By Dharisha Bastians

Just two weeks after the passage of the Office of Missing Persons Act, human rights activists and politicians urged hundreds of families searching for missing loved ones to give the new mechanism a chance and take ownership of the process in order to ensure its success.

An event to mark the International Day of Victims of Enforced Disappearances was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday, bringing some 500 families of missing persons from various districts of the island to the capital Colombo.

The event was organised by the Families of the Disappeared in collaboration with the Platform for Freedom and Veedhiye Virodhaya, and featured speeches from veteran human rights defenders, disappearance activists, victim families and politicians.

Continue reading ‘Families of Missing Persons Must Give Office of Missing Persons a Chance to Work and also take Ownership of the Process’ »

By Gihan Kamalesh Weerasinghe

The Police Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has begun probing the strong likelihood that billionaire businessman Mohammad Shakeeb Sulaiman of Bambalapitiya was brutally done to death by irate business competitors stemming from a dispute arising from a soured business deal or arising from debts owed to Sulaiman by some businessmen.

Police sources said that preliminary investigations had revealed that the slain businessman was considered a tough business opponent who was allegedly not averse to employing violence to further his business interests.

However, it is yet to be confirmed that his killing was the direct outcome of a business dispute or merely to extract ransom from his family. Police are following other leads also so as to not miss other probabilities linked to his killing with the objective of bringing his killers to book.

Sulaiman was an ethnic Bhai who was engaged in the wholesale textiles trade. Sulaiman and his family members imported and distributed clothing and textiles from India, China and Indonesia. His central trade operations were carried out at a well-established shop down Third Cross Street, Pettah.

Continue reading ‘Abduction and Killing of “Bhai” Billionaire Mohammad Shakeeb Sulaiman of Bambalapitiya’ »

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera in a startling revelation said that the leaders of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) paid money to a defense official of the previous government to obtain safe passage out of the country.

Minister Samaraweera said over 200 LTTE members, who have paid an official of the Ministry of Defense and left the country during the last week of the war in May 2009, are now listed as missing persons.

Continue reading ‘Over 200 Tigers Including LTTE Leaders Left the Country Safely in 2009 After Paying Money to a “Defence Official” of Previous Govt Reveals Mangala Samaraweera’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that the government was working overtime to discredit the former Rajapaksa administration which had defeated terrorism against numerous odds.

Gajaba Regiment veteran Rajapaksa said that those who had been demanding Geneva-supervised probe into accountability issues were now accusing him of helping terrorists escape.

The former Defence Secretary was responding to Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s claim that over 200 LTTE cadres had secretly left the country through his (Rajapaksa’s) intervention during the last week of the Vanni offensive. The UNPer made the allegation at a Foreign Ministry media briefing on Monday evening.

Rajapaksa alleged that the government had made contradictory statements on a number of issues, including matters pertaining to ex-LTTE cadres.

Former Defence Secretary Rajapaksa told The Island that the unprecedented accusation had been made in the wake of the passage of the Office on Missing Persons (Establishment, Administration and Discharge of Functions) Bill recently in Parliament. He said that those desirous of hauling the previous government up before Geneva-supervised judicial mechanism would have been certainly surprised by Minister Samaraweera’s accusation.

Continue reading ‘Former Def- Secy Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Denies Involvement in Helping Over 200 Ex-Tigers Escape as Alleged by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, has managed to get a separate meeting with the visiting UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, after being clubbed together with other leaders of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) for a full-scale official session with the UN chief when he comes to Jaffna on September 2.

Sources in the TNA said that on his way out after a full-scale meeting with the TNA leaders led by party chief R.Sampanthan, Ban will have a brief tete-a-tete with Wigneswaran.

Earlier, in an effort to sideline him for his non-cooperative attitude, the powers-that-be who drew up Ban’s itinerary did not schedule a separate meeting with Wigneswaran, even though there was a separate meeting with the provincial Governor Reginold Cooray.

Continue reading ‘Wigneswaran Complaining of Shabby Treatment by Sampanthan Wangles a brief tete-a-tete with Ban Ki-moon’ »

By
Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption yesterday filed a corruption case against eight persons including former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and three former Navy Commanders for allegedly causing a sum of Rs.11.4 billion unlawful loss to the government when giving permission to the Avant-Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd to operate a floating armory.

Former Navy Commanders Somatilleke Dissanayake, Jayanath Kolambage and Jayantha Perera were among accused listed by the Bribery Commission. The eight accused listed in the corruption case were; former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Additional Secretary to the Defence Ministry Sujatha Damayanthi, Avant Garde Chairman Major Nissanka Senadhipathi, Somatilleke Dissanayake, Jayanath Kolambage and Jayantha Perera, Palitha Piyasiri Fernando and Karunaratne Banda Adhikari.

Continue reading ‘Case Filed Against Eight Including Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Three Ex-Navy Commanders For Causing 11.4 Billion Rupee Loss to Govt Through Avant -Garde’ »

By Gagani Weerakoon

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered officials to call explanations from the Sports Ministry Secretary for allegedly having downplayed the report on the National Olympics Committee.

The PM recently ordered an investigation into the activities of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), specifically directing officials that the complete report should include NOC activities and operations carried out over the past five years.

The official were ordered to investigate why the NOC sent 46 officials to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics for a contingent of a mere 9 athletes from the country.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Annoyed by Sports Ministry Secretary Attempt to Exonerate National Olympic Committee Taking 46 Officials with only 9 Athletes to Brazil’ »

DR. DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

What Mr. Sampanthan did not say in Matara recently was as important as what he did say. What he said was as follows:

“…This Constitution is going to be framed one with the framework of a united, undivided and indivisible Sri Lanka…We do not want this country to be divided. But the people want power to be devolved within the regions. The power that is required to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of the country, Defence, the Army, Navy and the Air Force will be under the control of the Central Government. Foreign Affairs Currency and Finance, Immigration and Emigration to be under the central government. These powers need to be kept at the Centre to ensure the unity and the indivisibility of the country.

Other powers will be devolved…The Southern Province will have their Provincial Council with enhanced powers. The Sabaragamuwa, Central Province will have their Provincial regions with extraneous enhanced powers. Similarly the North, East and Central Provinces will have their own areas with enhanced powers.”

Now not only does Mr. Sampanthan entirely avoid the use of the term unitary, what he does lay out is a perfect description of a federal constitution.

Continue reading ‘” National Movement for the Defense of the Unitary State ” Needed Urgently in Sri Lanka’ »

(In a historic first official visit Down South to Matara, Opposition Leader and Tamil National Alliance MP R. Sampanthan talks about the connection between Buddhism and Hinduism and the importance of Sinhala-Tamil unity. Following are excerpts from the speech he delivered at the passing out ceremony of vocationally trained younth of the Sammadhi Community Development Foundation started by UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana)

Matara is an ancient District and a historic city in our country. During ancient days, it was a part of the Ruhunu Kingdom when it was captured by the Portuguese. Then it was taken over by the Dutch, then by the British until 1947, when Sri Lanka became independent. accompanied by Matara District parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana, I went to a pirivena last evening. The chief prelate of that pirivena told me about an ancient temple of Lord Shiva some distance away. But it is apparently now in ruins.

According to one of our famous historians Sir Peiris, there were five ancient historic temples of Lord Shiva in Sri Lanka. Thirukoneshwaram in Trincomalee, Thiruketheeswaram in Mannar, Munneshwaram in Chilaw, Naguleshwaram is Jaffna and Thondeshwaram in the South. I had a strong feeling that this old Shiva temple now in ruins is believed to be the Thondeshwaram. I also visited the Vishnu Devalaya and the Kataragama Devalaya. The Poojas were conducted for us and we received the blessings that were invoked upon us. It showed me how the Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus have been interwoven in history, culture and tradition.

Unfortunately, after we were granted Independence, we had issues, and as a result of those issues, we were not able to achieve the progress other countries achieved world over. For example, take Singapore. Its Premier Lee Kuan Yew intended to develop Singapore the standards of Sri Lanka. But we lost our way and became stagnant. However, Singapore saw massive development. Today, the average Singaporean earns 100 times his/her Sri Lankan counterpart. Singapore is one of the most advanced countries in this region in all aspects.

Several countries in the world have had conflicts from time to time. Be in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and so on…. But the people of those countries learnt their lessons and wanted to put an end to those conflicts and came forward to develop their countries, thus those nations become prosperous and self-sufficient.

Continue reading ‘The Slogan is “No Division of the Country but the Devolution of Power” Says Opposition Leader Sampanthan in Matara’ »

By

Bandula Jayasekara

Due to the friendly relations between Sri Lanka and Japan, the Japanese government requested the International Olympic Committee to let Sri Lanka host the next Olympics. International Olympic Committee readily agreed and it has been already notified to all other countries. This week the cabinet of Ministers will meet at the Independence Square for a special cabinet meeting and they would declare whole of Sri Lanka as the Olympic village. Thereafter, parliament will have a special session and grant its approval to the proposal. It will be the first time .Oh I am sorry not first time but first time that all parties, including the Joint Opposition will endorse and support the proposal since hosting the Olympics in Sri Lanka will be a dream come true for any country.

However, as the Minister for Nothing to do in Sri Lanka, I have decided to leak some information long before the Joint Cabinet spokespersons.

Venue for boxing, wrestling and gymnastics will be the parliament complex in Kotte- It is the ideal place for sportsmen and women around the world. It is very secure , we have all the facilities there in the complex. Countries can save money because they do not have to bring coaches or even managers since Sri Lanka can provide all the expertise. Even the cheer squads and judges and referees could be provided. However, we will request the countries to credit money to our banks for providing such services. If requested we can even provide seasoned wrestlers, boxers, and gymnasts for a fee.

Continue reading ‘If the Next Olympic Games were to be held in Sri Lanka: An Imaginative Exercise’ »

By
Upul Joseph Fernando

Sri Lanka media are keeping an intense watch on the Indian High Commissioner who has the capacity to change the Cabinet of Sri Lanka (SL). This is because India is also our neighbour. No sooner the name Taranjit Singh Sandhu was mentioned, and he was appointed as the new Indian High Commissioner to SL than the SL media, politicians and leading businessmen as well as the foreign diplomatic circles evinced a special interest and began inquiring about him.

Every body’s attention was drawn to the period between 2000 and 2004 when he served as a Political Counsellor at the Indian High Commission in SL. That was the period when there was a political upheaval in SL. That is, a group including S.B. Dissanayake the Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary crossed over to the United National Party to topple Chandrika’s Government in 2001, and when the ceasefire agreement was signed with the intervention of Norway.

It was during the same period, Chandrika the President then, dissolved Ranil’s Government after taking under her three ministries including the Defence Ministry. Besides, that also marked the beginning of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Opposition Leader’s journey leading to Premiership.

The moves made by the then Indian High Commissioner Nirupam Sen to oust Ranil’s Government were discussed via the media at that time, and in the book My belly is white the pressures exerted by the Indian High Commission were revealed by the Defence Minister, Austin Fernando, of Ranil’s Government.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa was Very Close to New Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu When he Served as Political Counsellor in Colombo’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

QUESTION ONE

How is it that the much-celebrated peace agreement heralding national reconciliation in Colombia between its FARC guerrillas and Columbia’s President Dos Santos just signed in Havana in the presence of President Raul Castro, ending over half a century of civil war, opts under the rubric of Transitional Justice for restorative justice over punitive justice, contains an arrangement for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a provision for amnesty or light/non-prison sentences such as ‘community service with restricted residency’ for guerrillas and soldiers (despite evidence of drug trafficking, large scale kidnappings, massacres and atrocities) but has no provisions whatsoever for new laws and an Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate the war and the military— while post-war reconciliation in Sri Lanka, in which the protracted armed conflict did not culminate with the terrorist militia agreeing to a negotiated settlement with the decommissioning of its weapons but in an outright military victory for the democratic State, eschews the painless option of a general amnesty and is deemed to necessitate not only a Truth and Reconciliation Commission but an Office of the Special Prosecutor and Special Laws aimed precisely at punitive justice?

Continue reading ‘Five Serious Questions About the State of Sri Lanka Raised by Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The United Nations, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lankan government have combined to sideline Sri Lanka’s Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran in the itinerary drawn up for the visit of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to Sri Lanka from August 31 to September 2.

The Secretary General will not be meeting Wigneswaran separately, but only as part of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation headed by its chief, R.Sampanthan. Wigneswaran told the Jaffna media that Sampanthan called him on the phone to say that if he wished to meet Ban Ki-moon, he could join the TNA delegation when it meets Ban in Jaffna on September 2.

Continue reading ‘Chief Minister Wigneswaran Sidelined in Ban-Ki-moon’s Visit May Boycott UN Secy – Gen Trip to Jaffna’ »

By

Vishwamithra 1984

“Building Buddhist temples, placing statues under Bo-trees have negated reconciliation efforts”, making a very potentially-unpopular observation, Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, however, could not have uttered truer words. Hailing from a Buddhist background, educated in the two leading Buddhist schools in Sri Lanka, firstly at Nalanda College and then Ananda, Rajitha’s utterances could be politically incorrect, but they are indeed bold and beautiful.

Erecting Buddha statues at any junction, preserving Bo-trees at every corner of our widely spread-out hamlets has become an infectious habit of Sinhalese Buddhist people to show the world a misplaced sense of devotion to the religion. Behind some of these ‘religion-related’ constructions are invariably found the most destructive elements in our society — drug dealers and traffickers, illicit liquor brewers, local hooligans and petty merchants of flesh and lust — they all expect forgiveness and repentance by extending these superficial offerings to a mind-created Buddha, so that they could go to sleep with a self-deceived peaceful mind. These superficial offerings are in fact bribes offered to an image for clemency. Decline of Buddhism from one of Prathipatthi Pooja (practice) to Aameesa Pooja (ritualistic) has been very much in evidence in the last few decades.

To quote an unknown writer who seems to have understood the fundamental core of Buddhism writes thus: “I know that we can make great Karma by offering flowers, candles, incense, food, robes and others for the Buddha statue imagining as if the Buddha is alive. But whenever I do offer these things, my mind says ‘The Buddha is not there to receive this; and this is not the proper way to pay respect to the Buddha. The proper way is try to be mindful and be free from the defilement in the mind.’ Am I cultivating bad thoughts by thinking this way? What is the proper way to think when we offer these things to the Buddha statue?”As embroiled in inscrutable spiritual teachings and relating each and every miniscule phenomenon to a section or subsection of the Sutras in the scriptures, some of our Buddhist monks have willy nilly deflected from what is real and present. This, they do either by wilful deception (or self-deception) or due to ignorance or misreading of the Sutras.

Continue reading ‘Rajitha Senaratne’s Bold and Beautiful Words About Building Buddhist Temples and Placing Statues Under Bo -trees’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The teenager ,who had hacked the official website of the President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, has been sent to a probationary home for rehabilitation while his 26 year old accomplice has been remanded by the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

The names of the two accused have not been revealed.

Continue reading ‘Teenager Hacker of President Sirisena’s Website sent for Probation but other Hacker Remanded’ »

By P.K. Balachandran

M.K. Shivajilingam, Tamil politician and a relation of the slain Tamil Tiger chieftain Velupillai Prabhakaran, has said that he will assist Prabhakaran’s siblings, now living in India, Canada and Denmark, if they petition to the Sri Lankan Office of Missing Persons (OMP) to trace him.

But given the fact that when their mother, Parvathy Ammal, was gravely ill and was on her death bed in November 2010, they did not even visit her, it is highly unlikely that they will bother to file a petition with the OMP to trace their brother Prabhakaran.

Continue reading ‘LTTE Leader Prabhakaran’s Three Siblings in Canada,India and Denmark Can Petition Office of Missing Persons to Trace Their Brother – MK Shivajilingam’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga says her father the late Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike brought the Sinhala Only Act to ‘give the country back to its people’ after centuries of colonial rule. She should sincerely be believing so, so do a sizeable portion of the Sinhalese majority who think the late prime minister was genuine. Ms. Kumaratunga vouches that her father’s move was not racist, though she now wishes that both languages should have been made official languages. That was achieved under the 13th Amendment, though some constitutional experts prefer to pick on the semantics of the wording, which states that “the official language of Sri Lanka is Sinhala” and “Tamil shall also be an official language.”

However, making Tamil an official language could not satisfy Tamil political demands nor could that end a brutal terrorist campaign. Perhaps it was too little too late, or that the Tamil political campaign, in addition to real grievances, also lives on a host of imaginative and inflated grievances.

Back to late Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike; he could have been genuine or perhaps not in his intentions. However, what matters is not so much the intentions, but the outcome. He aimed for the high heavens and produced a veritable hell for the generations to come. Much has been written about the ethnic dimension of his decision, and how it ignited the flames of a ruinous ethnic conflict that consumed this country for three decades.

Continue reading ‘SWRD Bandaranaike’s Sinhala Only Act Took Back From the People Their Chance to Aim High.’ »

By Shaahidah Riza

Minister for Disaster Management and senior SLFP Member Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday contradicted former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s statement that the SLFP leadership was snatched from him.
Yapa said, the transfer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leadership took place amicably.

Speaking to Ceylon Today he added, “As far as I know, there was a discussion between the two leaders and then it was handed over to President Sirisena by Mahinda Rajapaksa. That is what I know. This took place at the Speaker’s residence. I have no knowledge of other things.”

Continue reading ‘“SLFP Leadership was not Snatched from Mahinda. He Handed it Over Amicably to Maithripala” – Anura Priyadharshana Yapa.’ »

By Anjana Kaluarachchi in Dambulla

On the day of his ODI retirement on Sunday (28) at Dambulla, Tillakaratne Dilshan kept the promise he made in 2012, (the time when he was forced to resign from the captaincy), by revealing some secrets he had kept bottled up throughout the next few years. He said he did not have the support of senior cricketers, or at least of coaches, during his 10-month tenure as captain.

Dilshan was named captain after Kumar Sangakkara stepped down following the World Cup loss. Sri Lanka played 11 Tests during that period – against England, Pakistan and South Africa away, and Australia at home – and lost seven of them while securing the only Test win in South Africa.
“I was really hurt. I played well throughout the tour even though I had a lot of problems. I learned a lot during that time and the youngsters know that,” said Dilshan.

«I didn›t actually plan to take over the captaincy, but the SLC President asked me to take over for six months until we find someone else. Unfortunately, we had also lost two bowlers. Murali [Muttiah Muralitharan] had retired. Nuwan Kulasekara was injured. Ajantha Mendis was injured. I didn›t have great resources,” added Dilshan.

Dilshan also chuckled when he said that Angelo Mathews had a calf injury which prevented him from bowling for a year, and miraculously recovered just as Mahela Jayawardene took over the captaincy once again after him in 2012.

Continue reading ‘Tillakaratne Dilshan Reveals Bottled up Secrets About How Senior Cricketers and Coaches Did not Support him During 18 month Captaincy.’ »

By Gagani Weerakoon

All documents and written evidence, pertaining to the controversial Rs 700 million IT project were handed over to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday.

Two board members of the People’s Bank, who were amongst those who challenged the proposed project to buy hardware for the digitalization of the bank, had personally gone to the PM’s Office yesterday morning and handed over the documents.

These two board members have also disclosed to the PM that a high ranking government official is behind the scam.

Ceylon Today in its Sunday Edition (28) exclusively reported that the government last week temporarily put on hold a Rs 700 million IT project, in response to strong opposition, voiced last Thursday, by three members of the Board of Directors of the People’s Bank.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister’s Intervention Sought to Prevent “Tender Fraud” in 700 Million Rupee IT Project of Peoples Bank.’ »

by Rathindra Kuruwita

It was reported last week that a senior intelligence official, himself a Muslim from what I have gathered, has requested the National Security Council (NSC) to consider banning Sri Lankan Muslim women of wearing burqa or niqab. The proposal was squashed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Ceylon Today on Sunday reported that the President is to inform diplomats from Islamic countries that such a decision will not be taken.

The niqab covers the face only, showing the eyes, while the burqa covers the entire body, including the face. These garments are significantly different from the hijab, which only covers the hair and the neck and the khimar, which covers the head, neck and shoulders of the wearer, which were worn by Sri Lankan Muslim women, traditionally. This change of attire of women has created unease among the Sinhala and Tamil communities who see this as a sign of growing influence of Arabic traditions, meaning wahabism, and the refusal to integrate by the Muslim community.

However, the niqab and the burqa, although we are seeing a lot more of these compared to 10 years ago, remain relatively fringe at the moment, even in Muslim countries. In a 2014 survey of men and women in seven Muslim-majority countries, the Afghan burqa was the preferred form of woman’s dress for 11% of respondents in Saudi Arabia, 4% in Iraq, 3% in Pakistan, 2% in Lebanon, and 1% or less in Egypt, Tunisia, and Turkey. The niqab face veil was the preferred option for 63% of respondents in Saudi Arabia, 32% in Pakistan, 9% in Egypt, 8% in Iraq, and 2% or less in Lebanon, Tunisia, and Turkey. And because women often wear what men find acceptable, it is reasonable to believe that the number of women wearing these garments is somewhat reflective of the above numbers.

Continue reading ‘National Security Council Meeting “leaks” to the Media Likely to Have Originated from Newly Strengthened Media Wing of Powerful Minister.’ »

By Amantha Perera

As Sri Lanka readies to begin the grim task of searching for thousands of war missing, those doing the tracing on the ground say that they still face intimidation and threats while doing their work.

The government will set up the Office for Missing Persons (OMP) by October following its ratification in Parliament earlier this month. The office, the first of its kind, is expected to coordinate a nationwide tracing programme.

However, officers with the Sri Lanka Red Cross (SLRC), which currently has an operational tracing programme, tell IPS that it is still difficult to trace those who went missing during combat, especially if they are linked to any armed group.

Continue reading ‘Volunteers Trying to Trace Details of Disappeared or Missing Persons Still face Intimidation and Threats While Doing Their Work’ »

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has asked the sports authorities to explain why Sri Lanka’s Rio Olympics 2016 contingent comprised 46 officials and only nine athletes representing the country.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Sets Olympic “Record”: Only 9 Athletes Competed in Rio de Janeiro but 46 Officials Accompanied them to Brazil.’ »

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will summon police top brass to Temple Trees this week to discuss ways and means of arresting the trend of escalating violence, killings and drug menace.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe on Friday met senior ministers including Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayake. He said there was no point in having ceremonies to mark the police day while people of the country were living in fear of underworld elements.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to Summon Police Top Brass to “Temple Trees” and Query about Murder of Abducted Businessman Suleiman.’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema

It was only since last year that people have gradually become aware that the supply of coal to the Norochcholai power plant is by far the country’s biggest single tender worth more than Rs. 60 billion for a three years’ supply of 6.75 million metric tonnes. On 18 June 2014, a tender was floated to procure three years’ supply of coal. The price of coal fluctuates and in order to ensure a constant supply at a fixed price the government adopted the practice of giving out three-year supply contracts. The tender procedures took several months and by that time, a new government was in power. The new government seemed determined that the tender should go to a new party and not to the company that had been the main supplier of coal since the inception of the Norochcholai power plant.

The contention of the new government was that one company had been supplying coal since the Norochcholai plant began operations and that Nobel Resources Ltd had somehow been bagging the contract every time. Needless to say this huge contract gave rise to a great deal of competition between the bidders, each leaving no stone unturned, no appeal unmade, no court unmoved, in order to win the contract. From the first tender onwards, Nobel Resources had emerged as the most successful competitor being able to bag the contract even if it did not win in the first round by putting in appeals and pleading its case in every available forum. Even with regard to the tender floated on 18 June 2014, despite an unprincipled effort by the yahapalana government to award the tender to another company, Nobel Resources appealed successfully to the Procurements Appeal Board saying that the rival company Swiss Singapore Ltd had been given the contract after altering the bidding criteria.

Continue reading ‘“Yahapalanaya”Govt and the 60 Billion Rupee Tender Scandal for Coal Supply to Norachcholai Power Plant.’ »

(Text of an Editorial Appearing in “The Island”of August 29th 2016 under the heading “Attacks on journalists;Elephant in the room and can of worms”)

Investigations into attacks on journalists under the previous government took a dramatic turn last week with former Rivira Editor Upali Tennakoon and his wife, Dhammika, identifying a military intelligence officer who assaulted them on Jan. 23, 2009 in Gampaha. But for resistance offered by Upali and his wife courageously, the incident would have had a tragic ending.

It cannot be claimed by any stretch of the imagination that the assailants including the one identified by Upali and his wife, at an identification parade, acted on their own. They obviously carried out orders from on high and it is up to the investigators to stop beating about the bush and find out who really wanted journalists harmed.

Let them question former UNP MP Joseph Michael Perera, who in his capacity as the Chief Opposition Whip, told Parliament on July 28, 2008 that a special army unit controlled by the then Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka was responsible for attacks on journalists. Perera, on behalf of the then UNP-led Opposition, called for arresting those responsible forthwith. Now, the UNP is in a position to make arrests!

Continue reading ‘UNP Which Accused Special Army Unit Controlled by Sarath Fonseka of Attacking Journalists must now Clarify the Position – “The Isand”’ »

By Shyam Ganewatte

The net worth of the Colombo Stock Exchange has decreased by Rs. 284 billion during the past one year, the latest statistics released by the Central Bank reveal.

According to the just released issue of the Recent Economic Developments, the net worth of the Colombo Stock Exchange was Rs. 3,076,000,000 a year ago and it has come down to Rs 2,792,000,000 as at August 30, this year.

The daily turnover of the CSE was Rs. 1,878 million last year but as at August 30, this year the figure has come down by Rs. 864 million to Rs. 1,014 millions, the Central Bank report states.

Continue reading ‘Net Worth of Colombo Stock Exchange has Decreased by 284 Billion Rupees During Past year states Central Bank Report’ »

BY Kavindya Chris Thomas, Cassendra Doole, Shaahidah Riza and Methmalie Dissanayake

Sri Lanka’s Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) has taken various steps to ensure that President Maithripala Sirisena’s official website will in future not be vulnerable to hackers, following last week’s cyber attack that threatened a cyber war in the near future.

Information Security Engineer of CERT Roshan Chandragupta said that they were working together with the Information Technology Department of the President’s office, to take precautionary methods in the fallout of the attack.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which is carrying out a separate inquiry into the matter, is yet to ask for CERT’s assistance, he said adding that it will be the CID which will be looking for those who carried out the attack.

Continue reading ‘Computer Emergency Readiness Team(CERT) Takes Steps to Protect President Sirisena’s Official Website from Hackers’ »

Tamils continue to face discrimination in Sri Lanka, Firstpost India reported, quoting the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)’s recently concluded periodic review of Sri Lanka’s implementation of its provisions.

It said CERD committee member and country rapporteur for Sri Lanka Jose Francisco Cali Tzay had said the Tamil population continued to suffer discrimination, including through lack of access to public services in their own language.

Jose Francisco Cali Tzay had noted the fact that police agents in the north do not speak Tamil, and that people continue to live in fear due to military presence.

Continue reading ‘Tamils Continue to Face Discrimination in Sri Lanka States UN Elimination of Racial Discrimination Committee Report’ »

By

Sandun A Jayasekera

The Presidential Secretariat (PS) has requested the Australian-based Fairfax journalist Nick McKenzie for more information on the allegations which appeared in the Australian media implicating President Maithripala Sirisena.

Claiming he had no knowledge about the allegations in the Australian media reports that he had requested Rs.2.5 million from the Australia-based Snowy Mountain Engineering Company (SMEC ), President Sirisena has asked for the names of those involved.

“With regard to your questions involving the SMEC, we would like to communicate that he has no knowledge of the alleged incident and in order to ascertain the involvement of any of his office staff during the period he served as the Minister of Mahaweli Development, he would like to know more details about the allegation, such as the name of the person involved, the mode of communication, exact date of the incident, any proof of communication and any proof of solicitation etc,” he said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Asks Australian Journalist Mckenzie to Provide More Details About the Allegation Made against him’ »

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday said that the funds allocated to the Tourist Board for tourism promotion were spent by the previous Government to win provincial polls through welfare societies, according to a state-run television network.

Addressing a United National Party membership drive in Welimada on Saturday, the Prime Minister said it was now confirmed that the funds given for the Welfare Society of the Tourism Board for the promotion of tourism were used for the Uva Provincial Council poll.

He said the reason for the then ruling United People’s freedom Alliance’s victory in the Badulla District at the provincial polls had now been revealed.

Continue reading ‘Funds Allocated for Tourism Promotion were used by UPFA in Badulla district at the Uva Provincial Council Poll Reveals Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) dissidents are to form their own party with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as their leader.

However, a decision is yet to be made on the name which may be similar to the SLFP. The decision to form their own party was taken on Thursday when the committee named by Mahinda Rajapaksa to study matters arising out of the suspension of his loyalists met at their office in Nelumpokuna Road, Battaramulla.

The committee comprises Basil Rajapaksa, Dullas Allahapperuma, Pavithra Wanniaratchchi, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, G.L. Peiris and Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Loyalists in SLFP to Form Own Party With Mahinda As Their Leader’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Indian Minister of State for Commerce, Nirmala Sitharaman, who was to come here on August 25 for a short visit at the invitation of the Sri Lankan Minister of International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama, cancelled her visit on account of pressing engagements in New Delhi, reliable sources told Express on Saturday.

It is learnt that she had to present in New Delhi at an important meeting on trade and economic affairs to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and also to prepare for the Indo-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue in which US Vice President John Kerry is to participate.

Contrary to the impression in Sri Lanka, Sitharaman’s cancelled visit was at no time linked to the on-going negotiations between India and Sri Lanka on the controversial Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).

Continue reading ‘India Unwilling to Agree to Conditions Imposed by Sri Lanka in Relation to Formulating Economic and Technical Co-operation Agreement(ETCA)’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

The contradiction was clear if not absurd. Even at the very moment in time that I was being sent unsolicited messages by Colombo’s non-governmental ‘twitterati’ delighting in self-congratulatory chest-thumping over the turbulent passing of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) Bill, that euphoria was distinctly missing in the Northern peninsula, among the very people for whom this piece of legislation was (primarily) intended.

Failure to draw in core constituencies of victims

Let us be clear about this. The fate of the South’s ‘disappeared’ during the state brutalities of the eighties had not been the motivating factor for this Government’s headlong rush into ‘solutions’ despite the colorful intertwining of state excesses against the Sinhalese during the eighties to justify the effort.

Rather, it was the plight of the ‘disappeared’ in the North and the East which was the central international pressure point necessitating this mad scramble by the coalition Government and its allies, including the North’s Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Logically therefore, the constituencies left to struggle in the face of continuing state surveillance and apathy in the former war theatre should have been directly drawn into Sri Lanka’s much trumpeted exercise of ‘transitional justice.’ But that is not the case, if we leave aside the familiar spectacle of the North’s political representatives claiming to ‘speak for the people.’ And the anger thereof is searing.

Continue reading ‘Office of Missing Persons Bill and the Interplay Between “Finding the Truth” and “Securing Justice”.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will do his bit to reconcile conflicting interests in Sri Lanka during his three-day visit to the island beginning on August 31.

From his program it appears that he will press for unity and cooperation between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils; between the predominantly Tamil North and the predominantly Sinhalese South; and between Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran and the leaders of the Tamils’ main party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

To convey to the Sinhalese majority that the UN is not merely an advocate of Tamil rights but is interested in the welfare of the Sinhalese too, Ban will visit Galle on September 1 to address a conference on: Reconciliation and Coexistence: Role of Youth. During his last visit to Sri Lanka in May 2009, he visited Vavuniya in the North , flew over Mullaitivu, where the heaviest fighting had taken place, and talked to refugees in a Northern camp. He did not visit any place in the Sinhalese South.

Continue reading ‘Visiting UN Secy –Gen Ban Ki Moon Wont Have Separate Meeting With Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran During Jaffna Trip’ »

by Vimukthi Yapa

The eleventh anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami came and went on December 26 last year with hardly a mention of Helping Hambantota, the scandal that, if not for the timely intervention of the Supreme Court, would have torpedoed the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa before it even began.

A review of the scandal during Rajapaksa’s term would arguably have called for more courage than even the most intrepid of Sri Lanka’s reporters could muster. After all, more than a dozen journalists including our own founding editor Lasantha Wickrematunge either perished or disappeared on Mr Rajapaksa’s watch, with Sri Lanka sinking to No. 165 out of 180 countries in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders. Besides, as the ordeal of former Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake attests, any judge swimming in such treacherous waters would have to be very brave indeed.

All that, however, has now changed. President Maithripala Sirisena was elected largely on his repeated promises of good governance and there is no gainsaying that a new aura of freedom has swept not just the media but also the country at large. Sri Lankans can once more hold their heads high, not cowed by fear of the once dreaded white vans, stray bullets or spikes through the head. This government, in seeking to evict Chief Justice Mohan Silva, resorted not to threats of impeachment or prosecution on trumped-up charges, but to effete inducements in the form of plum diplomatic assignments, though hardly the stuff of ‘yaha-palanaya’.

Having been elected on a mandate to restore order and rule of law to the country, it behoves the new government to revisit the Helping Hambantota case and ensure that the injustice it entailed is at last put to right.

Continue reading ‘Fresh Action Must be Initiated Against the Alleged Corruption of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the “Helping Hambantota” Affair.’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

The Northern Province Investor Forum, held last week, was a landmark event for the Jaffna peninsula for many reasons.

It was the first time the business and financial community gathered in Jaffna to support the region’s economic development. Coming out of a three-decade long war and years of military occupation, such an event, needless to say, was a great opportunity for Jaffna to reinvent itself as a potential economic hub.

The investor forum also coincided with the famous Nallur festival – a major attraction for local and foreign tourists visiting the peninsula. The event was a clear indication that the authorities were swiftly moving away from the Colombo-centric business mentality, which restricts the country’s business and economic gains to the capital city and suburbs.

Another objective of the forum was to attract the Tamil diaspora to invest in the economic prospects of Jaffna. Since the end of the last stage of the war, a section of the Tamil diaspora always wanted to ‘give back’ to the province but never really got a chance from the previous administration, which looked at them with a modicum of suspicion.

Continue reading ‘Boycott of Northern Province Investor Forum by C.V.Wigneswaran Reflects Badly on the Chief Minister.’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Last Wednesday, the same day on which the Australian media broke the story about President Sirisena, 85 officials of the ministry of finance serving as ex-officio directors on the boards of 280 public corporations resigned from their directorships saying that they will not resume their duties unless steps were taken to ensure their future security and professional respect. They had stated that the Chairmen and CEO’s appointed to the bodies in which they served as representatives of the Treasury were political appointees and that they too have had to face investigations and have been arrested and remanded due to the actions of these political appointees and that therefore serving in these public bodies or in tender boards and technical evaluation committees would be inimical to their wellbeing.

They had pointed out that the representative of the treasury will have to bear greater responsibility for any decision taken by these bodies. The Prime Minister’s cryptic response to this mass resignation has been to say that these officials will not be reappointed to those positions and that new persons will be appointed.

Continue reading ‘85 Senior Finance Ministry Officials Serving on Boards of 280 Public Corporations Resign From Their Ex-Officio Director Posts’ »

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya

The Joint Opposition must surely be faulted for having neglected to challenge the constitutionality of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) Bill in the Supreme Court during the time available to do so. The JO’s theatrics in the well of the House on the day the Bill was passed, amidst chaos, hardly compensate for this lapse. The OMP is the first of the so-called reconciliation mechanisms being implemented by the government in compliance with the 2015 Geneva resolution. Before the Bill was taken up in parliament, critics had already expressed serious misgivings about aspects of it they said bypassed the law of the land and potentially undermined sovereignty.

The OMP needs to be seen as part of a larger process whereby the architecture of Sri Lanka’s institutions will undergo radical transformation – a transformation not of its own making but carried out at the behest of western powers. It is increasingly clear that introducing new legislation is a key element in the strategy. In the absence of a system of judicial review it becomes a matter of paramount importance for Sri Lankans to scrutinise proposed new Bills relating to the Geneva commitments, and challenge them in court if necessary, before it is too late – as it has become, in the case of the OMP. Once the groundwork is laid in the form of new laws, western meddling will be protected by law and very difficult to reverse, by any means short of a popular uprising.

Continue reading ‘US Military Footprint Takes Shape in Sri Lanka’ »

By P K Balachandran

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena is “concerned” about the charge made by Fairfax Media that in 2009-2011, when he was Minister of Agriculture, an Australian company was asked to give a donation to his political party to get contracts for World Bank-funded sewerage and dam projects.

On Thursday, the President ordered the Attorney General to investigate the charge even as he issued a statement denying that he had ever indulged in corruption in his political life or encouraged any one to indulge in it.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena ‘Concerned’ about Corruption Charge in Australian Media but Doubts Credibility of Sri Lankan Agent Source’ »

By Saman Indrajith

The Joint Opposition (JO) alleged yesterday in Parliament that the Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) had become a danger to not only the state sector employees, but those in the private sector.

JO member Bandula Gunawardena raising the issue of the FCID proving public officials said that state sector employees were submitting their resignations in fear of being investigated and questioned by the FCID and called on the government to reinstate such individuals.

“Nobody will be able to get anything done from the Public sector if state employees continue to resign out of fear of being investigated. We urge the government to reinstate them.”

Continue reading ‘State Sector Top Employees Resigning Their Posts Due to Fear of Being Probed by Financial Crimes Investigations Division(FCID)’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Rivira editor Upali Tennakoon and his wife Dhammika, at an identification parade held at the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court, yesterday identified Warrant Officer 1 Premananda Udalagama of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) as the person who had assaulted them on the morning of January 23, 2009 at Imbulgoda, Gampaha,

Tennakoon was on his way to office when four men on motorcycles blocked their path and attacked them.

The suspect had been in remand custody following his arrest on August 15, this year in connection with the killing of The Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga on the morning of January 8, 2009. Gampaha Additional Magistrate Lalith Kannagara remanded the suspect till August 29 in connection with the assault case.

Tennakoon, formerly the editor of Divaina and Mrs Tennakoon, who fled the country after the attempt on their lives, returned to the country in view of the case.

Continue reading ‘Ex-“Rivira”Editor Upali Tennakoon and wife Identify Military Intelligence Official Premananda Udalagama as their Attacker on Jan 23rd 2009.’ »

By

Romesh Madushanka

An ex-LTTE cadre who was undergoing treatment at the Jaffna Prison Hospital while being remanded at the Jaffna Prison has escaped from hospital on Wednesday.

The inmate, who was transferred from the Anuradhapura Prison to Jaffna , had been remanded under charges of possessing of illegal weapons.

Continue reading ‘Ex-tiger Rasaiyah Anandarasa who Complained of Infection After Being Injected with a Drug Escapes from Jaffna Prison Hospital’ »

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) controlled Northern Provincial Council would obstruct President Maithripala Sirisena’s reconciliation programme by advancing its own agenda, UPFA MP Angajan Ramanathen alleges.

Addressing the weekly press briefing at the SLFP headquarters, he said the Buddhist temples could be in the Northern Province like kovils, mosques and churches situated all over the country.

Answering a query that NPC’s resolution banning the construction of Buddhist temples in the Northern Province, Ramanathen said it was TNA’s stance and not that of the Tamils, but it certainly was an obstacle to reconciliation.

Continue reading ‘“Tamil National Alliance Controlled Northern Provincial Council is Obstructing Reconciliation “Charges UPFA National List MP Angajan Ramanathan’ »

by Harischandra Gunaratna

Kalutara District Parliamentarian Vidura Wickramanayake on Thursday said the country’s Finance Minister was clueless about the plantation industry and his knowledge of basic economics was negligible.

Speaking to journalists at a Joint Opposition news conference at the Dr. N. M. Perera Centre, Borella, the SLFP stalwart said, “The once flourishing tea industry in Sri Lanka which produced the best teas in the world popularly known as ‘Ceylon Tea’ had received a paralysing blow with the transferring of its Cess fund to the Treasury.

Continue reading ‘Finance Minister’s Knowledge of Basic Economics is Negligible and is Clueless about Plantation Industry says Vidura Wickramanayake MP’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Matara District UPFA MP Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday said that the SLFP shouldn’t have accepted ministerial portfolios in UNP-led government under any circumstances.

Had those elected on the UPFA ticket at the August 17, 2015 parliamentary polls remained in the Opposition, the SLFP wouldn’t be in a sorry state today, the former Southern Provincial Council member told The Island.

MP Wijesekera alleged that the party had suffered a debilitating setback due to a section of the parliamentary group accepting ministerial portfolios at the behest of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Betrayed the SLFP at the January 2015 Presidential Polls – Kanchana Wijesekera MP’ »

Sri Lanka is seeking a partner from the Indian subcontinent to develop a port designed to be its deepest and accommodate the world’s largest container vessels, Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said on Thursday.

The Sri Lanka Port Authority (SLPA) is looking for a foreign investor with about USD 400 million to complete the half-built East Container Terminal at the Colombo port, Ranatunga said.

Continue reading ‘75% of Container Traffic Through Colombo Harbour is Trans-shipment cargo from Indian Sub-Continental Region – Shipping Minister Arjuna Ranatunga’ »

By P K Balachandran

Taranjit Singh Sandhu will be the next Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka succeeding Y.K.Sinha who has completed his term. An old Sri Lanka hand, Sandhu was Political Counselor in the Indian High Commission in Colombo between 2000 and 2004, which covered the 2002-2004 Norway-brokered peace process in Sri Lanka.

Born on January 23, 1963, he did his schooling at The Lawrence School, Sanawar, and graduated with History Honors from St. Stephens’ college, Delhi. He then took a post graduate degree in International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988.

He served in the former Soviet Union (Russia) from 1990 to 1992 as Third Secretary (Political) and Second Secretary (Commercial). Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, he was sent to open a new Embassy in Ukraine. He served as Head of Political and Administration in Embassy from 1992 to 1994.

Continue reading ‘Taranjit Singh Sandhu who was Political Counsellor in Colombo from 2000 -2004 Will be the Next Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.’ »

(Text of an Editorial Appearing in “The Island” of August 26th 2016 Under the Heading “Of that bombshell”)

The government usually loses no time in denying reports it considers false or detrimental to its interests. But, it, for some reason, did not act promptly regards reports in the widely circulated Australian newspapers, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) and The Age, on a very serious allegation against President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday. The President’s Office took more than twenty four hours to issue a denial.

The reports, based on the subject of an Australian Federal Police (AFP) probe involving Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC), could not have come at a worse time for the government, which has gone into overdrive to have its opponents arrested, hauled up before courts and remanded for months on end over unproven corruption charges.

Continue reading ‘Govt Should Heed Opposition Call to Investigate Serious Allegations Made Against President Sirisena in Australian Newspapers – “The Island”.’ »

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The government yesterday said it would take legal action against those who levelled bribery allegations against President Maithripala Sirisena, claiming he asked for money before signing an agreement with an Australian company to build a dam when he was the Minister of Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services in 2009.

Addressing the media at the SLFP headquarters, State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said legal action was being processed.

According to a media report, published on The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspapers in Australia on Wednesday (24), President Maithripala Sirisena and his coordinating secretary allegedly demanded a political “donation” to be paid by Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) when Mr Sirisena was a Cabinet minister.

Continue reading ‘“Yahapalanaya”Govt Threatens Legal Action Against Those Raising Bribery allegations against President Sirisena.’ »

By Harischandra Gunaratna

The Joint Opposition yesterday urged the government to hold an impartial inquiry into the story that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age of Wednesday (24) that President Maithripala Sirisena had solicited a bribe of 27,000 Australian dollars from the Australian company Snowy Mountain Engineering company. when he was Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Development Minister in 2009.

Addressing journalists at the Dr N. M. Perera Centre at Borella, Ampara District UPFA parliamentarian Wimalasairi Dissanayake said the alleged bribe had been sought to award a contract to build a dam here and added that the Austrlian media had gone viral on the issue.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Wants Impartial Inquiry Into Allegation About Maithripala Sirisena Soliciting 27,000 Dollar Bribe from Australian Company When he was Agriculture Minister.’ »

By

Saman Indrajith

TNA Parliamentarian M.A.Sumanthiran told the House yesterday that the certificate of absence was a mere acknowledgment by the government that the person concerned was not around.

Joining the second reading debate of Registration of Deaths (Temporary Provisions) (Amendment) Bill, MP Sumanthiran said that the certificate of absence did not extinguish the right to have an inquiry into the fate of a missing person.

“This amendment addresses the issue of the family knowing the fate of the missing person. If there is no evidence or if it is ascertainable as to what happened to that person, you still have the certificate of absence, the legal incidence of which will enable you to continue to move forward in life.”

MP Sumanthiran said several people had obtained death certificates unwillingly. There was a mechanism in place with regard to the missing persons and a new law had been enacted. Through that amendment, there was an option to accept a certificate of absence instead of a certificate of death. Even those who had obtained death certificates unwillingly could obtain certificates of absence so that investigations could be conducted into the disappearance of the persons concerned.

Continue reading ‘TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran Explains the Rationale Behind Issuance of a “Certificate of Absence” for Missing Persons’ »

By

By P.K.Balachandran

In a bid to balance India and China, Sri Lanka appears to be in favor of an Indian companies-led consortium to build the Third Terminal at Colombo port and secure business for it. China has already been deeply involved in port development in Sri Lanka, having built a modern container terminal in Colombo and a full-fledged port from scratch in Humbantota.

The Minister of Ports, Arjuna Ranatunga, told the Foreign Correspondents’ Association here on Thursday, that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is keen that the consortium be led by companies from the Indian sub-continent. Those companies could be from either India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, the Minister said. However, it was apparent from the Minister’s presentation that Sri Lanka has India and an Indian company-led consortium in mind.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka wants Indian companies-led consortium to build and get business for Colombo port’s third terminal’ »

The body of the businessman abducted in Bambalapitiya , Mohamed Sakeem Sulaiman, was found on the Hemmathagama Road in Rukulagama in Mawanella yesterday evening.

The victim whose face had been disfigured with serious injuries, believed to have been made by a blunt instrument, was in identified after several police teams including a special team from Colombo had reached the scene last evening.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peiris today issued a travel ban order on five individuals, who are alleged to have been involved in the abduction of the Bambalapitiya businessman whose body was found in Mawanella last night.

Continue reading ‘Abducted Bambalapitiya Businessman’s Body Found in Mawanella;Travel ban Imposed on 5 Persons from Dematagoda and Wellawatte’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena today rejected the news report that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald website that he and his adviser allegedly demanded a political “donation” to be paid by the iconic Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) when he was the Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian services in 2009.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Denies that he or his Adviser Demanded a “Political Donation”from the Australian Snowy Mountains Engineering Company.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

As the Government of ‘national unity’ celebrated the completion of its first year in office last week, President Maithripala Sirisena was grappling with a problem that preceded his presidency.

For nine years, while Mahinda Rajapaksa held the party reins and the presidency, the SLFP was in quiet crisis. Party seniors were sidelined and increasingly disgruntled. The SLFP brand had become synonymous with the Rajapaksa brand. In the Rajapaksa-SLFP the ruling family occupied all the space, all the resources and all the limelight. Fully aware of the growing discontent among party seniors, the former President drew his family in closer. His circle of trust included the party’s newer faces, a vast majority of them former UNP members who had switched allegiances during the Rajapaksa presidency.

That simmering discontent erupted into full-scale rebellion when Sirisena, a member of the party’s old guard, allegedly dined on hoppers with the former President on the night of 20 November 2014 and quit his Government the next day. Barely 24 hours after President Rajapaksa declared snap presidential elections the Opposition had pulled off a coup, stealing the incumbent President’s own Health Minister and party General Secretary to run as main challenger. Five other Government MPs quit the ruling coalition, precipitating a spate of defections and erosions of support from within the parliamentary coalition and at grassroots level. Many SLFP MPs promised to follow in Sirisena’s wake, in a bid to weaken the former President during his re-election campaign.

After the first shock of the defections however, the Rajapaksa family rallied, launching hectic negotiations led by former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, to convince party members to stay. In the final tally, the UPFA lost hundreds of local Government representatives to the Sirisena campaign, many of whom worked with the UNP to ensure an Opposition victory. But most SLFP Parliamentarians got cold feet and cast their lot with the incumbent.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena as SLFP Chairman has been Trying to Wrest Control of the Party for 18 Months’ »

By

Nick McKenzie, Emmanuel Freudenthal, Michael Bachelard, Richard Baker

Two Australian companies are embroiled in bribery scandals that reach into the offices of the presidents of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Congo, as the firms sought to secure multi-million dollar contracts.
Alleged bribery by Australian companies of foreign governments remains a serious issue at the centre of international business. The man in charge of catching these businesses, AFP Commander Peter Crozier, says we need to encourage companies potentially implicated in such behaviour to come forward. Vision courtesy ABC.

Coming in the wake of foreign bribery allegations implicating Tabcorp, Leighton Holdings and BHP Billiton, the revelations will put pressure on the Turnbull government to reform Australia’s failing anti-corruption framework.

Continue reading ‘Did Maithripala Sirisena with his Adviser Demand a Donation from Australian SMEC Firm to Give a Dam Construction Contract When He was a Cabinet Minister in Mahinda Govt?’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

Senior Journalist D. B. S. Jeyaraj had written an article to a weekend English newspaper. The article was based on the disappearance of Father Thiruchelvam Nihal Jim Brown from a Catholic church in the North. At a moment when laws have been prepared to establish an office to inquire into disappeared persons, it was stated in this article that it was the responsibility of the Maithri-Ranil government to look into the disappearance of this clergyman as well. On the very same day Jeyaraj had written this article, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had given an interview to a Sunday Sinhala newspaper.

The Cardinal had criticized the Bill on the opening of an office to inquire into disappeared persons, during this interview. He had criticized the manner in which this Bill had been passed. It is a puzzle as to why the Cardinal is opposed to a mechanism being established to inquire into the disappearances of Catholic civilians as well as clergy who belonged to the Catholic Church of which he is the leader. While D. B. S. Jeyaraj, the journalist, was trying to get justice done for the Catholic Father who had disappeared, it is a joke that the Cardinal defines, establishing of an office to inquire into disappearances of individuals as bending down to foreign countries.

Continue reading ‘Is Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Against the Search for Truth About Missing Catholic Priests?’ »

By

Ajith Siriwardana

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday said her father had brought in the Sinhala only Bill in 1956 not as a racist move but as a means of giving back to the country its identity after 450 years of subjugation by foreign rulers.

“After eight years of independence, the Sinhala people, who accounted for around 75 per cent of the population, felt that they were being discriminated against, not by the Tamil or Muslim people but by the white rulers and they felt they needed to express their identity by regaining an important place for the Sinhala people. What better way to give people an identity than to elevate the status of their language?,” she asked.

Ms. Kumaratunge said both the languages should have been given rightful place without giving its rightful place to the language of the people who made up the majority of the population.

“We only gave the language of the majority its rightful place. We should have given both languages their rightful place,” she said.

Continue reading ‘“Both Sinhala and Tamil Should Have Been Given Their Rightful Places Together in 1956 Instead of only the Language of the Majority” – Chandrika Kumaratunga’ »

By

Sandun A Jayasekera

Government Spokesman and Minister Dr.Rajitha Senaratne said building Buddhist temples, placing Buddha statues under Bo-trees and at junctions by the security forces after defeating the LTTE in the North-East had not done any good other than to negate the government’s reconciliation efforts.

Continue reading ‘Security Forces Building Buddhist temples and Placing Statues under Bo-trees in the North – East Have Negated Reconciliation Efforts -Dr.Rajitha Senaratne’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Sri Lankan Minister of Resettlement and Prison Reforms, D.M.Swaminathan, has reported steady progress government is making in reviewing and following up cases of Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

Answering a question put by R.Sampanthan, Leader of the Opposition and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in parliament on Tuesday, Swaminathan said that the Attorney General is to submit a review of 78 PTA case trials by September 15.

The review will consider the number of detainees who can be subjected to lesser sentences and the number of those who could be sent for rehabilitation.

He said that the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will soon be replaced by the “Counter Terrorism Act”, and that trials currently pending under the PTA, will come under the Counter Terrorism Act (CTA) when CTA comes into being.

Continue reading ‘Attorney – General to Review 78 Cases of Tamils Detained Under the Prevention of Terrorism Act by Sep 15th Discloses DM Swaminathan’ »

By
Jigar Shah

Jacqueline Fernandez turned restaurateur two years ago, when she teamed up with chef Dharshan Munidasa to open an eatery called Kaema Sutra in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The actor is now contemplating expanding her restaurant business. A source says, “Jacqueline spends most of her time in India due to her acting assignments. So, she feels it makes sense to have a restaurant here as well.”

Kaema Sutra is Colombo’s frontrunner in contemporary Sri Lankan fine dining restaurants, created and co-owned by Sri Lankan– Japanese self-trained chef, Dharshan Munidasa and Sri Lankan actress, Jacqueline Fernandez, Kaema Sutra, celebrated its 2nd year anniversary the 18th of July 2016 ~ pic: facebook.com/KaemaSutra

pic via: facebook.com/AsliJacquelineFernandez

The Roy (2015) star, who is currently busy promoting her upcoming film, A Flying Jatt, says, “Sri Lankan cuisine is my favourite. My restaurant there is doing really well, and I would love to bring Sri Lankan food here. But I don’t know if there is a market for such a niche cuisine in India.”

Continue reading ‘Actress Jacqueline Fernandez Planning to Open Another “Kaema Sutra” type Restaurant in India’s Mumbai City’ »

By Prof. Susirith Mendis

I have been intrigued by the reactions to the slogan “Sinha-Le” used by some group or other. Gradually, it has become a point of intensive debate and controversy.

I write this piece today because I saw a clip on TV News about a fracas that occurred between two groups. One group who claimed no political affiliations had a peaceful demonstration on the theme ‘Different yet Equal’ – “Ekama Le” recently. This group was led by the controversial politician Azad Sally who thrives on controversy and publicity. He is otherwise politically bankrupt. However controversial or bankrupt the group-leader is, he and his group had every democratic right to express their views to the public.

I believe that Azad Sally’s underlying motives were successfully realized. I believe that they were two-pronged: (i) to gain as much attention and publicity to himself as he is usually in search of; and (ii) to rile the ‘Sinha-Le’ group or any other Sinhala nationalist group who could be baited into a provoked reaction. Both were realized. There were others in that group who, I am sure, had altruistic and bona fide motives for a better Sri Lanka.They were demonstrating peacefully and that is to be admired and appreciated.

Continue reading ‘“Sinha Le”and “Ekama Le”: Time to Stop Quibbling With Bloody slogans and Leave BLOOD alone’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

In politics you either eat the baby or you are the baby – House of Cards

President Maithripala Sirisena used the national unity government’s first anniversary celebration in Matara as an opportunity to give the party’s rebel group cozying up to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa a strong warning.

“They are talking about forming new political parties. I have to say only one thing. Let them do and deal with the repercussions. If they take that path, I will reveal some stunning political secrets that we have kept under wraps, so far. When we reveal those secrets, they will have to roam the streets every day,” the President told the cheering crowds, at the event to mark the first year anniversary of the government.

Although ‘good governance’ and undisclosed political secrets are akin to oil and water, it is important to understand the context in which the President issued this warning:

A few days before the event, the President decided to appoint 40 new electorate organisers to strengthen the grassroots level activities of the party. As part of the same process, he expelled a number of Joint Opposition MPs from their party positions.

Continue reading ‘Only Hardcore Mahinda Supporters will Break away from SLFP to Form new Political Party’ »

By P K Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, on Tuesday outlined the economic goals of his largely rural province and set the parameters within which economic development projects should be conceived.

Addressing a conference of international donor agencies, organized by R.Paskaralingam, Adviser to the Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation, Wigneswaran said that first and foremost, any plans for the economic development of his province will have to be discussed with first with his administration and should be based on a scientific survey of the province’s resources and felt-needs.

He observed that due to the 30 year war, officials in the provincial administration have acquired the habit of following the diktats and decisions of the Central government without bothering to give their own inputs based on local experience. It is time they learnt to operate in an era of democracy in which there is an elected government in the province, he said.

The Chief Minister pointed out that officials even manipulate surveys to suit the wishes of the Central government. In a survey of war widows, officials told the widows not to say that their husbands had died due to the war but of some natural cause.

Continue reading ‘“We Will Not Allow Outsiders to Rule Over Us or Loot Our Resources” Declares Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran’ »

By Premalal Wijeratne

Police have launched a probe into an unidentified phone call received by family members of abducted millionaire businessman Mohammad Sulaiman, at Kothalawela Avenue on Monday, in which the caller had demanded a ransom of Rs 20 million for his release.

Police said the unidentified phone call had been received on the land line at Sulaiman’s residence around 9 a.m. on 22 August.

The caller had said he would notify them of the name of a bank which the ransom deposit was to be paid into and abruptly ended the call.

Police sources said teams probing the incident had discovered that the phone call had been made from a public phone booth in Kegalle.

Continue reading ‘Caller from Telephone Booth in Kegalle Demands Rs 20 Milion Ransom for Abducted Bambalapitiya Businessman Mohammed Sulaiman to be Deposited in a Bank.’ »

By Gagani Weerakoon and Skandha Gunasekara

China has insisted on 15,000 acres of land from the proposed industrial park to be set up in Hambantota which at the moment has only 3,000 acres, identified as land made available for the special zone.

Announcing this in Parliament yesterday Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said……the Industrial Park abutting the Hambantota Port would be controlled under a new mechanism in which the BOI will also be included.

Continue reading ‘China Wants 15000 Acres in Hambantota for Proposed Industrial Park Instead of Presently Allocated 3000 Acres’ »

The multinational team led by U.S. Pacific Command concluded their week-long assistance program yesterday in Jaffna, providing general medical care for approximately 4000 people and renovating six schools that serve a total of 1100 students, according to a US embassy statement dated August 23.

US Ambassador Atul Keshap was quoted as having said: “I want to thank all the members of Operation Pacific Angel for not just improving lives of Jaffna-area residents through better schools and free access to health care, but also on strengthening U.S.-Sri Lanka ties.”

Approximately 70 participants from the U.S. Pacific Command and military experts from Bangladesh, Nepal, and Maldives joined with the Sri Lanka Air Force during the project. Free medical assistance for dental procedures, physical therapy, general care, and optometry were held at Idaikkadu Maha Vidyalayam (August 15-17) and Punguduthivu Sri Subramaniya Vidyalayam (August 19-20).

Continue reading ‘UPSACOM Launched “Operation Pacific Angel” in Jaffna Concludes After 7 Days of Providing Medical Care to 4000 Persons and Renovating 6 Schools.’ »

BY SULOCHANA RAMIAH MOHAN

Investors attending the Jaffna Investors Forum (JIF) held Monday (22) were perturbed when they were informed at the panel discussion that any projects undertaken in the North would be allowed 30 years leasing, only of the land.

It is said local politicians in the North had been quoting a range of land leasing arrangements; between 29 years to 35 years, leaving the investors shocked beyond words.

Flabbergasted over this 30 years lease policy, and the lack of time the Board of Investment (BoI) grants, investors attending the forum had questioned the officials present ‘why not 99 years leasing as is given to other projects by the government in the South’.

The main investors warned the officials, “If you can’t change the policies, then don’t expect us to bring investors and we will direct them to other countries.”

Continue reading ‘Discriminatory Policies of BOI About Land Leasing ,Deters Entrepreneurs Intending to Invest in the North’ »

By

Col. R.Hariharan

Saturday, August 20th was the late Rajiv Gandhi’s birthday. Rajiv Gandhi’s political career was barely seven years; it started with the assassination of his mother Ms Indira Gandhi in 1984 and ended with his own assassination. But within those years, he made a mark by doing things differently from the traditional political class. Had the charismatic leader not become the victim of a LTTE suicide bomber on 21 May 1991, the Congress party’s fortunes might have been scripted differently.

Neena Gopal’s latest book “The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi” has once again brought the focus on the sordid episode of the nation’s failure to protect its former prime minister. I have always found Sri Lanka fascinating particularly after serving as the head of intelligence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990.

The author, during the course of writing the book, had long conversations with me on the situation leading up to Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. I have not read the book yet; but I find from the published extracts the book contains some of my recollections.

Rajiv Gandhi served as prime minister from 1984 to 1989; he had no political experience but his exuberance to get things done and impulsiveness and impatience to get results endeared him to the masses. He attempted to end longstanding conflicts facing the country during his term. While some of them like river water sharing in Punjab and ending Bodo insurgency in Assam were partly successful, many other such attempts did not live up to the expectations.

When Rajiv came to power India- Sri Lanka relations were in a mess. Mrs Gandhi had given sanctuary to a motley collection of Tamil separatist insurgent groups who had fled the island nation along with thousands of Tamils in the wake of Sri Lanka’s infamous July 1983 pogrom against Tamils. The Tamil insurgent groups became a potential threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. So Sri Lanka had little option but to accept Indian counsel, particularly after talks with Tamil groups failed to yield results.

Rajiv Gandhi signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 1987 with President JR Jayawardane to ensure Sri Lankan Tamils got a degree of autonomy within a united Sri Lanka, while India underwrote the disarming of Tamil militants. The Accord was hastily conceived and hurriedly executed in typical Rajiv Gandhi style of trying to resolve problems in double time, often defying political wisdom. Though the implementation of the Accord cost Rajiv Gandhi his life, it is an anachronism that both the countries never allowed it to reach its logical conclusion.

Continue reading ‘“I Listened to Tape of Intercept Of LTTE Message from Nilgris in Tamil Nadu Ordering the “Dumping”of Rajiv Gandhi’ »

By

Ravi Perera

Namal Rajapaksa, Member of Parliament, the eldest son of the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was interviewed recently on television. By and large, the tone of the lengthy interview, nearly two hours in duration, was defensive, an attempt at validating a period characterised by the most vulgar form of family rule seen in this country since independence. Unlike what was the norm when his father ruled, the panel of interviewers, considering that before them was one of the most powerful as well as controversial men of that era, were fair, but probing. But the young Rajapaksa was unperturbed, glib and facile.

There is the language of politics; so well mastered even at this young age. Every allegation is parried with such flippancy that his father’s regime may well have been a shining example of public rectitude. They are in politics only because of their overflowing affection for the people. Those older than him are invariably elder brother (Aiya) or elder sister (Akka) and if younger, referred to as younger brother/sister (Malli, Nangi) or if much younger, even son or daughter.

Any one of an older generation becomes an uncle or aunty, if not “father” or “mother”, in reference to the person’s role in his/her own family. Coming from our young member of parliament, this is a cynical joke, because the Rajapaksas proved during their reign that they have no difficulty in identifying who their real family are, own brothers, cousins, nephews, uncles and so on, and the difference between them and the rest, if it can be measured with access to money, to be counted only in Billions of rupees. For the rest, there is always the concession, “brother, sister, father, mother…. listen”

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Family Save For a Few Exceptions has come to be the Shameful Badge of South Asian Politics.’ »

By Nisthar Cassim

Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy last night made a strong case for the private sector to step up their investments emphasising that Sri Lanka’s best opportunity for growth was before them.

Delivering the keynote address at the CIMA Sri Lanka Business Leaders Summit, the Governor said due to a host of factors the “best and most favourable set of circumstances were before Sri Lanka for the first time” since independence.

In that context, he urged the private sector to be spirited and develop the appetite to make fresh investments, which he said were going to be critical in the next 12-24 months.

Noting that the Government was committed to building a private sector-led competitive social market economy, Dr. Coomaraswamy said there was greater focus on export development and luring more foreign direct investments. “A new development or growth model is taking shape,” he said, at the inauguration of the CIMA Business Leaders Summit at which Development Strategies and International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama was the Chief Guest.

Continue reading ‘Central Bank Governor Coomarswamy Says “Best Favourable Set of Circumstances for Growth Before Sri Lanka for First Time Since Independence”’ »

by Hemantha Randunu

A multi-millionaire textile businessman was abducted by an unidentified gang opposite his Kotelawela Avenue residence in Bambalapitya on Sunday night.

Continue reading ‘Muslim Multi-millionaire Textile Businessman Abducted in Front of His Residence at Kotelawela Avenue,Bambalapitiya.’ »

by Oruwala Sarath de Silva

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said nobody had a right to prevent the formation of new political parties.

Rajapaksa, addressing the Samurdhi officers at their 19th annual convention at the Samurdhi hall, Battaramulla said that it did not mean that he was planning to form a new party. However, threats and intimidation should not be directed against those who wanted to form new parties.

He said the government had become a pawn of the western powers and was bent on privatising state ventures and suspending the development projects launched by the previous administration.

“It is also deviating from Bandaranaike policies,” he said.

Continue reading ‘“Nobody Has a Right to Prevent the Formation of New Political Parties ” Declares Mahinda Rajapaksa’ »

The Human Rights Commission yesterday, while welcoming and commending the adoption of Office on Missing Persons (Establishment, Administration and Discharge of Functions) Act, noted that the legal framework of the OMP would have had greater legitimacy if it had been enacted after the on-going public consultations process so that the insights and concerns of the affected families could have been incorporated.

“We reiterate the importance of ensuring future mechanisms incorporate and reflect the concerns and insights of victims and affected persons, and urge the government to undertake a transparent and inclusive process to establish these mechanisms.”

While the text of the Act is not yet available with the amendments, Commission Chairperson Dr. Deepkia Udagama took the opportunity to reiterate a number of important elements that had to be given serious consideration if the OMP was to be victim-centred and function effectively to provide redress to families of the disappeared.

Continue reading ‘Human Rights Commission Welcomes Establishment of the Office of Missing Persons and Suggests Proposals for Greater Legitimacy.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of the Tamil-majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, boycotted the International Investment Forum organized by the Northern Province Governor Reginold Cooray in Jaffna on Monday.

In a letter written to Cooray last week, Wigneswaran objected to the Governor’s organizing the forum without consulting him. He said that the elected representatives of the people of the Northern Province ought to have been consulted on the needs of the province before inviting investors. The proper way was to have conducted a survey to find out what kind of investment people in the war-affected province want and then gone on to invite the right kind of investors. The Govenor did nothing of that sort.

Continue reading ‘Chief Minister Wigneswaran Boycotts the International Investment forum Organized for Northern Province by Governor Reginald Cooray’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, in May, this year, appeared in a television show where he was asked about the SriLankan Airlines stewardess working for the Presidential Secretariat, under the Rajapaksa administration.

It was widely alleged that the stewardess, namely Nithya Senani Samaranayake, worked for the young Parliamentarian, while receiving a salary from SriLankan Airlines.

During the TV show, the Parliamentarian, who, at one point, was the head of the SLFP youth wing, came up with a very ‘loose’ explanation.

“Firstly, I must tell you that I never had an office at the Presidential Secretariat. But I know that sister (Akka). I have spoken to her a few times. She worked at Temple Trees. She was assigned to Temple Trees under the powers of the Presidential Secretary. I was introduced to her after she started working at Temple Trees,” Rajapaksa said, explaining his association with the stewardess.

The story of the SriLankan Airlines (SLA) stewardess being released to work at Temple Trees surfaced during the inquiry carried out by a panel led by senior lawyer J.C. Weliamuna. The report of this Board of Inquiry (BoI) was popularly known as the ‘Weliamuna Report on SriLankan Airlines’.

Explaining the questionable transfer of the stewardess, the Weliamuna Report made the following observations:

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Airlines Stewardess Nithya Senani Samaranayake and Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa’ »

A major security lapse came to the fore during the visit of Sri Lanka president Maithripala Sirisena to Tirumala on Sunday. He was forced to wait for 12 minutes for his car after a darshan atop the Tirumala hill, giving jitters to the staff of the Tiruumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), especially the security. An inquiry has been ordered into the lapse. SiriSena reached Tirumala late on Saturday night for a two-day pilgrimage.

Upon arrival, the Sri Lanka president was received by TTD chairman Chadalwada Krishnamurthy, executive officer (EO) Sambasiva Rao, Tirupati joint EO Pola Bhaskar and other officials. He made a night halt at the Sri Padmavathi guesthouse and arrangements were made for a visit to the temple of Venkateshwara at Tirumala early Sunday morning.

At 3 am Sunday, the president along with his wife Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari Sirisena, son Daham Tharaka and other family members attended the Suprabhata Seva. When they came out of the sanctum sanctorium, the driver of their car was not in the seat.

Continue reading ‘High Tension at Tirumala Temple as President Sirisena’s Driver Causes delay by Leaving Vehicle Unattended to Enter Precincts for Worship’ »

By

Don Manu

If those ultra chauvinists who thump the ‘Sinhala only’ drum, do so out of a genuine concern that a separate state of Tamil Eelam will sooner or later be established on Lankan soil if measures are not taken now to prevent its inevitability, they should be amongst the first to hail the establishment of the Office of Missing Persons as a powerful tool in any Sinhala dominated government’s arsenal to thwart future calls for a utopian Tamil Eelam.

First they must understand why there is a need for reconciliation, why there is a need to swallow false pride and compromise. For without it, reality dictates that intransigent Lanka will soon be standing on the brink of being torn asunder.

They should realise that jingoism cannot prevent it, will only precipitate it.

They should realise that an appeal to the power of numbers and thereby, on the strength of it, to espouse that the majority Sinhala race are entitled to special rights, notably the one to trample upon the rights of the minorities, will only fuel calls for Eelam and hasten its creation.

Continue reading ‘Office of Missing Persons Act is Only the First Step in the Long Hard Road to Reconciliation.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

A revealing comment was made to me by an infuriated social justice activist last week in relation to disturbing trends that have surfaced in public debate. As he said caustically; ‘when we raise criticism of government policy in discussion, the immediate response within some civil society groups is that of unmitigated fury.’ We are asked immediately; ‘do you want the Rajapaksas to come back?’

Rejecting unacceptable choices

The question that he posed thereafter was as follows; ‘choosing between keeping quiet in face of what may be disastrously wrong and wanting the former regime to come back should surely not be the stark alternatives before us?’ And as my conversationalist remonstrated; ‘why should compromised groups which clearly have an agenda in riding along on the ‘yahapalanaya’ bandwagon as it were, be allowed to drive these debates?’

Here, the discussion concerned the earlier maligned Port City, now renamed in the optimistic eyes of its proponents as the ‘Colombo International Financial City.’ Despite the official trumpeting that all concerns have been dealt with, the quality and content of the environmental protection process commissioned thereto remains contested.

Continue reading ‘Issue of the “Missing”is of Crucial Import to all Sri Lankans Across All Ethnicities’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

The Tamil politicians’ allegation that the Sri Lankan army had injected a poisonous drug into former Tamil Tiger combatants while the latter were in detention or undergoing rehabilitation in camps run by it, is likely to lose steam because those who have made the charge are unable to come up with any names of those who had supposedly died or are gravely ill because of the injections.

The Minister of National Dialogue, Mano Gneshan, told Express on Saturday, that he had asked the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, to collect and give the names and other details of the dead and the sick so that he could take it from there. But till date, Wigneswaran or anyone else in the Northern Provincial Administration had replied to his request, Ganeshan said.

Continue reading ‘No Details Forthcoming From CV Wigneswaran After Accusing Govt of Injecting Poison into Rehabilitated LTTE Cadres’ »

By

Yohan Perera

The people in the North want the Navy to remain there in order to prevent the South Indian fishermen from encroaching into Sri Lankan waters, a Tamil politician said today.

Minister of National Integration, Reconciliation and Languages Mano Ganesan, who was the chief guest at the launch of the Sinhala translation of International Human Rights Charter by Hemachnadra Pathirana in Colombo said the Northern people whom he met recently had informed him that they want the Navy to remain in the North.

“When I visited the North recently the people there want the Navy to remain. When I asked them why they said this is because the Navy could prevent the South Indian fishermen from stealing fish from Sri Lankan waters,” the Minister said.

“I think the country should be aware of these sentiments of the Northern people,” he added.

Continue reading ‘People in the North want Navy to Remain in Order to Prevent Poaching by South Indian Fishermen Discloses Mano Ganesan.’ »

By

Disna Mudalige

All Joint Opposition MPs attached to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will step down from their district and electoral organiser ranks within the next few days, MP Keheliya Rumbukwella said.

Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, Rambukwella said the resignation letters would be sent to the Party Leadership shortly.

MPs Dullas Alahapperuma and Bandula Gunawardena announced their decisions to resign from organiser posts, stating that the resignation letters would be sent to President Maithripala Sirisena today.

Rambukwella said the rest of the JO members would also follow the same line.

Continue reading ‘All SLFP Joint Opposition MP’s to resign From District and Electoral Organizer Posts Wihin the Next Few days’ »

By Pradeep Samarakoon and Chaminda Silva

Prisons, Rehabilitation and Re-settlement Minister D.M. Swaminathan has said that under no circumstances will anyone be allowed to remove the existing Buddhist temples or statues in the North, and Buddhist monks and devotees had the right to build temples and statues in any part of the Northern Province.

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Minister DM Swaminathan States Firmly thar Existing Buddhist Temples and Buddha Statues in North will not be Removed’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

Facing a major challenge from former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to his authority as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), a challenge which could affect his chances in the crucial local bodies’ elections to be held early next year, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena went on a two-day pilgrimage to Tirupathi, which concluded on Sunday.

Sirisena visited the shrine of Lord Venkateswara twice, accompanied by his wife Jayanthi and son Daham.

The President who had spent Saturday night in the hill town, took part in the Suprabhatha Seva performed at 3 am on Sunday. He visited the shrine again later in the day at the time set apart for Very Very Important Persons. The President was accompanied by his wife Jayanthi Pushpa Kumari and and son Daham Tharaka, all three clad in white as per the Sri Lankan Buddhist custom.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Seeks Blessings from Lord Venkateswara at Thiruppathi to Counter Political Challenge of Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

Believe it or not! The National Security Council (NSC) recently considered a proposal by a top Defence Ministry official to impose a ban on Muslim women in Sri Lanka wearing the burqa or niqab. The burqa is the full body dress, usually black, with a mesh cover over the eyes. This is worn by some more traditionally minded Muslim women. The niqab is similar with only an opening over the eye area.

The MoD official’s proposal, a well informed source said, was based on the recommendations by a controversial top sleuth running one of the country’s intelligence agencies of a service arm. The person has been serving in that top position under the previous Government, too.

The top sleuth had made the recommendation in the belief that radicalisation in the Muslim community has gone beyond control — a point he has been articulating at different security meetings. The MoD official’s proposal to the NSC came thereafter.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Wickremesinghe Rejects Proposal by Defence Ministry Senior Official to Ban Muslim Women Wearing the |Burqa” or “Niqab” in Sri Lanka.’ »

By The Political Editor of “Sunday Times”

After the religious rituals ended on Nikini Poya day (on Wednesday August 17), President Maithripala Sirisena, who was at his Paget Road residence found time to read the day’s newspapers.

His attention was drawn to a report of a news conference the ‘Joint Opposition’ leaders had given on the Office for Missing Persons law. They were voicing their protests over the Government “rushing through” the Bill in Parliament without hearing their views or the amendments they wanted to move. Sirisena telephoned one of the participants, Kandy District parliamentarian Keheliya Rambukwella. A onetime Media Minister, Rambukwella is a strong supporter of the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

“I spoke at the news conference about the dangerous consequences from the Office for Missing Persons. I said we strongly believe it is in conflict with the Constitution,” Rambukwella told the Sunday Times. “The next day President Sirisena telephoned me”, he said. He told me that he had read my remarks in the newspapers. The President wanted to have an “independent opinion” about the new Act. I told him that I would consult other members of the ‘Joint Opposition’ and formulate one. Thereafter, he had proposed to discuss the matter with different groups including those from the ‘Joint Opposition’. Rambukwella said they had hoped to send their views by tomorrow and nominate a representative for discussions with Sirisena thereafter.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Loyalists to Form New Political Movement Instead of Starting a New Political Party for the Present’ »

by Randima Attygalle

“If we humans are supposed to be the most evolved species, we should be understanding other animal species and work around them. On the contrary, we do our development work assuming that elephants (in this case) will work around us. So we get the bright idea of fixing an electrical fence and driving out these creatures and carrying on with the development project.

They return and find smart ways of breaking the fence and the conflict starts. This is an old story and still recurs,” points out Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya, onetime Lead Environmental Specialist for South Asia in the World Bank and the former Director General Wildlife who bemoans that as a country we have failed to understand the ‘scientific means’ of addressing the human-elephant conflict.

“We have only been looking for quick-fix, ad hoc solutions,” laments the independent researcher on elephant behavior presently working in the Yala and Uda Walawe National Parks. In an interview with Sunday Island, the Environmental Specialist elucidates on ways and means of championing human-elephant co-existence.

“We are basically fire-fighting,” reflects Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya who reiterates that human-elephant conflict (HEC) is a phenomena which needs to be comprehensively studied starting from the point of fathoming ‘why do we have an elephant problem and what are we going to do and what are the constraints of not been able to do so’.
Continue reading ‘Human-Elephant Conflict Should be Converted to Human-Elephant Co-Habitation’ »

by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“If the ‘development’ of a country goes hand in hand with the worsening of the living conditions of the people, for whom or for what is that development? A developed country for a malnourished people – is this not an insanity? Must the people of the country gaze at highways like a child looking yearningly at an empty ice cream cup?
– A student-participant of the 2007 essay competition to commemorate President Premadasa

In 1994, when South Africa was readying for its first democratic election, Nelson Mandela came up with an unusual idea – to lower the voting age to fourteen. Despite his iconic status, part-hero, part-saint, the proposal didn’t go far. It was abandoned due to strenuous opposition from the ANC’s National Executive Committee.

In making such a drastic proposal, Mr. Mandela might have been motivated by the critical role played by school-age children in the anti-Apartheid struggle, especially the legendary Sweto Uprising. Whatever his reasons, the proposal was not a sensible one, as Mr. Mandela himself realised – admitted. While the ANC’s top decision-making body was flaying his proposal, he jotted down every criticism in a notebook, and wrote at the end that his proposal was ‘a grave error of judgement’

ii. That was democracy, at its best and most effective.

Had Nelson Mandela’s neighbour Robert Mugabe come up with a similar idea, it would have probably become law, amidst a cacophony of praise by an unending string of acolytes.

In governance, speed is a virtue, only if the path is the right one. Non-democracies might move faster than democracies, but more often than not the movement is in an erroneous direction. Democratic leaders are not infallible, not even leaders of Nelson Mandela’s calibre, but the checks and balances present in democracies often prevent countries from hurling themselves down precipices.

The less space there is for dissent, the more room there is for bad decisions.

Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration’s VAT imbroglio is symbolic both of what is right and what is wrong in today’s Sri Lanka.

Continue reading ‘One Year After Winning August 2015 Parliamentary Elections the Govt is on track Politically and Straying Economically’ »

By

Kanthar Balanathan

The Northern Province population of 993,741, is 31.92% of the total population of 3,113,247 Tamils in the island. The remaining 68.08% of Tamils live outside the Northern Province.

The population composition of Tamils by district is:

Jaffna -577,745 -18.56% of total Tamil population

Mannar – -80962 – 2.6% -do-

Vavuniya -142,561 – 4.58% -do-

Mullaitivu -81,263 – 2.61% -do-

Kilinochchi -111,210 – 3.57% -do

Probability of merging of Eastern Province with the Northern Province is zero. Current Chief Minister of the Eastern Province is a Sri Lankan of Muslim origin. Sri Lanka does not wish to have another separatist war to give a provincial administration to the Muslims. It is wise that the Tamils accept the current level of provincial administration – Northern Provincial Council (NPC), and live socially integrated and humanely with the majority Sinhala people in the North. The Eastern Province should practise democracy, and live socially and humanely with the Tamils and the majority Sinhalese in the East. Muslims of Sri Lanka are not fools to be charmed into your foolish diplomacy and sneaky plans. They would like to administer the East as Sri Lankans. Therefore, please stop promoting your supporters around the globe to attract Muslims, by giving them media assistance etc.

It is strongly advised that Mr. CV Wigneswaran concentrate on developing the North, and look forward to modelling the North as an intellectually and technologically advancing province, instead of chattering gobbledygook politics. Mr. Wigneswaran: You are not young enough to understand 21st century modern politics and democracy and, therefore, you should step down and give the position to a younger person.

Continue reading ‘Chief Minister Wigneswaran is the Bottleneck and Constraint for Reconciliation and Development’ »

by Saman Mallawarachchi

Undergraduates of the Eastern University yesterday held Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella incommunicado for hours till he agreed to give them a written assurance that he would solve the problems they were faced with.

The minister arrived at the university around 9.30 am to declare open several buildings, but the students stopped his car at the entrance to the university, demanding that their grievances be redressed. The students surrounded the minister and shouted slogans condemning the government for not attending to the problems of the undergraduates. They threatened that they would not allow the minister to attend the ceremonies scheduled for yesterday unless he agreed to solve their problems.

When the beleaguered minister agreed to listen to their problems the students accompanied him to the students’ canteen.
Continue reading ‘Higher Education Minister Kiriella Besieged in Canteen Gives Written Assurances Under Duress to Escape From Eastern Varsity Undergrads’ »

By P K Balachandran

The United States has backed out of an undertaking to medically examine former combatants of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who had allegedly been injected with a poisonous drug when they were in detention or undergoing rehabilitation in camps run by the Sri Lankan army.

The Chief Minister of the Tamil-majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, had told the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) that he had requested the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap, to get the US Air Force medical team camping in Jaffna to examine the suspected cases of poisoning. Upon this, the Ambassador said that the team would look at the cases and decide what to do next.

Following this, about 30 former cadres of the LTTE expressed a desire to be examined by the USAF team.

Continue reading ‘US Embassy Says USAF Medical Team is not Equipped to Investigate Allegations About Poisoning of Rehabilitated LTTE Cadres.’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando

The Australian government has told the breakaway JVP faction, the Front-line Socialist Party (FAP) that it could revoke its leader Kumar Gunaratnam’s Australian citizenship only if Sri Lanka guaranteed he would be given Sri Lankan citizenship again

FSP spokesperson Pubudu Jagoda said that their leader wanted to revert to Sri Lankan citizenship though he obtained Australian citizenship during the previous administration. Jagoda was responding to a query by The Island at a media briefing at Rajagiriya on Friday.

Jagoda said that Australia required an assurance in writing from the government of Sri Lanka to proceed.

Continue reading ‘FSP Leader Kumar Gunaratnam’s Australian Citizenship Can be Revoked only if Sri Lankan Citizenship is Guarenteed by Govt.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday threatened to reveal it all if the SLFP rebels formed a new party. He said the SLFP-UNP coalition would continue till 2020 and what it planned to do next would be disclosed at that time.

The president was addressing a large gathering in Matara to mark the first anniversary of the government.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera were among the leaders present on the occasion

The President vowed that opponents would not be allowed to disrupt their programme.

Warning the Joint Opposition against forming a new political party, the president said that in such an eventuality he would reveal all their secrets, which he had not disclosed so far.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Threatens to Reveal Secrets of SLFP Rebels if Attempts are made to form New Political Party.’ »

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene has dismissed the claims by the Tamil politicians in the North that the rehabilitated members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been poisoned by the Government when they were undergoing rehabilitation at Government camps.

Sri Lanka’s Tamil politicians have alleged that 105 former LTTE members have so far died mysteriously, after being injected with a drug when they were undergoing post-war rehabilitation in Sri Lankan army run camps.

“It is sad to hear some politicians in the North making false allegations when the Government is making a genuine effort to resolve the issue of the Northern people,” the State Minister was quoted as saying in a report in The Hindu.

Continue reading ‘Defence State Minister Ruwan Wijewardene Dismisses Claims of Tamil Politicians that Rehabilitated LTTE Cadres were Poisoned by Govt.’ »

The Financial Crimes Division (FCID) of the Police today informed the Colombo Fort Magistrate, that Sujani Bogollagama, a director of N.R Consultant and Govers Corporation had admitted herself to the paying ward of the National Hospital, to avoid arrest.

The Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered to the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) to examine the suspect Sujani Bogollagama and hand over a full report on her state, on August 22.

Continue reading ‘FCID Informs Colombo Magistrate That Sujani Bogollagama Got Admitted to National Hospital Paying Ward to Avoid Being Arrested’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Governor of Sri Lanka’s Tamil majority Northern Province, Reginold Cooray, is organizing an international investment forum in Jaffna on August 22, and is planning to set up a One-Stop Shop at the Jaffna Secretariat to help persons wanting to invest in the war-devastated Northern Province.

But this move could become an issue between the Governor, representing the Central government in the province, and the elected Chief Minister of the province, C.V.Wigneswaran. By organizing the forum unilaterally, the Governor may be intruding into the domain of the Chief Minister, his Board of Ministers and the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), political observers said.

Asked at a press conference here on Thursday, if he had taken the Chief Minister on board, and whether the CM and the NPC were involved in the organization of the event, Governor Cooray said that when the Chief Minister came to see him on some other matter, he had told him about the investment forum and invited him to it. “The Chief Minister had no objection to it,” Cooray said.

Continue reading ‘Jaffna Investment Forum May Become An Issue Between Governor Cooray and Chief Minister Wigneswaran’ »

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa said today that President Maithripala Sirisena must take responsibility for the spilt within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

He also said the President was conspiring to give the UnIted National Party (UNP) the upper hand.

He was referring to the President’s decision to remove members of the Joint Opposition from organizing posts in the party.

‘This persecution has effectively caused a split in the party,’ the former President claimed, in a statement.

‘Such changes are designed to weaken the SLFP and give the UNP the upper hand when it comes to an election.’

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Wants Maithripala Sirisena to Take Responsibility for Splitting Sri Lanka Freedom Party’ »

The proposal by D.M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to accept the national policy on durable solutions for conflict-affected displacement, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The policy was prepared with the consultation of ministries, national, provincial and district level stakeholders, UN agencies, Civil Society organisations, and displaced communities.

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Approves National Policy on Durable Solutions for Conflict-affected Displacement Presented by DM Swaminathan’ »

By Uditha Jayasinghe

The Government is hoping for a leg up for the Northern Province from an investment forum that targets key segments of the local economy and hopes to attract fresh investors to the job-starved region.

Organised jointly by the Northern Governor Reginald Cooray and the Board of Investment (BOI), it is expected to be held in Jaffna on 22 August with the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Central Bank Governor Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy is also expected to address the gathering.

Continue reading ‘Northern Governor and BOI will hold Investment Forum in Jaffna on Aug 22 with President, PM and CB Governor Participation’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

In a tragic incident early in the morning on Wednesday, four elephants, including a calf, were killed when they got in the way of a speeding train near Madu in North West Sri Lanka.

The elephants were crossing the track when the Colombo bound night mail train dashed against them, police said.

The accident occurred between Madhu and Chettikulam in Vavuniya district. The police in Parayanankulam and the Wild Life Department have launched investigations into the incident.

Continue reading ‘Four elephants Including a Calf Killed by Speeding Mail Train Between Chettikulam and Madhu in Vavuniya District’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, has said that US Air Force’s medical team, currently in the province on a goodwill visit, will examine former Tamil Tigers combatants who had fallen sick allegedly because they were injected with poisonous substances by the Sri Lankan armed forces when they were undergoing detention or rehabilitation after surrender.

In the past few weeks, Tamil politicians and the media have been highlighting the death of 104 ex-combatants who had allegedly been given injections as part of an “inoculation program”. Some others had complained of physical debility after release from detention or rehabilitation.

Chief Minister Wigneswaran told the NPC on Tuesday that he had mentioned the plight of the former combatants in his conversation with the US Ambassador, Atul Keshap, when the latter was in Jaffna to inaugurate a five-day program of the USAF’s Operation Angel medical team there, and asked if the USAF team could examine them and give an independent report.

The US envoy said that the USAF could examine select patients and decide what to do next. Therefore, a few of the cases will be referred to the US team, the Chief minister said.

Continue reading ‘Northern CM Wigneswaran Asks US Envoy Atul Keshap to let USAF Medical Team to Examine Ex -LTTE Cadres in Jaffna’ »

(US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap’s Remarks at the Reception Held in Jetwing Hotel, Jaffna
August 15, 2016)

Thank you so much for joining us on this beautiful rooftop on an absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous evening here in Jaffna. I have a few prepared remarks.

The first thing I want to say – and I know I am going to get points off for pronunciation – is Vanakkam. And the second important thing I want to say is Ayubowan. And the third thing I want to say is Assalaamu alaykum. But most importantly, from my heart, I want to say good evening and greetings to all of you.

I am extremely honored and grateful that my distinguished and learned friend, the Honorable Leader of the Opposition Mr. Sampanthan, is here tonight. And that we also have so many members of the Northern Provincial Council here, and members of Parliament from across the political spectrum, and all of you cherished guests who can join the women and men, not only of the American Embassy in Colombo who are here today, but also the women and men of the United States Pacific Command who have come all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Nevada, California, and so many other places to be here tonight for this reception.

It is a delight to be looking out over this beautiful city of Jaffna to see her churches, her temples, her beauty, the ocean that is very nearby, and to celebrate with you the enduring ties between the people of the United States and the people of Sri Lanka. And friends, it gives me particular pride and happiness to know that the relationship between the people of America and the people of Jaffna stretches back over two hundred years to 1813, with the arrival of American missionaries who established durable institutions of learning.

I have visited Jaffna several times and have heard the painful memories of how the people of the Northern Province suffered so greatly during the many years of war. While truth telling, reconciliation, and accountability are essential, these will not bring back the lives lost and lives destroyed. However, this island now has an opportunity to remember the past while focusing on the future. This reception gathers us to reinforce the ties that bind our people, and serves as a continuation of the Embassy and the United States Government’s outreach to all Sri Lankans, in every part of the country, as you tread the path of meaningful, national reconciliation and heal the wounds of war.

Continue reading ‘Relationship Between the People of Jaffna and America Stretches Back Over 200 Years to 1813 Says US envoy Atul Keshap in the North’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

“The Report of the 1994 Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the Disappearances of Persons noted that its investigations echoed the common yearning; Never Again”
– Dr. Vasuki Nesiah, Clarifying the Past & Commemorating Sri Lanka’s Disappeared

It all happened in a flash of black and the terrifying sound of shots fired in the dark. It was 10 December 1989, the height of the Government’s counterinsurgency against the violent 1987 Marxist uprising.

Shantha Pathirana watched helplessly as his twin brother Sudath was dragged out of his Borella home by pistol-wielding men dressed all in black. Shantha and Sudath looked remarkably alike. The abductors were taking no chances. They wanted the ‘insurgent’ in the family.

“They couldn’t tell us apart, so they demanded to see our national IDs first. Once they identified Sudath it happened in a flash,” Shantha recalls. “They dragged him out and shut the door. My mother was screaming and crying. To drown out her cries they shot twice into the air. That was the last time I saw my brother.” Untitled-1

The gunshots fired into the night skies had not only put an abrupt end to the women’s weeping. It also ensured curious neighbours stayed well away from the scene of the abduction.

Sudath Pathirana was a trade union activist at the Jayewardenepura Hospital, working for the Nawa Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) then led by Vasudeva Nanayakkara. A fellow activist, Somaweera was also abducted from his home at the same time on 10 December 1989. Neither has ever been heard from again.

Disappearance is an invisible crime; there are no bodies, no graves and no traces of abuse. There is only silence. And trauma relived day after day by families who have watched loved ones being snatched away, never to be seen again.

For the Pathirana family, the search that began in 1989 has never ended.

Shantha’s father Wijeyadasa Pathirana joined the ranks of thousands of families of the disappeared that were being mobilised by Nanayakkara and his erstwhile activist colleague, the SLFP MP Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘How the Pro-Mahinda Opposition was Outwitted by the Govt in Getting the Office of Missing Persons Bill Passed by Parliament’ »

By Gagani Weerakoon

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday handed over letters of appointment to forty new District and Electoral Organizers of the SLFP after stripping many of the former stalwarts, who are now openly supporting the Joint Opposition, off their posts.

Accordingly, 16 Electoral Organizers and 24 District Organizers received their appointment letters at the President’s Official Residence last morning.

Former ministers, who are now aligned with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the ‘Joint Opposition’ banner, Keheliya Rambukwella, Gamini Lokuge, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, C.B. Rathnayake and Pavithra Wanniarachchi are key organizers who have been stripped off their positions.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Appoints 24 District and 16 Electoral Organizers in SLFP after Stripping Mahinda Loyalists of their Posts’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

“We all remember the horrors of the past, the violence of three decades and the anti-democratic governments. Compare that situation to today. Civil society groups are flowering and members are key advisors in governmental task forces and decision making.”

– US Ambassador Athul Keshap, ‘US Air Force strengthens historic American ties with Jaffna’,Daily Mirror, Aug 15th 2016

Affable Ambassador Athul Keshap has confused “liberal” with “democratic” or Sri Lanka with some of America’s best friends. Even during three decades of war, this country always had elected democratic, albeit intermittently illiberal, governments — unlike some of the best buddies of the US, then and now. The US ambassador’s statement does not once mention (suicide bombing) terrorism, leave alone secessionism. Terrorism and not “governments” was the most “anti-democratic” phenomenon we faced for thirty years, while it was successive elected governments that protected the fundamentals of a functioning democracy.

Today we’ve graduated from Ambassador Keshap’s “anti-democratic governments” to “anti-democratic Oppositions”. The TNA with a third of the seats of the joint opposition, is seated as the parliamentary opposition while the JVP is the Chief Whip. This disenfranchisement of the Southern opposition which has more seats than the TNA and the JVP combined, and exceeds the number of SLFPers in the ‘National government’, only serves to erode the legitimacy of the political order.

We now have

(1) A political system that is de-centred; devoid of a middle ground and a shock absorber, in that it lacks the centrist SLFP as opposition

(2) A political structure rendered less stable by the abolition of the two-party system

and (3) A game de-legitimized by a numerically much smaller party being accorded the official oppositional space. The Government is legitimate—having more seats–but the official Opposition is not.

A legitimate government cannot be replaced by extra-parliamentary means but insofar as the Opposition is illegitimate, so too to some degree is the political status quo, and such a warped, illegitimate status quo can be legitimately contested and replaced by exceptional, even extra-parliamentary, non-violent means.

Continue reading ‘Referendum on New Constitution Would be the “Stalingrad Battle” of Sri Lanka’ »

By

Ajantha Kumara Agalakada

This interview with President Maithripala Sirisena appearing in the “Daily Mirror” covers the controversial issues of the Paada Yathra,VAT Bill, Port City project and plans to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP). The President shared his views with the “Daily Mirror’s sister paper ‘The Sunday Lankadeepa’

Excerpts:

Q:The Joint Opposition (JO) staged a walk in protest of your government. What is your idea about the large crowd that took part?

Do you mean the crowd that walked? The figures produced by the organizers were all fake. The entire country knows how the crowd was brought in and what the actual figures were. It is pertinent to evaluate what the reasons were for this walk; the issue lies there. If there is an election around the corner, then there should be a purpose for such protest walk. Similar walks and protests are held all over the world to make political gains. What was the political end in this walk? When you take this entire group into account, the masses would seriously consider how clean the group involved were. Most of the organizers and leaders are facing serious charges on acts of corruption, frauds and illegal activities. Investigations are continuing.

Some have already been indicted before Courts. The main aim of this protest was to cause fear psychosis to the officials who handled those investigations, that means “we will be coming to power in the future, and the support of the masses amply demonstrate” This was their main aim and there is no second thought about it. If they had actually brought the crowd which they said they had, we can also bring double that crowd. At the beginning they wanted Hyde Park as this venue was normally chosen by those who were politically weak and it is a fact known to everyone. As it was not available, they opted for Lipton Circus knowing very well that even a small crowd could block the roads and create a traffic snarl. However, the people did not accept it as a success and they didn’t approve it. The organizers used their entire strength and force to bring in the crowds. They visited every electorate and spent lavishly in view to achieve this. This clearly shows what support they have at the grass-roots levels, and they showed how many out of the total population of 21 million were with them. Their main aim was to influence the police and the investigating officers and not to show patriotism.

Continue reading ‘The SLFP is now Moving in a Different Path Declares President Maithripala Sirisena in Interview’ »

By

Nushka Nafeel

A tense situation erupted during the campaign of ‘Different yet Equal’ close to Baudhaloka Mawatha yesterday.

A group of monks representing the “Singha Le Jathika Balamuluwa” disrupted the unity campaign claiming that the campaigners cannot use the term “Singha Le” during their demonstration. The ‘Different yet Equal’ refuted it saying that “Singha Le, Ekama Le”.

“The motive of the ‘Singha Le’ organisation was to create a tense situation and to spread their racist ideology, Azad Sally said.

Continue reading ‘Buddhist Monks from “Singha Le Jathika Balamuuwa” Try to Disrupt “Singha Le,Ekama Le” Unity Demonstration Held on Bauddhaloka Mawatte’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

“Future generations are not going to ask us what political party were you in. They are going to ask what did you do about it, when you knew the glaciers were melting” – Martin Sheen

The centre-left Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a party that pushed former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a path of war in 2006, made a bold political move by supporting to the bill to establish an Office of Missing Persons in Sri Lanka, last week.

The JVP’s position on the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) should be analysed in the context of its approach to the Tamil issue in the North and East, which crippled the country’s politics, since 1956.
The JVP, in 1983, explaining the party’s solution to what they termed the ‘national question’, firmly said it did not accept the Tamil people’s right to self-determination.

A booklet published by the party at the time, was considered the ‘bible’ of the JVP rank and file when it came to matters relating to the issues in the North and East and other related problems.

When Rohana Wijeweera, founder of the JVP took a seemingly hard line on the Tamil struggle and their right to self-determination, a group led by its former General Secretary Lionel Bopage, defected from the political movement. As a result, many traditional leftists dubbed the JVP a ‘pro-nationalist’ political force.

It was quite clear that the JVP, since its inception, did not have a real working class base. Its membership consisted of university students, the unemployed youth, a section of rural youth and lower middle class workers. These groups, despite their ‘circumstantial’ leftist leanings, constantly looked for opportunities for upward social mobility and nationalism seemed to be a palatable idea to them. In this context, many Leftist activists were of the view that the JVP was a petit bourgeois movement with a Marx-Leninist mask.

Continue reading ‘Bold Support by JVP for OMP Bill Indicative of Party’s Political Turnaround on the Ethnic Issue’ »