By P K Balachandran Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is slowly but steadily gaining control over the opposition United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and its main constituent, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) which, during and prior to the August 17 parliamentary elections were under the de facto control of former Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. …
By Dharisha Bastians Ranil Wickremesinghe, Leader of the United National Party (UNP) which bagged the most seats in Monday’s Parliamentary race,took oaths as the 23rd Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and head of its newly-elected Government yesterday. In a simple ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat, Wickremesinghe was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at …
by M.A. Sumanthiran The Tamil National Alliance has achieved a resounding victory at the 2015 General Election, successfully overcoming the challenges and fierce opposition it faced. For the second time this year, the Tamil People have shown a clear intention to strengthen the hand of the Tamil National Alliance. They have done so keeping intact …
The United National Party (UNP) said yesterday that it conducted itself in an exemplary manner when deciding on the final National List nominations. In a statement UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim said the party stuck with the policy of not using the National List to give access to Parliament to candidates who lost in the …
Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe has been sworn in as Sri Lanka’s Prime minister for the fourth time on Friday August 21st 2015. T Sixty –six year old Ranil as he is popularly known was born on March 24th 1949. He has served as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka since 9 January 2015, as Leader of …
by Rex Clementine As the curtain comes down on Kumar Sangakkara’s stunning cricket career, The Island posts to the star batsman some questions that have been never asked from him before. In this candid interview, Sangakkara reveals the tension during the Lahore terrorist attack three months before he became a father, his first double hundred …
Continue reading ‘Kumar Sangakkara Talks Candidly About Many Things in Exhaustive Interview’ »
By Dharisha Bastians The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headed by President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday decided to back a national unity government that will cohabit with the UNFGG which emerged as the single largest party in Parliament in Monday’s election for at least two years. SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake told reporters that the party’s …
By Chaminda Perera The Sri Lanka Freedom Party is to sign an MoU with the United National Party for the formation of a national government for a period of at least two years with the objective of solving burning issues faced by the country. The SLFP Central Committee which met under the patronage of President …
by Dasun Edirisinghe Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee yesterday unanimously decided to join a national government as neither the UNP nor UPFA had succeeded in securing a majority of seats in Parliament. SLFP spokesman and former minister Dilan Perera told The Island that the party’s CC had met at President Maithripala Sirisena’s official …
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will be sworn-in as Prime Minister before President Maithripala Sirisena for the fourth time, at a simple ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat today (Aug 21st) Wickremesinghe was first appointed as the Prime Minister from 1993 – 1994 after the assassination of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa.
By Dharisha Bastians Premier designate Ranil Wickremesinghe issued a rallying call for political consensus and an end to the politics of division and partisanship, in his first address since winning Monday’s crucial Parliamentary poll. With the stage set to resemble presidential addresses in the White House rose garden, Wickremesinghe addressed the media for the first …
By T.Ramakrishnan The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will support the United National Party (UNP), which has emerged as the single largest party in Monday’s Parliament election in Sri Lanka. “In the process, we also expect resolution to the national question in a manner acceptable to all people,” TNA leader R. Sampanthan told The Hindu.
By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said here on Wednesday, that his country will have good relations with India as part of the new chapter that is being opened with the victory of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) in the August 17 parliamentary elections. “A new chapter is being opened …
By Dasun Edirisinghe Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that he would continue in politics to honour the vote at Monday’s election. He said that he would go to Parliament as a newly elected member on Sept. 01. “I accept with humility the result of the just concluded parliamentary election. I thank the voters who …
By Disna Mudalige Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, yesterday invited all political parties representing Parliament to work hand in hand with the Government to arrive at a consensus on a national policy for Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister extended this open invitation, while making a special statement at Temple Trees premises. He said he would take …
By Ahilan Kadirgamar The parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka held risks of polarisation and the re-emergence of authoritarian politics. But the Lankan voters rejected divisive politics for the second time this year. The United National Party (UNP) will likely form the new government, while the moderating presence of President Maithripala Sirisena as leader of the …
By Jayadeva Uyangoda There are two significant political consequences following Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections. First, the majority of voters have given a verdict in favour of completing the partial political change that began with the presidential election of January 8 this year. Secondly, and no less important, it has dashed the hopes of the former …
By Upul Joseph Fernando When Maithri removed the UPFA and SLFP Secretaries last week, the Mahinda faction attacked Maithri stating that the latter’s decision to introduce new secretaries to act in those offices was taken before Court by a Tamil lawyer. Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva disclosed the name of that lawyer and identified …
By Rasika Jayakody There was a time when the UNP, the grand old party in the country’s political sphere, doubted its ability to win national level elections. The UPFA, led by the Rajapaksa family, seemed almost invincible and was fully backed by the state apparatus when it came to elections. Elections were conducted on a …
by Shamindra Ferdinando UNP-led United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) secured ten out of 22 electoral districts, including Colombo to obtain the largest block of seats at the Aug. 17 parliamentary polls, though it couldn’t secure a simple majority in 225-member parliament. The UNP won 106 seats, including 13 National List slots, UPFA 95 …
Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Promises SLFP Backing for a future UNP Government’ »
By Norman Palihawadana Former President and Kurunegala District UPFA candidate at the last general election Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said if he had been able to find more time to campaign in the Kurunegala District the result would have been much different and UPFA would have polled more votes. “I campaigned in Kurunegala only for two …
Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Expresses his Gratitude to all those who Voted for the UPFA’ »
By Dharisha Bastians Voters rejected former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s prime ministerial bid yesterday, routing his party in a tight electoral contest and issuing a fresh mandate to the coalition that defeated him in January to carry forward democratic reforms, reconciliation and anti-corruption efforts. Monday’s Parliamentary contest crawled to a nail-biter of a finish yesterday, with …
Prime Minister-elect Ranil Wickremesinghe hailed the people’s mandate to carry forward the 8 January revolution and issued a clarion call for unity in the country as he claimed victory for his party in Monday’s crucial parliamentary poll. “The majority of the people of this country have approved the continuance of good governance and consensual politics …
By N Sathiya Moorthy It’s not always that a trailing leader in South Asia or the rest of the Third World in general concedes an election even before even a fraction of the final results is known. Yet, Sri Lanka’s former president and present prime ministerial aspirant, Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa, has done so twice in …
(Text of Press Release Issued by the Canadian Tamil Congress on August 18, 2015) The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) congratulates Mr. R. Sampanthan and the Tamil National Alliance on their resounding election victory in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil people have given the TNA, and its leader Mr. R. Sampanthan, …
By Col R Hariharan Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s hopes of coming back to power as Sri Lanka’s prime minister crashed when the. United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which fielded him as a candidate, lost out narrowly to the United National Party (UNP)-led coalition in the parliamentary election held on August 17. In the most peacefully …
The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) contesting under the house symbol of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi(ITAK) has registered a significant victory in the Jaffna electoral district at Sri Lanka’s 15th Parliamentary elections held on August 17th 2015. The TNA polling 207,577 votes amounting to 69.12% of the votes cast has won five of the seven MP …
President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the SLFP Chairman, has ordered the removal of 13 members from the party’s Central Committee, SLFP sources said. The members who have been removed include Rathnasiri Wickramanayake, Susil Premajayantha, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, D. M Jayaratne, Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, Kamala Ranatunga, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Salinda Dissanayake and John Seneviratne, they …
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday he was unlikely to lead Sri Lanka’s next government as initial results from the general election gave a slight edge to the coalition government. However, with only one of 22 districts having declared, the shape of the next parliament remains unclear and Rajapaksa’s comments to Reuters stopped short …
Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has conceded defeat in parliamentary elections but said he would work as an opposition member of the legislature. “My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away,” Rajapaksatold the Agence France-Presse news agency. “I am conceding. We have lost a good fight.” Rajapaksa accepted that his United People’s Freedom …
By P.K.Balachandran As the month-long campaign for the August 17 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections closed this weekend, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe warned of a constitutional logjam if Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes Prime Minister. “No Prime Minister can take the country forward while being at loggerheads with the President,” Wickremesinghe said, alluding to the on-going public spat …
By Dharisha Bastians Sri Lankans voted in yesterday’s parliamentary election in relatively high numbers with several districts recording nearly a 70% turnout and the country anxiously awaits final results later today. The Elections Department said the counting of postal votes had begun at 5:00 p.m. yesterday. The first postal voting results were to be released …
BY COLONEL R HARIHARAN Forecasting elections is hazardous in Sri Lanka. And the general election held on Monday makes the job even more difficult. The three seasoned political stalwarts – former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, president Maithriala Sirisena his foe within the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and Ranil Wickremesinghe leading the United National Front for …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj August 17th 2015 is upon us! It’s the Day of decision for Sri Lanka as it faces yet another election to elect a new Parliament for the Country. My thoughts and prayers with all Sri Lankans as they cast their votes in what is perhaps the most crucial, controversial and colourful parliamentary …
By Dharisha Bastians Sri Lankans will vote to elect legislators to sit in the country’s 15th Parliament today, in a poll that has become a rematch between former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the coalition that defeated him in the January presidential contest. Over 15 million voters are registered to vote at 12,314 polling stations around …
By Ranga Jayasuriya 1.Whither democracy in Sri Lanka? The general elections on Monday will test that unique property of democracy once again. The conduct of the election itself, so far, is considered freer than in the past, as acknowledged by the election observers; the choice on Monday would be between whether Sri Lanka would consolidate …
Continue reading ‘August 2015 Elections will Provide Answers to Five Fundamental Questions!’ »
By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: The future of Sri Lanka’s top most leaders — Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena — will be on the line on Monday as 15 million Lankans elect a 225-member parliament. If the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) wins, as predicted by most …
By Chanaka Bandarage Politicians love megaprojects! They know it is not their money that they spend. In megaprojects, they often enrich themselves through massive commissions and other unethical ways. At the end of the megaproject, they revel in trying to obtain the credit for themselves, even if it was a failure. According to Professor Bent …
By Malinda Seneviratne In December 1982 the workers of banana plantations in Columbia went on strike. They demanded written contracts, 8-hour working days, 6-day work weeks and the elimination of food coupons. It turned into the largest labor movement the country had witnessed until then. An army regiment from Bogotá was dispatched, probably at the …
By C. A. Chandraprema As the election campaign drew to a close last week, President Maithripala Sirisena threw all the trump cards he had on the table to head off what he seems to believe is a clear victory for MR. How desperate Sirisena thinks the situation is for him can be gauged from the …
by Rasika Jayakody At the time when UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha and SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa exerted pressure on President Maithripala Sirisena to give nomination to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, many political observers raised questions as to why the President did not take measures to remove the two General Secretaries from their …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “….a life of trust, not a reality composed of nothing but endless trauma.” Avraham Burg (The Holocaust Is Over; We Must Rise From Its Ashes) Statistics and politics tally. The confluence indicates that the UNP is likely to emerge the single largest party on August 18. Under certain favourable conditions, the UNP …
When a messenger from the Presidential Secretariat arrived at former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s temporary residence in Mirihana on Thursday morning, he was away. So the messenger left a letter he brought with a staffer at Rajapaksa’s residence. Rajapaksa was in Kurunegala, from which district he is contesting for tomorrow’s parliamentary elections. When he learnt that …
By Nirmala Kannangara Despite being brutally assassinated in broad daylight six years and eight months ago, investigations into the gruesome murder of the founding Editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge is yet to make headway. Wickrematunge was brutally stabbed at Attidiya, by a killer squad of eight riding in four motor cycles, …
by Dushy Ranetunge in Havelock Town When all hope seemed lost, with boats full of despair leaving for Australia, the arrival of Sirisena has been a breath of fresh air. When we arrived in Sri Lanka last month from London, we sensed a difference in the population. They seemed more relaxed. It was that unmistakable …
By Don Manu Why were UPFA’s Dilan and Gamman hell bent on keeping evidence buried? Why on earth was UPFA’s national list candidate Dilan Perera so incensed over the body of 28 year old former Thomian ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen being exhumed by the police on a court order to help them to investigate further and …
By Dharisha Bastians President Maithripala Sirisena moved hard and fast yesterday to wrest control of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United Peoples’ Freedom Party Alliance (UPFA) that he leads, 48 hours ahead of crucial elections, by unceremoniously sacking both party secretaries and appointing his loyalists to the posts. Both SLFP General Secretary …
On the Spot Report by Dharisha Bastians In Murungasyaya, a few villages away from Beliatta, the seat of Rajapaksa power, the king coconut seller scrunches up her face and furrows her eyebrows. Sharmali Subashini is trying to recall which party had been able to muster the bigger crowd at back-to-back rallies in Weeraketiya this week. …
Continue reading ‘Foundations of Rajapaksa Kingdom Shaking in Hambantota District’ »
By Kamanthi Wickramasinghe While the investigations were going on, several social media sites related the story in numerous possible ways. A name that has come up with the incident is of Yasara Abeynayake. In her comments to the “Daily Mirror”, Yasara said, “I never knew Mr. Thajudeen nor have I ever even spoken to him. …
By Dharisha Bastians President Maithripala Sirisena has struck a second, more devastating blow to his predecessor’s prime ministerial hopes 48 hours before campaigning ends for Monday’s Parliamentary poll, in a fiery missive denouncing Mahinda Rajapaksa for his power-hunger and inclination to play communal politics. The ‘Dear John’ type epistle flays his party’s Kurunegala District Candidate …
by Shamindra Ferdinando Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday declared that a victory for UNP-led United National Front (UNF) at the August 17 parliamentary polls would help consolidate the gains made at what he called the January 08 revolution which ended the Rajapaksa administration. The UNP leader reiterated his commitment to the continuation of the post-presidential …
President Maithripala Sirisena in a strongly worded letter informed his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa to cooperate with him to appoint a senior SLFPer as Prime Minister in the event the UPFA secures 113 seats at the election. The President categorically stated that his choice was not Mahinda Rajapaksa. President Sirisena said that he believed that the …
By Radhika Coomaraswamy (Text of Keynote Address “THE ART OF NUANCE:LAKSHMAN KADIRGAMAR THE STATESMAN” delivered at BCIS in a ceremony to commemorate the tenth death anniversary of Lakshman Kadirgamar PC. MP on August 12th 2015) Every generation has its ideal man or woman, the icon who defines the values and aspirations of that generation. Lakshman …
Continue reading ‘Lakshman Kadirgamar the Statesman and the Art of Nuance’ »
UNP National List nominee Krishantha Cooray yesterday said that a victory for the UNP would pave the way for a stable government in Sri Lanka. Cooray issued the following statement: “Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans scored an important victory on January 8th. That revolution saved the country from the Rajapaksas’ corrupt and lawless regime. Jungle …
By Col R Hariharan [This is an extract of a brief interview with an Indian TV news channel today on China and Sri Lanka general elections being held on August 17, 20015.] Q: China is looking at the entry of Rajapaksa in the (election) race with a lot of interest. Since January when Sirisena took …
Continue reading ‘China,India and Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid to return to power in Sri Lanka’ »
By Dharisha Bastians in Minuwangoda and Divulapitiya The lottery seller Sunil Shantha, travels by bicycle every day to remote villages in Divulapitiya, an electorate which has polled Blue for the better part of 21 years. Shantha, in his mid-sixties, remembers when UNP representatives like Ariyaratne Jayatillake were unshakable forces of power in Divulapitiya. But the …
By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran’s statement on Wednesday telling Sri Lankan Tamils who they should vote for in the August 17 parliamentary elections, seems to be an endorsement of the radical Tamil National Peoples’ Front (TNPF) rather than his own party, the moderate Tamil National Alliance (TNA). Justifying his “neutrality” in the …
By Ajith Alahakoon The Additional Colombo Magistrate yesterday issued notice on Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran and his son-in-law Arjun Aloysious in respect of the alleged bond scam to appear in court on August 30. The order was issued consequent to a case filed by Western Provincial Council member Renuka Dushyantha Perera. Perera alleged that …
By Upul Joseph Fernando The story of the man who clung onto Mahinda’s finger at Akuressa ended up like the episode of the Samurdhi officer who was tied to a tree by Mervyn Silva in Kelaniya. The man who held onto Mahinda’s finger at Akuressa and got assaulted claimed he did it for the love …
By C. A. Chandraprema If anybody can be described as the ‘face’ of this parliamentary election, it is former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Not only is his likeness displayed on the posters pamphlets and other election material of the candidates of the UPFA, the UNP and the JVP also direct all their attacks at him. Thus, …
Former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar’s 10th death anniversary will be commemorated today (12) at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies in Colombo. He was assassinated by an LTTE sniper in August 2005. The highlight of the event will be the launch of a book on Lakshman Kadirgamar titled The cake that was baked at home …
By N Sathiya Moorthy Independent of who wins the 17 August parliamentary polls in Sri Lanka, the nation would be coming under immediate international pressure on the war-time ‘accountability issues’ at UNHRC. It could be more – or, less – dependent on what the UNHRC probe report, held back by six months after the presidential …
By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan parliamentary elections slated for August 17 will go down in history as one of the most unusual. President Maithripala Sirisena is featured in the posters and ads of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG), the ruling party, as well as the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the …
By Col R Hariharan With a week to go before Sri Lanka people elect a new parliament, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa predicted the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), which had fielded him, to win “up to” 117 seats. However, a pre-election survey showed only 27.5 percent voters preferred him over his bête noir and prime …
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka elections: tumbling skeletons and bumbling politicians’ »
By Dharisha Bastians Forensic teams exhumed the body of Wasim Thajudeen at the Dehiwala Muslim burial grounds on orders by a Colombo Court yesterday, as the Criminal Investigation Department continues to dig deeper into the alleged murder-cover up. The exhumation was supervised by the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer, Dr. Ajith Tennakoon, after Colombo Additional …
By Madura Ranwala Criminal Investigations Department has confirmed that one of the underworld gang leaders known as ‘Army Samapth’ and his associate called ‘Sanka’ had been among the UNP election campaigners on July 31 when the daring gun attack took place, according to statements given by some of the UNP supporters who were there at …
By Gomin Dayasri One has to lose – the other has to win; to say the obvious. Who’s going to be the fallen guy – Ranil or Mahinda – in electing the Lord of the Throne for the Negatives? Picking the loser is a less onerous task than the winner. Two defeated old codgers closing …
Continue reading ‘Mahinda and Ranil are two Defeated old Codgers Needing a wake Up Call’ »
By Prasad Gunewardene Dilan or Harin? They are; National List prospect Dilan Perera (UPFA) and Harin Fernando (UNP) who is also the incumbent Chief Minister in the Uva Province. It was Dilan who started the ball rolling bringing bottles of poison to a news conference. Like a Dispenser, he said; this bottle is for Ranil …
By Azhar Razak The provision of wi-fi internet services through Google’s Project Loon is not going to be afforded to consumers ‘free of charge’ once the project is in full flow post-March 2016, the Managing Director of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), Muhunthan Canagey told The Nation Gain in a recent interview. Canagey’s …
By M.A. Sumanthiran The press has recently reported that the Bar Standards Board has initiated a formal investigation into the professional conduct of Sir Desmond de Silva QC with respect to his role in Sri Lanka. I raised the question of Sir Desmond’s professional conduct in Parliament on 17 March 2015 and urged the government …
By Ranga Jayasuriya The former Defence Secretary and the former president’s brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is touted for giving leadership to defeat the Tamil Tigers. After the then government jailed and stripped military honours of former army chief Sarath Fonseka, Gotabaya and his elder sibling, ex-president Mahinda claimed for the exclusive rights of the military victory. …
By Rasika Jayakody The modern view of criminal justice, broadly, is that public concern with morality or expediency decrees expiation for the violation of a norm; this concern finds expression in the infliction of punishment on the evil doer by agents of the state, the evil doer, however, enjoying the protection of a regular procedure …
By Dharisha Bastians UPFA Kurunegala District candidate and ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday pledged to investigate the alleged murder of popular rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, whose body will be exhumed for further forensic inquiry by a panel of judicial medical officers today. “This should be properly investigated independently without politicising the issue and the truth must …
By Malinda Seneviratne The move to privatize water didn’t begin yesterday. The first noises were made around 25 years ago, when the International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI) set up its headquarters in Pelawatte, Colombo. Back then too the talk was about the efficient use of water and it was a design that was promoted by …
by Dasun Edirisinghe Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday addressed newspaper editors and other media personnel at the Hilton Residencies. He was flanked by the high command of the UPFA – General Secretary Susil Premajayantha, SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena, NFF leader Wimal Weerawansa, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila, Liberal …
By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: There appears to be an attempt by some political parties to whip up an India-sentiment among the Tamils of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province in the run up to the August 17 parliamentary elections with the aim of ending the dominance of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which is perceived to be pro-India. …
By Prasad Gunawardene The fact that throughout the whole world women know less about politics than men is true when we evaluate the statements, comments and performances of some of our women candidates in the current contest for next Monday’s general elections. Irrespective of gender equality, women are less likely to know about current affairs …
By Rasika Jayakody Wasim Thajudeen, a prominent rugby player, who is believed to have been assassinated, has begun to haunt former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election campaign. Although Rajapaksa or his family members have not been mentioned as suspects in the case so far, fingers have already been directed at the previous regime over the murder …
By Shihara Maduwage The Prime Minister of the country and leader of the United National Party (UNP) – the main party of the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) – Ranil Wickremesinghe is one of the forerunners at the upcoming General Elections. In an interview with the “Daily Mirror” he discussed a wide range …
by C.A.Chandraprema As the parliamentary election campaign enters its last week realisation appears to have dawned on the UNP that every vote cast for the JVP is a yahapalana vote lost to them. Last Thursday, the pro-UNP website Lanka e News carried an article with the title “Vote for the JVP and ensure Rajapaksa’s victory!” …
By Chris Kamalendran The Presidential Security Division (PSD) has been disbanded after its involvement in criminal activities, Public Order Minister John Amaratunga disclosed yesterday. He said the Special Task Force (STF), the commando arm of the Police, would now be responsible for the security of President Maithripala Sirisena. The first assignment was providing close protection …
Candidates for the August 17 parliamentary elections in the Jaffna District are still vying with each other to please voters who have hardline political pursuits. The United National Front’s 26 page manifesto – The Five Point Plan for a new country in 60 months” – notwithstanding, its candidate Vijayakala Maheswaran has added one more pledge. …
Army Commander Crishanthe de Silva yesterday banned army personnel from getting involved in any form of election campaigning. The directive applies to all ranks including those in the volunteer force while those violating it would face disciplinary action, Military Spokesman Jayanath Jayaweera told the Sunday Times. The directive came following instructions from the Defence Ministry …
by C. A. Chandraprema Certain matters do not get the attention they deserve because everybody is so focused on the election. Last week, a group of 38 NGO activists sent off a petition to President Maithripala Sirisena demanding that Sir Desmond de Silva QC, be removed from the panel of international lawyers advising the government …
By Kumar Rupasinghe The inauguration of Maithripala Sirisena as the President of Sri Lanka, promising a 100-day program to abolish the Executive Presidential system, and promulgate a Freedom of Information Act among other things, gave rise to expectations that all this will pave the way for a more transparent society where citizens will be protected …
Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Must Dismantle the Mafia State in Sri Lanka’ »
by Mahendran Thiruvarangan The election campaign of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF: Gajen Ponnambalam’s new outfit) in the North-East has re-animated the discussions on the political solution to the national question. While the major political parties in the South have rejected federalism, the federal solutions presented by these …
(Text of a Press Statement Issued by the Canadian Tamil Congress on August 7th 2015) The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) strongly urges Tamils and all citizens of Sri Lanka to exercise their right to vote at the upcoming Parliamentary elections. The presidential election of January 8th, 2015 was a turning point in the recent political …
By Dharman Wickremaratne The UNP promises to build a new country in 60 months while the UPFA guarantees a better future and new life. Since Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka is suffering from a throat problem a recording is played at his party meetings. The DP has still not circulated a manifesto. The JVP manifesto …
By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole Sections of the Tamil Diaspora are on a virulent campaign against the TNA. Most Tamils abroad are not engaged in politics, because it is dirty and dangerous. Slanderous stories are put out against those not in agreement. Fear of being labelled, leaves the field open to virulent sections of the …
By P K Balachandran COLOMBO: The Ranil Wickremesinghe government in Sri Lanka has put in the dock the Indian public sector railway construction company Ircon International (IRCON), over several issues relating to the restoration of the railway system in the Northern Province between 2010 and 2015. On the advice of a four-man committee, the Lankan …
Former Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal had yesterday 96th) written to his successor, Arjuna Mahendran, levelling various charges against him while defending his own behaviour during his tenure at the head of the financial institution. The following is the full text of the letter released to the media by Cabraal for what he described as …
By Dharisha Bastians In the wee hours of 17 May 2012, police encountered a burning vehicle on Park Road, Colombo 05. The car crashed into a ditch outside Shalika Grounds and exploded on impact even though nobody reports hearing an explosion in the highly residential neighbourhood that night. The charred remains found inside the burning …
by Prasad Gunewardene Some may treat this news as the joke of the decade. But our former Minister of Public Affairs and Public Relations Mervyn Silva is very serious about the attempt to kidnap him. He has lodged a complaint at the Mirihana Police last week that a white van was haunting his Mirihana residence …
By Shamindra Ferdinando Asanga, son of slain UNP loyalist, Ossie Abeygoonasekera, had been the executive director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) during the previous administration. Asanga Abeygoonasekera held several other state sector appointments, during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as the president (2005-2014). Rajapaksa’s defeat, at the January 8, 2015 …
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday cast her lot against her party’s candidate and presidential successor Mahinda Rajapaksa, indirectly urging Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) supporters to vote against him at the 17 August election. Breaking her silence three weeks into the parliamentary election campaign, which has been marked by Rajapaksa’s reentry, former President Kumaratunga hinted …
By Upul Joseph Fernando Following the UNP defeat at the parliamentary election in 1994, Gamini Dissanayake decided to contest the presidential election a few months later and surprised everyone. Many claimed Gamini was unwise and mad to take such a decision. But Gamini thought he could win the presidential election. People rallied round Gamini wherever …
By Prasad Gunewardene Actresses have become a political commodity for political parties that market them. These beautiful women offer themselves to politics with hopes based on their popularity on the mega and mini screen. Some of them are professionals and others are only pretty girls. The pretty girls do not really know what acting is. …
Ex-LTTE cadres contesting under the banner of ‘Crusaders for Democracy’ released their parliamentary Election Manifesto yesterday at the Suthumalai Amman Temple premises in Manipay, Jaffna where LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran appeared for the first time in public and announced the surrender of arms to the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) 28 years ago on 4 …
A pre-election poll conducted by a non-partisan independent organisation in Sri Lanka has found that the current Prime Minister and the leader of the United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe, has more support from all communities in the country over his would be contender Mahinda Rajapaksa to become the Prime Minister. Nationally, 39.8% believed Ranil …
By Dharma Sri Abeyratne It is hard to achieve a significant sustainable economic development without focusing on the development of the export sector, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said. It is an achievable target to increase the export income to US $ 50 billion or more following a systematic approach to export development, he added. Prime …
By Sanath Nanayakkare When the United National Front for Good Governance forms the next government, parliament will have 20 Oversight Committees to supervise the work of the government institutions and to keep a tab on public expenditure, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said yesterday delivering the keynote address at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit 2015, organized …
By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: C.V.Wigneswaran, who became Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province in 2013 thanks to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), appears to be drifting away from the party which propped him up. Well placed sources in the TNA told Express that the rift, which is being kept under wraps in view of the …
By Piyumi Fonseka While denying any links with underworld gangsters, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said today said fellow candidate and Deputy Justice Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe might be reliant on ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa for some reason because he denied Mr. Rajapaksa’s involvement in the Kotahena shooting. “People like Thilanga Sumathipala, Dilan Perera and some of our …
Deputy Minister of Justice Sujeewa Senasinghe says that the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot be blamed for the Kotahena shooting. Speaking to Ceylon Today, the Deputy Minister said y that the Kotahena shooting looks to be an underworld clash and not spiteful vengeance by the Rajapaksas.
By Dasun Edirisinghe The UPFA yesterday claimed that Sri Lanka was once again becoming another ‘Chicago’ under the present UNP government. Addressing the media at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Headquarters, former Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that the ‘underworld’ which had been virtually eradicated during then President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure was once again raising its …
By Harischandra Gunaratna Former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva said yesterday that the ‘bond scam’ was an insider job and dishonest scheme with the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran was a part of it , Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was in it, he added. “There was absolutely no need to go for a 30-year-bond.” “It …
By Shamindra Ferdinando SLFP spokesman Dilan Perera yesterday said that two UNP candidates, Srinath Perera, PC and Deputy Justice Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe had confirmed that Friday’s attack near St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena involved two underworld gangs jousting for dominance. Addressing the media at SLFP headquarters at T. B. Jayah Mawatha, former minister Perera said that …
By Ranga Jayasuriya It does not reflect well on the UNP, when rival underworld gangs clash in its election campaign. Now police suspect that shooting in Kotahena that killed one woman and injured 13 others was due to a longstanding rivalry between the two underworld gangs; The members of one gang were canvassing for Ravi …
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By P.K.Balachandran COLOMBO: Sivanathan Navindra alias Venthan, a former bodyguard of the slain Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is among nine ex-Tiger militants contesting the August 17 Sri Lankan parliamentary elections from the Jaffna-Kilinochchi electoral district as members of a new outfit, Crusaders for Democracy (CFD). Venthan and fellow candidate, Rasaiah Tharmakulasingham alias Gamini, had …
By Rasika Jayakody The shooting incident at Kotahena on Friday, which claimed the life of a supporter of Minister Ravi Karunanayake, marred the peaceful nature of Parliamentary Elections 2015. The incident, which took place at Kotahena, also left twelve people injured with two in critical condition. Police are conducting investigations on the attack and no …
By C.A.Chandraprema Just watching the things that President Maithripala Sirisena has been doing, you really begin to pity the unfortunate politicians who were motivated to take his side as against that of Mahinda or Ranil. Last week when Sirisena was unable to dodge summoning an SLFP Central Committee meeting in order to suspend the memberships …