It’s easy to offer advice after the fact. Mahinda Rajapaksa had many exit-options. He could have ruled in a way that he could go out, even in defeat, with head held high. He did not. And yet, he had enough popularity and even grudging respect from detractors, to go into quiet retirement, …
Continue reading ‘It is Imperative that Mahinda Rajapaksa Should Retire with Dignity’ »
By Disna Mudalige The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the SLFP and the UNP to form a National Unity Government will be amended shortly to include more clauses, SLFP acting General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake told the Daily News yesterday. He said the revised MoU would be announced when it is endorsed by the two parties. …
By Dharisha Bastians A top US diplomat hailed Sri Lanka’s “tremendous progress” towards good governance, reconciliation and democracy during a two-day visit to Colombo, weeks ahead of the release of a UN report on allegations of war crimes committed during the final stages of the war. US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South …
(Text of Address by Foreign Affairs minister Mangala Samaraweera On the occasion of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture held at the Kadirgamar Institute) I have the honour today, as the Chairman of the Board of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies, to speak a little about my late cabinet colleague Mr. …
By Dharisha Bastians Three key ministers of the new Cabinet were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday, ahead of a visit by top US State Department official and high level discussions on the UN war crimes report. Newly-elected MPs Mangala Samaraweera, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and D.M. Swaminathan were returned as the …
By C. A. Chandraprema In 1994, the day after the August parliamentary election, this writer visited the then president D. B. Wijetunga at President’s House in the Colombo Fort. When I entered the conference room of the president, Mr Dharmadasa Banda, a minister of the then UNP government was having a conversation with DBW. If …
By Shamindra Ferdinando The original draft of the 19 Amendment provided for the formation of a national government only once after the recently concluded parliamentary polls and that provision had been done away with as demanded by the SLFP-led UPFA in the last parliament, authoritative sources told The Island yesterday. Instead, the UPFA wanted the …
By Dasun Edirisinghe UPFA constituent parties yesterday said that they were ready to continue their struggle with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as their leader even as a new political force if the SLFP opted out of the alliance. Addressing the media at Abhayaramaya temple in Narahenpita, former Minister Wimal Weerawansa said President Maithripala Sirisena’s underhand …
by Chaminda Perera The Presidential Commission of Inquiry yesterday questioned former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over a series of allegations. He was questioned for six hours. Rajapaksa arrived at the BMICH premises, where the Commission is housed, with two security personnel. The former Defence Secretary, when asked by journalists about the charges against him, said …
By Taylor Dibbert Upon discovering I had been chosen as a short-term observer for Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election on August 17, it felt like Christmas had come early. Dallas to Doha to Colombo. And then on to Jaffna for the election! When I fly to Sri Lanka from the U.S., I usually feel somewhat slow …
By Sagarika Ghose In times of terror attacks and stalled NSA-level talks, a mainstream Bollywood movie with the message of Indo-Pak peace and friendship has become a super hit. Jingoists on both sides of the LoC dominate the discourse but a rollicking picturesque caper that lurches from Himalayas to moonlit desert to Hindi heartland has …
by N. Ram The Sri Lankan political situation has taken an interesting turn with the fairly narrow victory of the United National Party in the general election, its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe being sworn in as Prime Minister for the fourth time, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two main parties, the …
Ten works by English crime novelist Agatha Christie, including five full-length plays and five one-act dramas, have been unearthed by a British theatre producer. Julius Green, a Christie expert who has produced more than 250 plays and musicals, found five full-length plays and five one-act dramas written by the creator of the fictional Belgian detective, …
By Ranga Jayasuriya Our choices for elected representatives are always a matter of curiosity. What qualities and credentials are we looking in them? A safe guess would be that we didn’t want them to be murderers, fraudsters and crooks. But, take a look at some of those people who polled the most number of preferential …
By P K Balachandran Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R.Sampanthan has described the Maithripala Sirisena government’s decision to return 1055 acres of land to the Tamil farmers of Sampur in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, as a “very big achievement” of the struggle to get back lands seized during the war. On Saturday, President Sirisena and …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Discussions are on at two different levels to decide on Cabinet portfolios as well as posts of deputy ministers in the UNP-led ruling coalition in the next parliament. Political sources said that at one level the UNP leadership had been having talks with its partners, namely Sri Lanka Muslims Congress (SLMC), All …
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena has been asked to seek a second term to fulfill the expectations of the people. The people of Kinniya made this request when President Sirisena visited the Eastern Province town and met with the local population on Saturday, the President’s Media Division said. Informing the President that the development expected …
By Rasika Jayakody If there was any politician who foresaw the results of the Parliamentary election on Monday, he was none other than President Maithripala Sirisena. Within hours of polling closure at 4 pm on August 17, President Sirisena, in his capacity as the SLFP Chairman, acted swiftly to remove 13 members from the Central …
By Anthony David and Damith Wickremasekara Supporters of ex-president may form new alliance with other parties, but President warns of tough action against defectors; party leaders meet today to decide on fate of alliance The Sri Lanka Freedom Party faces an inevitable split, with a section set to support former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and sit …
A nation watched Friday as the victor and the vanquished at Monday’s parliamentary elections pledged to form a National Government just after a historic ceremony, televised live, where Ranil Wickremesinghe took his oaths as the 21st Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. President Sirisena is due to swear in on Tuesday a Cabinet of Ministers representing …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “There is no such thing as charismatic power…only charismatic situations”– Daniel Levi. ‘Let’s Arise with Mahinda’ was the theme of the well-organised and well-funded comeback campaign of the Rajapaksa raj. The truth turned out to be polar opposite. On August 18th, the UPFA collapsed into a crushing defeat with Mahinda, again. Not …
By C.A.Chandraprema Sri Lankan political history can be described in terms of cycles. The first parliamentary election of 1947 saw the beginning of a cycle dominated by the UNP which ended in 1956. The domination of the SLFP which began in 1956 ended in 1965. The UNP had a short run from 1965 to 1970 …
By Namini Wijedasa An unprecedented number of defeated electoral candidates, predominantly from the Maithripala Sirisena-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), have leapfrogged into Parliament through the National List. Out of 12 UPFA National List MPs, seven had failed to garner sufficient support at the August 17 general election to enter Parliament. They were edged out …
A total of 556 female candidates from 21 political parties and independent groups contested the general elections but only 11 of them won seats. That is a drop of two female members from the previous 225-seat parliament that already under-represented the 52 per cent-strong female population. These 11 women represent only 10 of the 22 …
Fifty vacancies have been created within the Provincial Councils (PC) when their members successfully contested the Parliamentary elections. Among the PC members who were elected to parliament at Monday’s general elections were three Chief Ministers from Uva, North-western and the Western Province. Along with Uva Chief Minister Harin Fernando, UNP PC members Ravi Samaraweera, Vadiwel …
By Chrishanthi Christopher Of those who contested the Parliamentary elections, over 40 lost their seats. While most of them were from the UPFA, there were others from the UNP, JVP and the ITAK. The Sunday Times spoke to some of the winners and losers who had been defeated despite years of experience as politicians. Young …
AT THE height of Sri Lanka’s parliamentary campaign, footage taken with a mobile phone went viral. It showed Mahinda Rajapaksa, an authoritarian former president running to become an MP, lunging at a member of the public, his fists clenched, before aides pulled him away. The short film suggested that Mr Rajapaksa already knew things were …
By Malinda Seneviratne Everyone knows the story of the Pied Piper. The one who came to the town of Hamlin, that is. He came to get rid of the rats and he did so by luring them out of every rathole in that unhappy town. They followed his tunes to a river and as he …
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