By

Ayesha Zuhair

A popular newspaper column lamented on Sunday (September 30) that while the punishment for murder is death upon conviction, the punishment for the murder of hundreds, i.e. a terrorist act, is “only” life imprisonment. Taking a critical stance of the recently Cabinet-approved counter terrorism bill for apparently soft-pedalling the issue of terrorism, the columnist opined that it “allows a mass terrorist bomber to get away with murder most foul”.

And yet, isn’t it even more ironic that when one man is killed, it is murder, and when a million are killed, it is deemed a heroic act? A cause for celebration? This was the powerful counter-point conveyed at the United Nations by Malaysia’s Premier Dr. Mahathir Mohamed who at 93, is the ‘Elder Statesman of Asia’ and remains deeply loved and respected by not just Malaysians, but by millions across the globe. Indeed, there is something wrong with the universally propagated way of thinking and with our value system, as the Malaysian PM so candidly put it, when he addressed the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly on September 29.

Continue reading ‘Why Do We Need To Enact Fresh Laws To Deal With Terrorism At This Juncture?’ »

By Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan
LL.B, LL.M ,Ph.D, Attorney-at-Law.

I was surprised to see the statements by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjit, which appear to downplay Human Rights. The Cardinal sees it as a secular western European concept, but does not seem to be aware of its Christian roots.

Similarly, Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his rebuttal of the Cardinals statement has referred to the Inquisition and the Crusades which have nothing to do with Christianity per se. The Inquisition was part of the state policy in Spain as well as other newly emerging Nation states. It was an institution which was used to impose conformity in religious practice as part of the attempt to do away with individual rights and impose despotic rule.

Similarly the Crusades ostensibly for liberating the Holy land was used by the European nations to plunder the riches of the East, although it must be admitted that both these projects had the blessings of the Church of Rome at the time.

Human Rights are the inalienable fundamental rights which a person is entitled to simply because he/she is a human being. They are universal in the sense of being applicable to everyone, everywhere. They are egalitarian as they apply equally to everyone and they are inalienable as they cannot be given away. Human Rights can also be described as moral principles or norms that determine certain standards of human behaviour, and are protected as legal rights in national and international law.

Continue reading ‘Christian Doctrine Has Shaped Human Rights Law and Concepts Over The Years While Papal Encyclicals set Out Clearly the Catholic Church’s Concerns For Human Rights.’ »

by Kamaya Jayatissa

“The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.”
– Charles de Montesquieu

Going through the recent statements made at Geneva, as well as on its sidelines, I wonder how much time each of us take to simply pause and reflect on where we are today, as opposed to where we were in 2015, 2009, 1983, 1978, 1948, and so on. So much has happened in Sri Lanka and so much keeps on happening that it sometimes feels emotionally and physically overwhelming to keep track of where one should position itself. So overwhelming that we almost let go of Ariadne’s thread, without even realizing that we may have got lost in our own maze decades ago. So much so that applying logic becomes secondary and any available route is good enough to be explored -sometimes even for the sake of being explored. Doing something, anything really, then becomes more important than pressing the pause button for a moment.

President Sirisena’s recent speech at the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly last week was to a certain extent reflective of this need to pause and allow the Sri Lankan people the time to heal, think and rebuild – without external interference – before rushing into one direction or the other:

Continue reading ‘Both citizenry and national identity are two evolving notions that need to emerge organically through a social contract between the people and the State.’ »

(Text of a press release issued by Anomaa Rajakaruna Festival Director of Jaffna International Film Festival)

Dear Sir/Madam,

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Reference to Jude Ratnam’s statement of DEMONS IN PARADISE which was to be screened at Jaffna International Cinema Festival

Jude Ratnam’s film which was premiered on 24th May 2017 has been traveling to many international film festivals abroad and had many screenings in the South of Sri Lanka. The film never had a public screening in the North of the Country particularly in the Jaffna peninsula. He was reluctant to take the film to the location where a majority of the film was shot. One wonders why? Why was he reluctant to take his film there during the last 16 months?

Continue reading ‘Jaffna International Film Festival Director States The Slot Allocated To Jude Ratnam’s Film On the Schedule Was Kept Open .’ »

(Text of a press release issued by Jude Ratnam the Writer/Director of the film “Demons in Paradise”)

Dear Sir/Madam,

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Allegedly owing to pressure from a group known only as the ‘Community’ in Jaffna, the festival organizers of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival have decided to remove the film DEMONS IN PARADISE directed by me from its scheduled program.

Continue reading ‘Director Alleges His Film Was Removed From Screening Schedule At Jaffna International Film Festival By The Organizers Due To Pressure By a Group Called “Community”.’ »

John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) yesterday announced the appointment of Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company with effect from 1 October.

Dr. Coomaraswamy received her BA from Yale University, LLM from Harvard University and the Doctorate in Jurisprudence from Columbia University. She served as UN Under Secretary General and as Special Representative of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict from 2006 until her retirement in 2012.

Continue reading ‘“Deshamanya” Dr.Radhika Coomaraswamy Appointed Independent Non-Executive Director of John Keels Holdings PLC.’ »

The internationally renowned film ‘Demons in Paradise’ which was competed at the prestigious Cannes Film festival in France has been removed from being screened at the International Jaffna Cinema Festival starting this weekend, its Director Jude Ratnam said.

Issuing media release, he said the festival organizers of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival had decided to remove the film directed by him from its scheduled programme allegedly over pressure from a group known only as the ‘Community’ in Jaffna.

Continue reading ‘Jaffna International Film Festival Director Anoma Rajakaruna Offers Explanation About “Demons In Paradise” Saying Director Jude Ratnam Walked Out of Discussion and Issued Statement About Non -Screening.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

A Sri Lankan Tamil filmmaker’s take on the country’s civil war, which was scheduled to be screened at the Jaffna International Cinema Festival later this week, has been removed from the list, raising questions about the space for free expression in Sri Lanka’s post-war north.

According to filmmaker Jude Ratnam, festival organisers, citing “pressure from the community”, had decided to remove his film, Demons in Paradise, from the scheduled programme. “Thus far I have not been given a proper explanation for the removal of my film… I feel this is a case of censorship and an infringement on the fundamental rights to freedom of expression,” the director said in a statement on Monday.

Continue reading ‘Filmmaker Jude Ratnam States His Film On Sri Lankan Conflict ” Demons In Paradise” Scheduled Ti Be Screened in Jaffna Film Festival Has Been “Removed ” Without Explanation.’ »

By

Kelum Bandara

Jaffna district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran in an interview with Daily mirror , speaks about the current status of the Constitution-making process and future politics.

He shared the following:

Q How do you look at the current status of politics?

A;

Well, there was a change in 2015. There were a lot of expectations. Initially, though the 100-day programme did not finish in 100 days, there were significant achievements – the enactment of the 19th Amendment and the Right to Information Act. After the parliamentary elections, the two main parties got together to solve the national issues. The constitution making process was undertaken. All those were great achievements. Now looking back, those first year gains were not properly consolidated in the next two years.

Coalition politics has not been successful all the time. Things changed quite a bit after the results of the local government elections. People have lost faith that whether the government would do all those reforms that were promised, primarily the new constitution.

The abolition of executive presidency and solving the national question were the major changes that were expected. Although the Constitution making process moves forward, it is floundering. A draft will be presented. But, the phase has slowed down drastically losing hope that it will never happen. We still have hope. There is another year also for the present government. We think this government can redeem itself if it sits down to do all the reforms it promised. We will support it in order to achieve all those objectives.

Continue reading ‘“Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Has Disqualified Himself From Being Re-nominated by Campaigning Against His Own Party At The Parliamentary and Local Govt elections” Says MA Sumanthiran MP in Interview’ »

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran yesterday declared that he would contest the next provincial council elections from a new political front, if the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was not ‘happy with him”. “I know some people in the TNA are not happy about my performance and I have been repeatedly criticsed by a parliamentarian,” Mr Wigneswaran told the Sunday Times.

He said he did not want to lead a confrontational political career and was in contact with the new political front.

Continue reading ‘CV Wigneswaran In Contact With New Political Front To Contest Next Northern Provincial Elections as TNA Plans To Field New Chief Ministerial Candidate.’ »

Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday stated that the current government salvaged Sri Lanka from its status as a drop of blood on the world map and prevented former president Mahinda Rajapaksa from becoming an international criminal.

The Minister pointed out that the ex-President now had the opportunity to visit the international community and even to criticise the Government thanks to the present government.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Must Light An Oil Lamp To Ranil Wickremesinghe For Saving Him From Becoming An International Criminal Says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

THE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1998 Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social Responsibility unequivocally condemns the arrest and continued detention of Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, the issuing of a non-bailable arrest warrant to Pakistani journalist Cyril Almedia, the conviction of two Myanmar journalists, U Wa Lone and U Kyaw Soe Oo, and the enforced disappearance of Maldivian blogger Ahmed Rilwan.

Cyril Almeida, who works at Dawn newspaper, is being hauled up for an interview with Nawaz Sharif, in which the former Prime Minister made remarks that were interpreted in India as a tacit admission that the Pakistan security establishment was behind the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The warrant against Almeida is for a summons to him to appear before the Lahore High Court, which is hearing a case of treason against Sharif.

Continue reading ‘International Symposium Held In Colombo Demands Release Of All Journalists Arrested And Detained Under Various Pretexts Across The South Asian Region.’ »

C.A.Chandraprema

Before President Maithripala Sirisena went to the UN this time, there was some hype about a pronouncement he was going to make which would get our war heroes ‘off the hook’. What President Sirisena finally ended up saying in Sinhala in NewYork addressing the UN General Assembly was that as an independent country we do not want any foreign power to exert influence on us and that we want to appeal to the international community to give us the room to resolve the problems that we are facing so that the right of the Sri Lankan people to find solutions to their problems is respected. There are many people in this country including this writer who feel that if the foreign powers did that, Sirisena would not be the President today. The US Ambassador in Colombo Michelle Sison was up to her ears in the regime change project in Sri Lanka.

Be that as it may, one has to question whether President Sirisena’s apparent attempt to have Sri Lanka liberated from the very forces that brought him into power was an honest exercise. Firstly, Sri Lanka is not facing any issue in the UN General Assembly or even in the UN Security Council and talking to those bodies is a useless exercise. The UNGA has not passed any resolution against Sri Lanka nor is it expecting Sri Lanka to fulfill any commitments. Even though the UNGA is the body that brings all the UN member states together at the highest level, other bodies like the Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council function independently and a statement made in one body does not influence the other bodies.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Should Not Try To Hoodwink The Masses By Making Patriotic Noises In The UN General Assembly Without Taking Any Concrete Steps’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Returning from Malaysia this week, correspondence with a now retired and respected diplomat focused on the ravages that the Malaysian people has had to go through including the gruesome instance of a Malaysian deputy public prosecutor whose body was discovered in a cement-filled oil drum dumped in a river.

He had apparently been investigating corruption involving the former Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor when he had been abducted and later, found killed.

The Bar is duty bound to look at reforms

The deputy prosecutor had been part of a probe by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating financial irregularities involving a state-backed investment fund and other issues. The former Prime Minister had, during 2015, sacked the attorney general along with senior police chiefs, transferred the deputy head of the police special branch intelligence division and summarily dismissed a special parliamentary committee on corruption while intimidating the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and slapping critics with sedition charges.

The killing of the deputy prosecutor is now being investigated afresh in the wake of a celebrated general election in May 2018 which tossed out Najib from political power.

It must be said that despite all the turbulence that had afflicted Sri Lanka during past decades, it had not reached that level of upheaval resulting in threats to the lives of state prosecutors. For that, we must be devoutly thankful.

However, this is not to say that we have not had our own problems to deal with, mainly focusing on the integrity of the functioning of the Office of the Attorney General.

Continue reading ‘Urgent Reform of Criminal Justice Process Encompassing Attorney – General’s Office Essential To Ensure Functional Integrity of A-G’s Dept.’ »

By Ranjith Padmasiri

Two senior Attorney General’s Department officials have allegedly attempted to forcibly obtain evidence from a lawyer, implicating politicians as having obtained payments from W.M. Mendis and Company which is linked to the Central Bank bond scam.

The lawyer, in an affidavit filed in the Colombo Fort Magistrate Court, this week claimed that the top officials wanted him to get his client W.M. Mendis & Company to hand over a set of vouchers relating to payments made to top politicians of ‘both parties’.

Attorney Chandana Perera claims he was summoned to the AG’s Department and told to hand over the voucher set to a CID officer before they got him “arrested and remanded”.

Continue reading ‘Lawyer States in Affidavit Presented To Court That Two Senior Attorney -General’s Dept Officials Tried To Intimidate Him Into Handing Over WM Mendis &Co Vouchers Allegedly Issued To Govt and Opposition Politicians “RK’, RW”NR” and Others’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena came under severe criticism from the war-time general Sarath Fonseka for announcing in New York that political and military leadership fled abroad fearing Tiger bombings in Colombo.

Fonseka, minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development, dismissed Sirisena’s claim in New York last week that the country’s military and political leadership were out of the island in the final two weeks of the war in May 2009.

“The former president was out of the country, even I had to go to China. We don’t have to be pressing the trigger. In the final two weeks, it was a job for corporal and sergeants.

“Those who think like corporals and sergeants may think it was in the final two weeks one could display capability show results. Can a person who was acting (defence minister) for two weeks understand the complexities of a war that was going on for over two years,” Fonseka said.

He said even his erstwhile ally Gotabhaya Rajapaksa did not leave the country in the final two weeks of the war as claimed by Sirisena.

Continue reading ‘Why Did Maithripala Sirisena Who Left Colombo For His Own Safety Due To an Anticipated LTTE Air Attack in May 2009 Not Warn The People About It So They Too Could Take Precautions For Their Safety?’ »

Towards the end of the Civil war in Sri Lanka, he was unaware of LTTE plans to launch Arial attacks on Colombo, said the former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

He also noted that during the last days of the war he was never overseas.

He said this to BBC Sinhala service in response to a statement made by President Maithripala Sirisena last Thursday claiming that none of the leaders at the time, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka or the Defence Secretary were in the country during the last two weeks of the war.

“During the last two weeks I was the acting Defence Minister and the victories during that time was the final battle. The government received information that the LTTE was planning to come from Chennai in South India or some jungle and bomb Colombo. That is why all left the country,” Sirisena said in New York addressing the Sri Lankans.

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Tells BBC That He Never Left Sri Lanka During Final Weeks of War in May 2009 and That Presient Sirisenas “Revelation” About LTTE Plan To Launch Air Strikes On Colombo From Tamil Nadu is News To Him and The Whole World.’ »

Sri Lanka’s President Friday dropped a bombshell claiming that Tamil Tigers planned a flight from neighbouring Tamil Nadu to destroy targets in Colombo as the separatist war drew to an end.

Maithripala Sirisena told Sri Lankan expatriates in New York that he was the senior most politician in the country in May 2009 directing security forces in the absence of all other leaders.

He said it was a well-guarded secret that the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his prime minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake were out of the country fearing a Tiger air raid.

Then secretary to the ministry of defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and army commander Sarath Fonseka were also away from the island as they feared Tiger air attacks, Sirisena said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Drops Political Bombshell On India Saying LTTE Was Planning To Fly From Tamil Nadu And Bomb Targets In Colombo As War Neared End In May 2009.’ »

In a shocking revelation, President Maithripala Sirisena said the LTTE, during the last two weeks of war, had plans to cluster-bomb Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, using aircraft’s operated from Chennai.

That is why, Sirisena said, some top-notch war time leaders – namely former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka – were not in the country during the last to weeks of the battle.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Claims He Gave Leadership To The Armed Forces During the Final Two Weeks of War in May 2009 as Mahinda,Gota, Sarath Fonseka and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Were Not In Sri Lanka At That Time.’ »

A New South Wales University student accused of plotting to assassinate Australian politicians has been released on bail, after an expert found the sole piece of evidence couldn’t be connected to him.

Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen, 25, was arrested in August after a colleague found a notebook allegedly containing details of plans to kill Malcolm Turnbull and his former deputy Julie Bishop.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Undergrad at New South Wales University Mohamed Kamer Nizamdeen Arrested By Australian Police For Alleged Plot to Assassinate Aussie Politicians Released On Bail.’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema

The comments made by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith last Sunday at the Ekala St Matthew’s church have made waves with Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Saliya Peiris criticising the Cardinal’s words and the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and several Catholic MPs in the Joint Opposition condemning Samaraweera and Peiris for taking on the Cardinal. What the Cardinal said last Sunday during a sermon delivered in Sinhala was roughly as follows.

“The latest religion in the West is the religion called human rights. Human rights were discovered only recently. It is being regarded as a wonderful new discovery which is being held aloft and we are being relentlessly lectured about it. However our people began adhering to religions centuries ago. Some people in our country talk of a secular society. Human life is not just food and drink and the pursuit of comfort. Many people in the West now regard religion as an outer garment. They use religion when it suits them but if they are required to make sacrifices, theல put religion aside. Our lives are short and if we limit it to the pursuit of pleasure we will come to an unfortunate end. If we adhere to a religion we don’t need human rights. Those who are dependent on human rights are those who have no religion. We must not be misled by these chimeras. We must look at this intelligently.”

Continue reading ‘Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith Was Referring To The Ideology of Western Neo-Liberal Human Rights “Mania” Entering Sri Lanka Through Various NGO’s.’ »

(Text of statement issued by Hon.Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Finance & Mass Media on misreporting of CID Investigation regarding the complaint by Mr.A.M.Namal Kumara)

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is conducting investigations into serious allegations of an alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, amongst others.

As of this time, the only source for these allegations is a statement made by Mr. A.M. Namal Kumara. While the Criminal investigation Department has yet to report any evidence substantiating the existence of such a plot, these allegations are so grave in their implication that CID detectives must take every precaution thoroughly investigate and seek to corroborate their every element, as a matter of national security.

Continue reading ‘News Reports Stating Indian National Marceli Thomas Had Confirmed Existence of Plot to Assassinate President Sirisena, Mr.Rajapaksa and Others are ” False,Baseless and Inflammatory” Says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

By

Thilanka Kanakarathna

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara today said the Indian national had not revealed any assassination plot to the CID on President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa but had only spoken of a threat to several individuals following the revelation by Anti Corruption Movement’s Director Operations Namal Kumara on assassination plot.

He told a news conference that the CID in its B-report filed in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday had not mentioned anything about an assassination plot revealed by the Indian national.

Continue reading ‘Arrested Indian National Mercil Thomas Has Not Told Police About Any Plot ti Assassinate President Sirisena or Ex-president ajapaksa says Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara.’ »

The Indian High Commission in Colombo on Wednesday said the Indian national, who had been arrested in Sri Lanka over the alleged assassination attempt of President Maithripala Sirisena, his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa and family members ‘has had a history of mental disturbance since 2000.’

Continue reading ‘Indian National Arrested in Sri Lanka Over Alleged Plot to Assassinate President Sirisena “Has Had a History of Mental Disturbances Since 2000 “Says Colombo Indian High Commission’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday called on the international community ‘to allow Sri Lankan people to solve their problems on their own,’ and said: “as an independent country we do not want any foreign power to exert influence on us.”

Addressing the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he said Sri Lanka is taking action to consolidate peace and forge ahead to develop the economy, and such a nation deserves the support and understanding of the international community. “I urge the international community to allow Sri Lankan people to solve their problems on their own,” he said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Addressing UN General Assembly Wants International Community to Let the Sri Lankan People Solve Their Problems On Their Own Without Any Foreign Power Exerting Influence.’ »

Police investigating an alleged conspiracy to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena have found several contradictions in statements an air force deserter who claimed he was contracted by a Deputy Inspector-General for the hit.

Sources close to the investigation said Namal Kumara, the man who held a press conference and made what appeared to be sensational claims, had changed his story many times during the course of questioning by the CID.

Chief among them is the backtracking on who had made the purported recordings of telephone conversations he had with terrorism Investigation Department head Nalaka de Silva.

Continue reading ‘On Going Police Probe Into Alleged Conspiracy To Kill President Sirisena and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Uncover Many Contradictions and Backtracking in Statements Made by Air Force Deserter Namal Kumara.’ »

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

An Indian national with alleged links to a plot to assassinate President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had said there had been a conspiracy to kill the entire Rajapaksa family and President Maithripala Sirisena, the CID informed Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne, yesterday.

Continue reading ‘CID Informs Fort Magistrate That Extensive Inquiries Are Being Conducted by Police Into Information Disclosed By Indian National Identified as M. Thomas About Alleged Conspiracy to Assassinate Entire Rajapaksa Family and President Sirisena.’ »

(Text of Press Release Issued on September 24th 2018 by the South Africa based International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) in Johannesburg headlined “Is the Sri Lanka Government serious about its Office of Missing Persons?)

“The Government of Sri Lanka is undermining the Office of
Missing Persons by appointing a politician to implement its
recommendations who has denied war crimes, including enforced
disappearances, and who allegedly intimidated a victim. Minister
Mahinda Samarasinghe has reportedly been appointed to a 10-member
cabinet sub-committee expected to implement the interim
recommendations of Sri Lanka’s Office of Missing Persons (OMP)
.

There are also concerns that the appointment of this sub-committee could be
a delaying tactic to further undermine the process, especially as
there is no timeline given for its activities

“The Office of Missing Persons is viewed by many in the international community as the last hope for accountability in Sri Lanka,” said the ITJP’s Executive Director and transitional justice expert, Yasmin Sooka, “this sort of appointment makes a mockery of the body and worse still the victims, who desperately need to see progress after years of waiting for information about the fate of their loved ones. Sri Lanka is reported to have the second highest case load in the world, after Iraq, for disappearances – this is an accountablity issue that affects the whole international community who have the responsiblity to ensure that the Government of Sri Lanka acts in good faith rather than ending up disowning its own initiative, as it did with the victim consultation process”.

Continue reading ‘ITJP Denounces Sri Lanka Govt For Undermining the Office of Missing Persons(OMP) By Appointing Persons Like Mahinda Samarasinghe and Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to Cabinet Sub-Committee in Charge of Implementing Recommendations.’ »

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday blamed the liberal economic policies followed by the current government for the continuous depreciation of the Sri Lankan currency.

In a statement released to the media, Rajapaksa called into question the role played by the current government, while admiring the policies followed by the Trump administration.

“The role of a government is to keep abreast of worldwide developments and to take steps to strengthen our economy instead of complaining that a foreign leader has strengthened his own economy and that our currency was collapsing on account of that,” he said. “This government in contrast believes in limitless liberalisation and free trade without a clear strategy to increase exports and reduce imports.” He said

Pointing out that President Trump had strengthened the US economy through a policy of giving incentives to indigenous businesses and imposing tariffs on imports to encourage local production, Rajapaksa drew parallels with his own government, which followed “a policy encouraging local production” reducing imports, particularly of foodstuffs such as diary products, maize, soya, sugar, onion, potato, fruits, vegetables, poultry and certain industrial products.

He claimed that the country’s economy was able to weather the 2008 economic crisis, saying that “very few Sri Lankans were even aware that there was a global economic crisis from 2007-2008.”

Continue reading ‘Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa Faults Liberal Economic Policies of Govt as Cause for Continuous Depreciation of Sri Lankan Rupee.’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

In the Maldivian Presidential election held on September 23, the Joint Opposition’s impassioned plea for the restoration of democracy secured an overwhelming response from the voters.

The electorate decisively rejected incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s call to vote for rapid economic development and its attendant benefits, suppressing the ‘foreign-inspired’ craving for political, constitutional and individual rights.

The Joint Opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih had secured 58.4% (134,143) of the votes polled as against 41.6% (95,626) secured by President Yameen.

Polling was a high 88.8% in an election billed as a referendum on democracy.

Opposition Supremo and Leader of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed, who is in exile in Colombo, told The Hindu:“This is a clear victory…and a vote for the country to return to the path of democracy. Destiny has a habit of always choosing the right and the good. When history is on the march, you can’t stop it.”

Continue reading ‘Despite Completing 2757 Development Projects Costing US $ 5.3 Billion, China Linked Yameen Loses Presidency in Maldives to United Opposition Candidate on Restoration of Democracy Platform.’ »

Archbishop, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith has come under fire for the stand he has taken on human rights.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the need for human rights was an outcome of the marauding religious zealots of the inquisition and the crusades, where non believers were massacred “En-Bloc”.

“Pity, the Cardinal always seems to get things wrong in trying to be a populist,” he said on his twitter account.

Continue reading ‘Catholic Archbishop of Colombo ,Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is Criticised by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and OMP Chairman Saliya Pieris Over “Populist”Remarks About Human Rights and Religion.’ »

by Rex Clementine

Angelo Mathews faced his Ian Botham moment on Friday when the national selection panel and Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha met him and gave Hobson’s choice after Sri Lanka’s horrendous show in Asia Cup where they suffered defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The fate that Mathews suffered is similar to what Ian Botham, the golden boy of English cricket experienced. Botham collected a pair of specs in the Lord’s Test of the 1981 Ashes campaign as England conceded a lead series.

Botham stepped down soon after the Test. Matthew Engel wrote in the Wisden, ‘Botham resigned a minute before he was sacked’.

Continue reading ‘Axed Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Angelo Mathews Feels Betrayed by SLC and Says He Has Been Made the Sole Scapegoat for Decisions Taken With the Mutual Understanding of Selectors and Head Coach’ »

By

Maneshka Borham

On a small hill inside the Trincomalee Eastern Naval Command is known among local residents as ‘Gun Site’ because of a mounted weapon at its summit. A soundtrack of crashing waves, stunning views of the ocean side city of Trincomalee and the choppy blue waters of the Bay, would make ‘Gun Site’ a picturesque little hillock at the Naval Base if not for the eerie colonial era buildings that stand near the summit. The subterranean parts of the building get no sunlight and the darkness at night is only dispelled when the naval guards decide to switch on electrical lighting.

These underground detention cells are believed to be the place 11 young men, allegedly abducted by Sri Lanka Navy personnel for ransom, were last seen alive. Here, with the waves crashing overhead and salty winds carrying an evening chill even down to the subterranean holding cells, a key witness in the CID investigation claims to have seen Rajiv Naganathan, the 19-year-old university freshman from Kotahena, his friends, and other victims of the Navy abduction racket shortly before they disappeared forever.

Continue reading ‘Lt. Commander Krishan Welagedara Faces Continuous Persecution Within Navy For Telling The Truth To Police About the Abduction of Tamil Youths For Ransom Racket Operated by Senior Naval Officers.’ »

By

L. H. P. Gunaratne
– Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Peradeniya

Professor T. Jogaratnam, generally acknowledged as the father of Agricultural Economics in Sri Lanka, passed away on the 18th of September 2018 at the age of 87 years. He was the first Lecturer in Agricultural Economics, the first Professor of Agricultural Economics and the first Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics & Farm Management in the university system of Ceylon. He later capped his distinguished career by serving as Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya.

Professor Jogaratnam was born in Navaly in Jaffna in 1931 and was educated at St Anthony’s College in Kayts, Jaffna Central College, and at Royal College, Colombo, in that order. He entered the University of Ceylon in 1950 and obtained a B.A. (Hons.) degree in Economics. In 1953, he was recruited as an Assistant Lecturer by the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Science at the University of Ceylon. Soon after joining the Faculty, he read for and received a Master’s degree from the University of Toronto. Several years later, he entered Cornell University and successfully completed his Ph.D degree in Agricultural Development.

Continue reading ‘Prof T. Jogaratham, “Father of Agricultural Economics In Sri Lanka ” Passes Away At The Age of 87.’ »

By

Romesh Madushanka

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not deserve more protection, Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said yesterday.

Speaking to the media during a visit at Nandimitragama in Vavuniya, the Field Marshal said that the security detail of former Defence Secretary was higher than what was given to him.

“I have been given 17 Police personnel. But Gotabaya has enough protection. As far I know the former Defence Secretary has 25 security personnel from the Army, Special Forces and Commandos.

Continue reading ‘“If Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Is Scared For His Life He Can Leave The Country as He Has US Citizenship” Says Sarath Fonseka.’ »

(Excerpted From The “Sunday Times” Political Column)

I received credible information that there was a plot to kill me using the help of underworld leader Makandure Madush,” former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the Sunday Times in an interview this week

He said he had verified the information from “very reliable channels” and found it to be correct. “Thereafter, I spoke to President Maithripala Sirisena, to restore the original number of my personal security detail.

I told him that it had been halved. Though he agreed to look into the matter, there was no response from him thereafter. This was over one and half months ago”, he added.

Mr Rajapaksa declined to reveal from where he received the information or how he verified it on the grounds that “it would endanger the lives of those who helped me.” He said the attack on him was to be carried out when he attended Courts. Since he was aware that the underworld leader’s attempt, he had taken additional precautions, he said.

Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Asked President Sirisena To Restore His Full Security One and a half Months Ago After Receiving Crediblle Information Of Plot To Kill the Ex – Def Secy With Help Of Underworld Don “Makandure Madush” But Has Not Received Any Response So Far.’ »

By

Sarath De Alwis

“The time is out of joint; O cursed spite That ever I was born to set it right!”
[Hamlet, William Shakespeare]

The war was unendurable. It was mind-blowingly vicious. Suicide bombers made a fine art of painting the earth with blood-soaked human innocence. Babies refused to be lulled to sleep. Grandmas stopped praying. Mothers dared not hope. Fathers were marooned in fear and despair.

Mahinda Rajapaksa ended the war. It was under his presidency that the wild screams stopped and the clash of arms ceased. But then, discord took refuge in the deep crevices of human breasts that learnt to breathe silently but surely. The purpose of this essay is to comprehend the silence of that discord that has gained a voice of its own.

Last week, a Sinhala Buddhist Patriot- an Academic and a Professor of the Rajarata University addressed the world in Geneva and focused on that post war discord.

He is described as a Professor of Pharmacology. It explains much about the state of medical education in our seats of higher learning. His attempt before the United Nation’s Human Rights Council to make demonstrated documented history into a Faustian Pharmacology was a shame and much more. It dramatized the lack of respect for human dignity among the so-called professional elite who wants Gotabaya Rajapaksa to be our next President.

When oxygenation of our land ceased to be blemished with the smell of burning human flesh, when we stopped getting shell-shocked by explosions, Gotabaya Rajapaksa presided over the war effort, Chamal Rajapaksa presided in Parliament and Basil Rajapaksa was minding economic affairs.

Continue reading ‘“Pharmacologist Academic ” Prof. Channa Jayasumana Says In Geneva That There is No Ethnic Problem In Sri Lanka And That The Military Solution Given In Nandhikkadal Is Nothing But a Political Solution.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

The unseemly tug-of-war between the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the National Police Commission, with the IGP openly balking to carry out directions of the NPC, must be deplored quite categorically.

Putting the credibility of ‘independent commissions’ at risk

Indeed, the manner of both parties being summoned by the Speaker to resolve these issues unfortunately reminds one of two erring schoolchildren being summoned to the Principal’s office. The fracas plays itself out in the open, diminishing the credibility of the much vaunted concept of ‘independent commissions’ that the Government speaks of with pride as having ‘restored’ through the 19th Amendment.

Aberrant tendencies of the incumbent in the office of IGP has attracted much scorn and ridicule in the media. Those eccentricities are quite evident and present a whole set of different problems including questions raised about the appointments process in the first instance and as to whether the criteria adopted by the Constitutional Council was sufficiently rigorous when recommending the appointment. We have the undoubtedly bizarre spectacle of even Ministers in the Government calling for action to be taken against the incumbent IGP.

Continue reading ‘Tug -of -War Between National Police Commission and Inspector – General of Police Due More To Systemic Contradictions Than Egoistic Personality Clashes.’ »

by Rajan Hoole

Rains and early gloom harbinger the dying year. Fields are ploughed and sown in readiness for the earth’s renewal and the yield of her bounty. It was at such a time that Rajani was killed by the LTTE 29 years ago. Her questions and aphorisms often challenged our assumptions at their core. The following Appeal authored by her in October 1988 appeared in Laying Aside Illusions signed by 50 academics in the common room of the University of Jaffna:

“We have to examine not only our relations with the Indian and Sri Lankan States, but also ourselves. Our obeisance to terror within the community, our opportunism and lack of principles in the face of many internal killings, have made it easy for external forces to use the same weapons to control us. In the face of our acquiescence to anti-democratic tendencies within the community, our plea for democracy becomes a meaningless exercise. Many individuals and young persons who voiced criticism of the political forces have been victimised, driven away, or killed while we looked on.”

Displayed in that very common room are photographs of our late academics since the inception of the University. The exclusion of Rajani’s picture has been commented upon by visitors for many years. The university authorities in 2014 (I think in retrospect it is wrong to single out the Vice Chancellor) blocked the observance of the 25th Anniversary of her murder while in harness. Her conducting examinations to a timetable made it easy for the killers to plan her murder.

A short stroll away from the common room, the 31st Anniversary of the LTTE’s Thileepan, whose ‘Gandhian’ fast to death under duress, to enable the Leader to snatch a political prize, was, this fall, celebrated as act of martyrdom in a grand ceremony; where the Vice Chancellor gave the lead. A few days later the installation of a monument to the LTTE-inaugurated ‘Tamils Arise’ (Pongu Thamil), was likewise graced by senior university officials.

The result is surreal. These proceedings take place under the tolerant eye of the Sri Lankan security forces, the same forces that in 2014 stopped the Medical Students Union’s commemoration of Rajani by issuing a threat to the Dean by phone.

The same university officials, who are prominent at current ceremonies glorifying the brutal extreme of Tamil Nationalism, put on a different face when dealing with the powers that be in Colombo, by whose tolerance the University continues its course of congenial decay. Its keeping out well qualified academics in order to reinforce a closed tradition of mediocrity, is in keeping with Pongu Thamil and its cult of heroism by which the most intimate and poignant aspects of our history have been reduced to gossip. That is one reason why Rajani is anathema.

Continue reading ‘“We Tamils Have Gone To The West, To New Delhi And Geneva In Search Of a Settlement That Eludes Us”.’ »

Roobha, is a Canadian-Sri Lankan Tamil film made by Lenin M.Siva. It is about a transgender and a married man falling in love and the trials and tribulations they face in society. It is to be premiered in Toronto on October 9.

She’s enchanting… and then she dances… A runaway train of intensity. A raw multi-layered look into feelings that many don’t understand. A relationship develops between an older Sri Lankan man and a young woman. He’s… married, with children, and she’s… a trans-woman. Yes, it’s complicated, but it’s also a beautifully thoughtful portrayal of what we all want… to love and be loved. ​Roobha weaves a unique romantic tale that deals with the complexities of personality and gender identity within the South-Asian community.
Continue reading ‘Canadian-Tamil Film “Roobha” Directed By Lenin M. Sivam Is About a Love Affair Between a Transgender And a Married Man’ »

By

N.Ram

(N. Ram is the Chairman of The Hindu Publishing Group)

The Hindu has been adapting to changing times, facing and overcoming a multitude of challenges, earning the trust and affection of millions of people across the country, and flourishing.

The Hindu has been adapting to changing times, facing and overcoming a multitude of challenges, earning the trust and affection of millions of people across the country, and flourishing. | Photo Credit: R. Ragu

From its modest beginnings in 1878, The Hindu has come a long way — and is poised to advance in the face of new challenges, its chief asset being its integrity combined with the public trust earned over the decades.
When The Hindu launched itself on September 20, 1878 on the strength of nothing but the ardent patriotism and commitment to progressive social reform of six young men who had managed to raise a rupee and three-quarters as seed capital, nothing seemed guaranteed, least of all longevity.

Continue reading ‘India’s Respected English Daily Newspaper “The Hindu” Celebrating 140 Years of Publication Re-commits Itself To The Core Principles of Journalism.’ »

By

Lakmal Sooriyagoda

A request made by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran to defer contempt of court proceedings filed against him was yesterday rejected by the Court of Appeal.

Wigneswaran through his lawyer K.Kanag-iswaran PC made an application to defer contempt of court proceedings until the Supreme Court makes an order regarding a leave to appeal petition filed by his client.

However, the Court of Appeal’s two-judge-bench comprising Justice Kumuduni Wickremesinghe and Justice Janak de Silva decided to proceed with the contempt of court charges.

Continue reading ‘Court of Appeal Decides to Go Ahead With Contempt of Court Proceedings Against Northern Chief Minister Rejecting Application By CV Wigneswaran to Defer CA Proceedings Until Supreme Court Order.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Rebel UPFA MP S.B. Dissanayake has reiterated that the army executed some LTTE personnel including one-time LTTE Eastern Commander Thambiraja Thurairajasingham aka Ramesh after they surrendered to the advancing troops.

The declaration was made in response to a media query at the residence of former Deputy Speaker and National List MP Tilanga Sumathipala last week. Although, MP Dilan Perera tried to intervene on several occasions, Dissanayake, a Cabinet member of the previous Rajapaksa administration said that the media, too, were aware of some of those executed after they had surrendered though they remained silent. “Both you and we don’t talk about those who had been executed,” the National List MP said.

Continue reading ‘Ex-Cabinet Minister Re-iterates That Several LTTE Members Including Ex-Eastern Commander Ramesh Were Executed By Army After They Surrendered To Advancing Troops in 2009.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Joint Opposition (JO) yesterday declared that it was ready to work with India in spite of misconceptions that may have led to New Delhi’s backing for the change of the Rajapaksa government in January 2015.

Former External Affairs Minister and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman Prof. G. L. Peiris explained that though there could have been faults on both parties, they had now realized the importance of a new relationship. Prof. Peiris was flanked by UPFA Kalutara District MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena and former Gampaha District JVP MP Siripala Amarasinghe.

Prof. Peiris said so in response to The Island query at media conference called by the SLPP at the Nelum Mawatha Office of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Loyalist Opposition Ready To Work With India Despite New Delhi Backing Rajapaksa Regime Change In Sri Lanka In Jan 2015’ »

By

Nirupama Rao

(The author is a former Foreign Secretary of India who served as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka also)

I am a Hindu by birth and by enduring faith. The house that I was born into that my grandfather built, had no special puja room — but the plaster of Paris statue of a flute playing Krishna, the Ravi Varma oleographs of a Lakshmi rising from a lotus with elephants trumpeting their joy at her presence, the veena-playing Saraswati, and our special deity Lord Guruvayurappan, with beautiful Kartikeya and his “vel”(spear) and his vehicle, the peacock made up the pantheon of our isthtadevatas.

On my trips to my “native place” as we say in Indian English, I remember how every evening, the vilakku (bronze lamp) was lit with cotton wicks we lovingly made, dipped in gingelly oil, and brought out to the verandah of the tharawad (Hindu matrilineal family) house, with the heralding word: “Deepam” (lamp) repeated two or three times, quietly, with deep reverence. We would greet the sight of this burnished lamp and its brave, bright flame in a prayerful namaskar with bowed heads in a moment of blessed quietude, as imaginary and heavenly angels murmured in the dusk of a tropical Kerala garden around us.

Wherever we lived as children travelling the length and breadth of India with my army officer father, my homemaker mother would gather us three sisters together at dusk to say our prayers after she had lit the little vilakku that graced a small corner of the bedroom, auspiciously positioned.

We sat down cross-legged on the bare floor, put our hands together in prayer, and recited our Om Namashivaya, and sang a few bhajans including Gandhiji’s favourite “Raghupati Raghava”. We must have sung with youthful fervour and reasonable harmony because in one of the towns we lived in, the neighbouring Malayalee Catholic family with whom we shared a wall, the Pereiras, would listen tell my mother how much they loved our “evensong”. Them being Christian, and our being Hindu did not matter in those simple days.

Continue reading ‘Trying To Turn India Into a Land For The Hindus Alone Goes Against Our Idea Of India as a Nation.’ »

By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

Today, 15 September, 2018, saw one of the few really intellectual activities in Jaffna at Veerasingham Hall: the first C.W. Thamotharampillai Memorial Lecture. CWT was a legendary Tamil literatist of the nineteenth century credited with discovering some of the oldest extant Tamil literature like the Tolkapiyam and other lost Tamil Sangam works. The hall was packed to capacity.

A product of Jaffna’s Batticotta Seminary, CWT was ranked first between the first two graduates of Madras University. He was a judge and Regent of the Kingdom of Puthukkottai, and guardian to Ponnambalam and Coomaraswamy Ramanathan when they studied at Presidency College. Indeed, CWT was one of Jaffna’s finest products in the intellectual sphere.

After Jaffna University History Professor Paramu Pushparatnam’s introduction to who Thamotharampillai was, there was a sort of mock interview of M.A. Sumanthiran, MP, by Provincial Councilor Kesavan Sayanthan. Sayanthan, an upcoming lawyer, asked questions based on common criticism of Sumanthiran and it seemed a healthy way of addressing such criticism.

For example, a question was “Is it true that you will leave the ITAK and join the UNP for the next elections as a nominated member?” Answer: No. Question, “How come you have not even rented a house in Jaffna and are so Colombo Centered?” Answer: “Why would I rent a house in Jaffna when I own one here.” Question: “Why do you say that federalism is not required? Why are you taking the party against what the people wanted and voted for?” Denying this was the cue for Sumanthiran’s lecture on “The Extent of Federalism Today.”

Continue reading ‘” So Press On Mr. Sumanthiran! Your Road Is The Road To Peace And Justice” – Ratnejeevan Hoole’ »

By

Sunil Tantirige

A house talks…………Memories of a childhood long gone.

I have just returned to Toronto from a short trip to Sri Lanka. I have been going back to the old country every year to visit my ailing mom but this trip was different. Let me explain.

I grew up in Mount Lavinia, in a pretty normal middle class neighborhood. People who lived there were mostly professionals who served the Government of Sri Lanka in the 1960s and 70s. They were civil service officers, educators, postal service professionals, doctors, engineers and retired army officers. It was a multi-religious, multi-ethnic neighborhood, Singhalese living next door to Tamils, Burgers and Muslims. Buddhists sharing the area with Christians, Hindus and people of Islamic faith. Not a lot of mixing of these groups but aware of each other’s cultural activities and traditions. Everyone respecting other’s right to a normal life with friendships that cross racial and religious boundaries. This was before the 30 years of collective madness that tore the societies apart. I lived the story that Shyam Selvadurai wrote about in his book Funny Boy. We the kids all went to the same collection schools in Colombo, boys crazy about school cricket and girls crazy about Elvis Presley and later, of course the Beatles.
Continue reading ‘The House of a Thousand Memories Talks To Me…………Random Thoughts of a Childhood Long Gone.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has given marching orders to his ambassador to Austria and five other embassy staff for failing to answer his long-distance telephone calls, officials said Saturday.

Ambassador Priyanee Wijesekera was recalled after she failed to answer his calls last week and no responsible officer was there to respond to the President, an official source said.

Wijesekera was a former Secretary General of Parliament who was appointed ambassador post-retirement.

Continue reading ‘Lankan Envoy to Austria Priyanee Wijesekera and Five Embassy Staff on Extension Recalled to Colombo Immediately After President Sirisena’s Long – Distance Calls to Vienna Were Not Answered.’ »

Two former ministers who served during the Rajapaksa regime have admitted that LTTE members including Tamils who had surrendered to the Army had been killed.

This allegation has been levelled against the Sri Lankan security forces for almost ten years by the war affected Tamil including the Diaspora and the international Human Rights Organisations, and the charge was accepted by two former ministers who are working hard towards the unification of the Maithripala and Mahinda factions.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Govt Ex-ministers S.B.Dissanayake and Dilan Perera Admit That Some LTTE Members and Tamil Civilians Who Surrendered to the Armed Forces Were Killed.’ »

By
Anurangi Singh

Officials of the Financial Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) dropped another bombshell last week, when they filed a B report in the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, in a first step to filing legal action against former Minister Ravi Karunanayake, for allegedly making false statements under oath before the Presidential Commission investigating the 2015 Treasury Bond issue that completed investigations late last year.

Filing the B report before Colombo Chief Magistrate Ranga Dassanayake, CID officials requested court to issue several orders to facilitate further investigations.

After considering facts presented to him by Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama with State Counsel Nadee Suwandurugoda, the Chief Magistrate issued a series of orders directing telecom providers to issue call records, SMS records and their contents, the time of these calls and messages all pertaining to several suspects including UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake.

The Chief Magistrate ordered that the information obtained would be kept under safe custody of the court until necessary.

Continue reading ‘Ravi Karunanayake May Face Legal Action For Allegedly Lying Five Times Under Oath Before Presidential Commission of Inquiry But Ex-Minister Alleges “Travesty of Justice”.’ »

By

The “Sunday Observer” Political Editor

At 3.30 am on September 10, Admiral Ravindra Wijeguneratne, the country’s highest ranking military official, boarded a Qatar Airways flight bound for Singapore. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was travelling overseas to attend the 208th National Day celebrations in Mexico, according to his Office. The trouble was, September 10 was also the day Admiral Wijeguneratne was due to report to the CID to record an official statement regarding the allegation that the top military officer had harboured a suspect – a Navy man who was wanted in connection with the abduction and suspected murder of 11 Tamil youth, including five students.

Later that day, a letter was dispatched to the Fourth Floor – the famous CID headquarters. It was delivered by an official from the CDS’ office. The letter officially notified the CID that the Admiral had been called away on an official visit overseas, and would not be able to appear at the CID offices as scheduled last Monday (10). Instead, the letter requested CID officials to provide a fresh date after September 19, when he was scheduled to return to the island.

Late last week, the impending questioning and arrest of Admiral Wijeguneratne had taken on new political dimensions.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena,Ravindra Wijegunaratne and the Alleged Abduction For Ransom Racket By Navy Personnel.’ »

By Manopriya Gunasekara

The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) yesterday filed a case against former Finance Minister MP Ravi Karunanayake at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court for giving false evidence to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Central Bank bond scam.

The CID giving statements before Court said that MP Karunanayake had intentionally given false evidence while under oath, which was punishable under Sections 188 and 190 of the Penal Code.

The Colombo Magistrate ordered the CID to obtain statements from six individuals connected with the case including MP Karunanayake, Mela Karunanayake (wife), Onela Karunanayake (daughter), Global Transportation and Logistics Chief Accountant B.J.R. Sinnaiyya, Perpetual Treasuries Chief Arjun Aloysius and Bond Commission Secretary Attorney-at-Law Sumathipala Udugamsuriya.

Continue reading ‘Case Filed Against Ex- Cabinet Minister Ravi Karunanayake by CID Under Sections 188 and 190 of Penal Code for Giving False Evidence Under Oath To the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Probing Treasury Bond Scam.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena summoned an emergency cabinet meeting to defend the country’s senior-most military officer who is facing imminent arrest for allegedly shielding a mass murder suspect, but failed to secure agreement.

The noon meeting of the cabinet ended after heated exchanges, sources close to the administration said adding that the President failed in get support and the issue was put off until the return to the island of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Cabinet ministers had been told to maintain silence over the issue until the return of Wickremesinghe who is visiting Vietnam.

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Ministers Refuse to Go Along With President Sirisena’s Effort to Prevent Arrest of Chief of Defence Staff Ravi Wijegunaratne For Allegedly Helping Naval Officer Implicated in Abduction and Murdedr Racket to Evade Arrest.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Continuing controversy over Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Ravi Wijegunaratne, wanted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with allegedly aiding and abetting Lt. Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, a suspect in two major wartime cases, leaving for Mexico on Sept. 10 has taken a dramatic turn with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) demanding that the entire range of accountability issues here should be subjected to international judicial process.

Jaffna District MP and TNA spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran, PC, yesterday morning told The Island that President Maithripala Sirisena’s direct intervention in the matter left the TNA with no alternative but to call for international help. Sumanthiran emphasised that interference by ‘highest authorities in the country’ meant that the victims couldn’t expect justice through domestic judicial process.

The TNA has gone on the offensive ahead of President Sirisena’s address to the UNGA on Sept 25. Comprehensive international participation in local judicial process is allowed in accordance with Geneva Resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka in Oct 2015. In March 2017, Sri Lanka, while reiterating its commitment to the Oct 2015 Resolution, assured Geneva it would be fulfilled by March 2019.

Continue reading ‘TNA Spokesperson MA Sumanthiran Charges President Sirisena of Interference With the Judicial Process in Letting CDS Wijegunaratne Leave the Country and Says Party will Seek International Scrutiny Over the Issue.’ »

Internationally acclaimed award -winning Sri Lankan Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka’s second solo album will be released worldwide by Naxos Records on September 14th 2018. The album titled “Twelve Piano Prisms” comprises 12 new works for solo piano which evolved in 2016 and 2017.Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka herself performs the works/prisms in the album recorded by Roderick Buchanan-Dunlop and produced by Tanya for Naxos.

Regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s finest artistes, Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka is classically trained with a background in Asian and Popular music. The British concert composer- pianist is also a linguist, musicologist and record producer. Although she trained as a pianist, her compositional skills are the result of a purely intuitive and natural development.

Continue reading ‘Celebrated Composer – Pianist Dr.Tanya Ekanayaka’s Second Solo Album “Twelve Piano Prisms” To Be Released Worldwide by Naxos Records on Sep 14th’ »

By
Suhasini Haidar and Amit Baruah

Former Sri Lankan President Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa is in Delhi to deliver a public lecture on Wednesday on “India-Sri Lanka relations: the way ahead”. Speaking to The Hindu, the former President, who says he is “100%” confident his party will come to power in 2019, proposed a new mechanism for India and Sri Lanka to resolve all issues, especially economic issues. The mechanism would mirror the “Troika” formed in 2008-2009 of three Indian officials — National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh — and three Sri Lankan officials — Advisor Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa and Permanent Secretary Lalith Weeratunga — to coordinate India-Sri Lanka ties during the war against the LTTE. in 2008-2009.

Mr. Rajapaksa also denied the charge that he set off incurred Sri Lanka’s debt trap by bringing Chinese companies into the Hambantota port project, saying that the situation had only been “messed up” by the present government.

Excerpts from an interview:

Q;
You have had a rocky relationship with India. Is your visit here a sign of reconciliation with the Modi government after 2015?

A;

Yes. Just before and after the elections [(in 2015], we had a lot of misunderstandings. Now of course, I think it is about time to move on.

Q:

In March 2015, in an interview to The Hindu, you had accused R&AW, the intelligence agency, of helping bring the opposition together, which led to your defeat. A few weeks ago you said that India must not “meddle” in political affairs in Lanka. Are you worried it will?

A;

It isn’t only India. I didn’t mention just India. I said no one should meddle with somebody else’s elections. It is an internal matter of a country whom the people decide to bring to power. That was in my mind. I think now they all have understood what went wrong at that time and what they did. So we need to forget about the past. This is the time to move forward and look forward.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says He Could Contest Presidential Elections Despite 19th Amendment and Then Fight it out in Courts But Has Not Decided Whether to Take That Risk in Interview with “The Hindu”.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena should take the responsibility for Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne leaving the country to participate in 208th Independence Commemoration Ceremony of United Mexican States, Sarath Wijesuriya, co-convener of the National Movement for Social Justice told the media yesterday.

Continue reading ‘Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne Could not Have Left For Mexico Without the Knowledge of President Sirisena Who Is the Minister of Defence Charges NMSJ Co-convenor Sarath Wijesuriya.’ »

Launching a scathing attack on the national carrier, President Maithripala Sirisena today said he was served “unedible cashew nuts” on a flight to Colombo last week.

Addressing a farmers’ event in Hambantota this monring, an angry Sirisena asked who approved unedible cashew for the national carrier.

“I returned to Colombo from Nepal via New Delhi last week. I was offered a plate of cashew nuts on the flight. Not even a dog can eat them,” the President said.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Airlines Served President Sirisena a Plate of Cashew Nuts Which Even a Dog Could Not Eat On A Flight From Nepal to Sri Lanka.’ »

By Priyan Dias

Much rhetoric has been used in various media over the years, and recently too, on the subject of patriots and traitors. I feel constrained to express my views as well. Samuel Johnson in his Dictionary (1755) defined a patriot as “One whose ruling passion is the love of his country.” This is certainly a laudable goal and worthy of emulation by all citizens; it suggests a cause bigger than one’s self and hints at a sacrificial character. Why then did he also say that “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”? Genuine patriotism is not easy to define. And the use of rhetoric often infuses the term with a very narrow content.

In any case allegiance to one’s country, while important as part of a social contract, is not absolute. We recognize this in Edward Snowden, who acted against the interests of his country (the U.S.) by leaking classified information in the wider interests of the world at large; also in Nelson Mandela, whose actions to end apartheid in South Africa got him labeled as a “terrorist.” What we see here is that true love of one’s country is not easy to define; and must be judged by higher universal norms of justice.

Continue reading ‘In Sri Lanka the Term “Patriot” is Sometimes Defined as one who Defends Military Heroes Whatever the Charges Against Them and a “Traitor”as One Who Dares to Scrutinize Their Actions.’ »

BY K.S. Udaya Kumar

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva PC who appeared for former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted that the Special High Court has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the action in the case where he is indicted with misappropriation in the construction of the D.A. Rajapaksa Memorial Museum at Weeraketiya.

All the accused including Rajapaksa and six others were released on bail in Rs 100,000 cash and two sureties in Rs 1 million each and their passports impounded when the case came up for hearing yesterday (10).The Judges said that if they needed to travel overseas they would need to get the permission of the court.

Continue reading ‘Romesh de Silva PC Appearing for Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Makes Submission That Special High Court Has No Jurisdiction to Hear and Determine Case Where Ex-Def -Secy is Indicted on Criminal Misappropriation Charge.’ »

Mount Lavinia Additional Magistrate Lochana Abeywickrama yesterday authorized the CID to question former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka on the abduction and torture of senior journalist Keith Noyahr in 2008.

Continue reading ‘Mt.Lavinia Additional Magistrate Authorizes CID to Question Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Ex – Army Commander Sarath Fonseka Over the Abduction and Torture of Senior Journalist Keith Noyahr.’ »

By

Camelia Nathaniel

Former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement yesterday but he had left the country on an official tour, CID sources said.

Speaking to the Daily News a CID official said that Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had notified the CID of his official engagement only last morning, but by that time he had already left the country.

Continue reading ‘CID Was Informed of Chief of Defence Staff Ravindra Wijegunaratne’s Departure to Mexico Only a Few Hours After He Left the Country.’ »

By
Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Permanent High Court-at-Bar set up to hear high-profile financial frauds and corruption cases yesterday served indictments on former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and six others.

This is in connection with an incident that the D.A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial in Medamulana was built using public funds amounting to Rs.33.9 million.

When the seven accused appeared before Trial-at-Bar Bench comprising High Court Judges Sampath Abeykoon (President), Sampath Wijeratne and Champa Janaki Rajaratne they were ordered to be released on bail.

Continue reading ‘Ex -Def Secy Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Six others Served Indictments, Released on Cash and Surety Bail, Passports Impounded Over DA Rajapaksa Memorial Monument Construction Case.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena said that he is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on September 24 and he would make a statement to vindicate the Security Forces from all allegations levelled against them.

President Sirisena was speaking at the SLFP Nivitigala Bala Mandala meeting held at the Nivitigala public fair premises, on Saturday.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Will Make Statement in UN General Assembly on Sep 24 That Would Vindicate Lanka’s Security Forces From All Allegations Levelled Against Them.’ »

By

Darshana Sanjeewa

Former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne had been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement today, CID sources said.

He was summoned to give a statement with regard to the abduction of 11 youths in 2008 and 2009.

Continue reading ‘Ex-Navy Chief and Current Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne Though Summoned by CID to Record Statement on Sep 10th Is Unlikely to Appear Before Police on Monday.’ »

A rampant Sri Lanka outplayed Singapore 69-50 on Sunday (Sept 9) in the final of the M1 Asian Netball Championship at the OCBC Arena to win their first Asian title since 2009.

The young Sri Lankan side showed that they had the depth to complement their 2.08m goal-shooter Tharjini Sivalingam with three other players in the starting XI standing over 1.8m.

Continue reading ‘Chaturangi Jayasooriya Led Sri Lanka Team With 2.08 m Tall Ace Goal-shooter Tharjini Sivalingam Beats Singapore 69 -50 in Final to Become Asian Netball Champions.’ »

Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka has indicated that it has no plans to change its policy on the languages used in the packaging of its milk products in Sri Lanka.

Reacting to scathing comments and threatened governmental action for violating the country’s language policy, Fonterra Brands Sri Lanka said that it has a uniform policy in regard to the language used in the packaging throughout a East and South East Asia.

Continue reading ‘Fonterra Brands Refuses to Include Tamil Language on Packages of “Anchor” Butter Sold in Sri Lanka Where Tamil is an Offcial Language with 25% Tamil Speaking Population.’ »

By

The Sunday Observer Political Editor

In his haste to get somewhere fast, the young MP from Hambantota proved last Wednesday that he could really jeopardise his father’s dreams for the future:

“Everything the light touches is our kingdom.”– Mufasa, Lion King

September 5, 2018 was supposed to be much more than just a mass mobilisation of support for former President Rajapaksa and his proxy party known as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). Janabalaya, organised by the SLPP ‘youth wing’, was also about a passing of the torch.

Over a decade long presidency, Mahinda Rajapaksa groomed his eldest son Namal to be his successor in politics. The second boy, Yoshitha, dreamt of a military career, the youngest Rohitha dabbled in aerospace engineering. But Namal Rajapaksa’s destiny was to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his father, and his grandfather before that – the keeper of the flame and the political future of the Rajapaksa family.

In December 2019, Namal Rajapaksa will be 33 years old, two years shy of eligible age to contest for presidential office in Sri Lanka. Capturing the presidency in 2020 is just beyond the young politician’s reach. His best hope is to remain in politics – and out of prison – until 2025, and cash in on his father’s legacy to reach the highest office of the land. As Dr Jayadeva Uyangoda argued superbly in a political analysis published in a Sinhalese language weekly recently, Mahinda Rajapaksa’s sights are really set on 2025 and a presidential future for his eldest offspring. In 2019/2020, what the former President is truly seeking in a candidate who will contest from his party, is a place-holder for his son, someone who will pave the way for the rise of Namal in 2025. In essence, Mahinda Rajapaksa is looking for a regent, until his son and chosen ‘heir’ comes of age.

Continue reading ‘Mahindas Wants to Crown His Eldest Son as his Political Heir but his Plans Are Jeopardised by Namal Himself With his Ill-advised Political Stunts Like the Janabalaya Protest.’ »

By

Azhar Razak, Aanya Wipulasena, Indunil Usgoda Arachchi, Rajitha Jagoda Arachchi

There was an air of anticipation in Colombo on the morning of September 5. The day had finally dawned of the ‘Janabalaya’ rally organised by the Joint Opposition led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which was slated to be the largest protest of its kind in the country’s political history according to its organisers. The SLPP Youth wing led by Hambantota District MP Namal Rajapaksa claimed widely on social media that 500,000 supporters would descend on the country’s financial capital to hold the city hostage till the following day. Several days prior, the SLPP/JO had warned the public to remain home. Fearing chaos, parents kept children away from school, employees who could afford to take leave called in sick. Roads leading to Colombo were clear of traffic as buses carrying JO supporters along with trucks of cops and Special Task Force (STF) personnel were seen entering the city.

As the time drew nearer to the rally, employers were forced to give their employees the day off and many hurried to catch a bus or train to get home leading to a significant drop of productivity on the day. Shops usually open 24 hours a day hurriedly closed down. Train commuters were seen hanging precariously from the windows of overcrowded trains trying to make it home before the rally while others stood in winding queues in a bid to secure a train ticket.

Many commuters were also left stranded at the Colombo Fort Bus stand. According to one conductor of a Pettah – Moratuwa bus which was running the last run for the day, buses along the route were already much less with many being given by their owners to transport protestors to Colombo on the day. The situation even led to a tussle on the overhead bridge near the Fort Railway station between some commuters and JO supporters when one stranded commuter was heard complaining of the inconvenience to the public as a result of the rally which irked the ‘Pohottuwa’ supporters gathered there.

With organisers of the protest keeping the place of the rally a closely guarded secret till the very last minute around 2.30 pm the apparent main organiser of the Janabalaya Rally, MP Namal Rajapaksa visited the Bo tree junction in Pettah which appeared to be one of the focal points on the day to inspect the preparations.

Continue reading ‘Janabalaya Kolombata Comes to Colombo : Crowds,Carnival and Confusion’ »

By

Anurangi Singh

After three years of investigations and mounting accusations about delayed justice in corruption cases, former Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, arguably the most powerful member of the previous administration, will be indicted tomorrow (10), on charges of misappropriating tens of millions in public funds while his brother was President, to build a memorial for their parents in the Hambantota district.

The second case to be filed at the Permanent High Court at Bar will be taken up tomorrow, September 10, to serve indictments on the former Secretary of Defence and six others on allegations of misappropriation of State funds amounting to approximately Rs. 40 million through the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (LLRDC).

Continue reading ‘Ex-Def Secy Gotabhaya Rajapaksaand Six Others to be Served Indictments at Permanent High Court at Bar on Sep 10th Over Alleged Misappropriation of Around Rs 40 Million Public Funds For Constructing DA Rajapaksa Memorial in Medamulana.’ »

By
Lakmal Sooriyagoda

Northern Province Chief Minister and former Supreme Court Judge C.V. Wigneswaran and three others appeared before the Court of Appeal yesterday over a complaint that they have intentionally acted in contempt of the Court of Appeal order.

When the application came up before Justice Janak de Silva, the three respondents Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran and two other Provincial Council Ministers Ananthi Sasitharan and K.Sivanesan were advised to appear in Court on September 18 as well.

This matter will be taken up before Court of Appeal two-judge-Bench on the next date.

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran Along with Provincial Ministers K. Sivanesan and Ananthy Sasitharan Appear Before Appeal Court Regarding Alleged Contempt of Court Complaint Filed by Another Northern Minister B. Deneeswaran.’ »

By
Kamani Alwis

Former Child Affairs State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran is to be indicted before the Court of Appeal under Article 157/A 3 for alleged violation of the provisions of the Constitution.

According to section 157A (1) of the Constitution, no person shall, directly or indirectly in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.

Continue reading ‘UNP Jaffna District MP Vijayakala Maheswaran to Be Indicted at Court of Appeal Under Clause 120 of Penal Code for Allegedly Violating Article 157 of Constitution by the IGP as Advised by Attorney – General.’ »

By

Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Supreme Court on Wednesday re-fixed for support on September 28, the special leave to appeal filed by Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran challenging the Court of Appeal’s Interim Order to prevent Wigneswaran’s decision to remove B. Denishwaran from functioning as the Fisheries and Transport Minister in the Province.

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Rejects Application to Suspend Contempt of Court Proceedings Against C.V Wigneswaran in the Appeal Court But Re-fixes for Support on Sep 28 the Special Leave to Appeal Filed by Northern Chief Minister Against Court of Appeal Court’s Interim Order.’ »

By
Camelia Nathaniel

The ‘Jana Balaya Kolambata’ protest campaign organised by the Joint Opposition (JO) had failed to get the desired outcome and turned out to be a flop while one person had died and 16 people were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.

“One person who had died on admission to the Colombo National Hospital is said to have suffered a heart attack.

Another person died in an accident in Nittambuwa.He has got down from the bus to buy pineapples on his return from the Joint Opposition protest. He was knocked down by a vehicle while crossing the road and died on admission to hospital.

Eight people were admitted due to food poisoning while another eight persons were admitted due to minor injuries,” hospital sources said.

Several government ministers termed the JO protest rally as a huge failure.

Continue reading ‘Colombo Municipal Council Deploys Additional Workers to Clean Up the City of Garbage and Litter Left Behind by “Janabalaya Kolombata” Protest Participants.’ »

By Anura Balasuriya and Rathinda Kuruvita

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that the Joint Opposition (JO) had been compelled to launch ‘Jana Balaya Colombata’ campaign as the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government had deprived it of the post of the Opposition Leader.

Rajapaksa said that the government had recognized the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group consisting of only 16 members as the main Opposition party though the JO had 70 MPs.

Rajapaksa said so addressing JO activists opposite Lake House last night following a Satyagraha.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Says Joint Opposition Organized “Janabalaya Kolombata” Protest Due to Sirisena – Wickremesinghe Govt Depriving JO of Leader of the Opposition Post in Parliament.’ »

By Chathuri Dissanayake

Nearly 3,000 loyalists of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday occupied the Lake House Roundabout in Fort and held a ‘sathyagraha’ after the ‘Janabalaya Colombata’ protest march organised by the Joint Opposition (JO) was wrapped up.

The Government members discredited the campaign as unsuccessful as it had failed to garner support from the wider public.

Addressing his supporters amidst loud cheering, Rajapaksa spoke of toppling the Government to bring an end to what he termed as the Government’s “separatism policies”. He also criticised the “sale of national assets” and pledged to form a new government in the future. Surrounded by loyalist parliamentarians, Rajapaksa called on the crowd to stand up against the Government, which he claimed to be “dictatorial” in its actions.

“Join us to topple this Government before long,” said a visibly tired but upbeat Rajapaksa as the crowd cheered, drowning out his voice.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Addressing 3000 Loyalists Engaged in “Satyaraha” at Lake House Roundabout Says -“Join Us To Topple This Govt Before Long”’ »

Full of sound and fury, the Joint Opposition-Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Janabalaya demonstration reached Colombo Fort yesterday, but the protest took on a carnival like atmosphere with no major political speeches or centralized coordination to drive its key messages home.

The rally, which was set up to be a launch pad for Hambantota District MP and former first son Namal Rajapaksa, brought thousands to the Lake House round-about by 4 PM.

Joining the marchers near the Colombo Fort Railway station, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and their security contingents rode in convoy through the crowds.

Continue reading ‘“Janabalaya Kolombata” Protest Turns Into Huge Merry-making Carnival Due to Lack of Serious Purpose and Planning by Namal Rajapaksa led Organizers.’ »

The “Jana Balaya Kolambata” protest campaign has seemingly come to an end despite claims by Joint Opposition MPs to protest overnight and lay siege to the capital city.

JO activists started cleaning up the Lake House roundabout and the roads leading up to the area indicating that they had no plans to continue.

The Colombo Municipal Council members of the SLPP and youth wing of the party were also involved in the clean-up operation.

Continue reading ‘“Janabalaya Kolombata” Protest Comes to an End as Demonstrators Commence Leaving Colombo Despite Organizers Claim of Laying Overnight Siege to the City’ »

Despite National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerawansa’s pledge to protest in Colombo over night, large swathes of protesters have already packed up and left the Lake House roundabout, our reporters said.

The rest of the crowd, however, are currently holding a candlelight vigil at the Lake House roundabout.

As of 10 Pm, none of the prominent leaders of the protest, including its organizer Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, were not seen among the protesters.

Continue reading ‘Large Numbers of Protest Demonstrators Walk In Search of Public Toilets as Inadequate Toilet facilities Pose Major Concern.’ »

Sri Lankan MPs, loyal to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Wednesday took part in a massive protest rally in capital Colombo. Businesses, shops and schools closed by noon, resulting in Colombo coming to a virtual halt.

The protest titled ‘Janabalaya Colombata’ was spearheaded by Rajapaksa’s eldest son and MP, Namal Rajapaksa.

The JO expected over 200,000 protesters from all across the country to take part in the rally held at the Fort, the heart of Colombo’s business hub.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Protest Spearheaded by Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Eldest Son Namal rajapaksa MP Cripples Colombo.’ »

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s supporters kept up a demonstration outside Lake House after a brief march from the Bo Tree junction. Party officials said they planned to stay overnight in Colombo.

President Rajapaksa and his former defence secretary brother Gotabhaya spent a brief time with the protesters, but were expected to re-join the crowd later in the evening, party leaders said.

They said hundreds of thousands of people joined the rally, but police said their estimate was that the crowd was about 50,000. Police said the crowd at Wednesday’s protest was about half the number that attended the JO mass rally to mark May 1 at the Galle Face grounds.

Continue reading ‘Police Estimate Crowds at “Janabalaya Kolombata” Rally in Colombo at 50,000 Although Organizers Claim Hundreds of Thousands Joined Protest’ »

The Cabinet of Ministers today decided to empower the Police to shoot unruly protestors with rubber bullets below their knees if they disrupt civilian life in Colombo tomorrow.

The decision was made with regard to the protest march organized by the Joint Opposition tomorrow under the theme ‘Jana Balaya Kolambata.’

Continue reading ‘Cabinet Decides to Authorise Police to Shoot Protesters Below the Knees with Rubbber Bullets if They Turn Unruly and Disrupt Civilian Life in Colombo During “Janabalaya Kolombata” Demonstration.’ »

Opposition activists loyal to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa plan to stay overnight in Colombo after staging protests on Wednesday, party sources said.

The Joint Opposition rally spearheaded by Rajapaksa’s legislator son Namal hope to bring 200,000 supporters to Colombo in what they promise will be a show of force greater than their May Day demonstration at Galle Face.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Supporters Participanting in Protest Plan to Stay Overnight in Colombo After Demonstration Ends.’ »

Parliamentarians and leading activists of the Joint Opposition met in Colombo, a short while ago, to discuss final arrangements for their protest rally in Colombo tomorrow.

The meeting, chaired by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was conducted by Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Stalwarts Gather in Colombo To Finalise Arrangements for Protest rally at Mahinda Rajapaksa Chaired Meeting Conducted by Namal Rajapaksa’ »

By

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said that today’s JO protest is a Bili Poojawa (Sacrifice) in the name of MP Namal Rajapaksa to cover up their past wrongdoings.

“This protest is aimed at influencing the judiciary and not forming a government,” he said.

Addressing the media at the Finance Ministry yesterday, Minister Samaraweera said that “Namal is attempting to sacrifice the lives of his father’s supporters in order to escape from the alleged fraud and corruption charges. If you are expecting that the government will fulfill your wish, Namal Baby you will be disappointed,” the Minister said.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Protest is a “Bili Poojawa” by ‘Namal Baby’ in an Attempt to Escape from Alleged Fraud and Corruption Charges Through Sacrificing his Father’s Supporters Says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

Mervyn de Silva wrote a brief bio-data on the smaller-sized of the Lanka Guardian notepaper/ letterheads in the last years of his life. It was rearranged into a narrative and appeared on the back cover of ‘Crisis Commentaries: Selected Political Writings of Mervyn de Silva’ published by the International Center for Ethnic studies, Colombo, 1999. It was Mervyn’s laconic look back at his life as he saw it in his late 60s. He never made it to 70. Here is his last CV just as he had typed it:

Continue reading ‘Mervyn De Silva, Journalism and Moscow’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered that information of the three armed forces be not given in connection with ongoing court cases into murders and disappearances, ‘Anidda’ reports.

He issued the order at a meeting on August 28 at his Paget Road residence attended by the defence secretary, chief of defence staff and top defence and police officials, it says.

The CID says it needs certain information of the armed forces to take forward its investigations into the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunga, disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and the abduction of Keith Noyarh, Upali Tennakoon and 11 youths etc.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Orders Heads of Defence Services Not to Release any Details to Police About Information Requested by CID to Help Investigate Cases Like Attacks on the Media and Abduction for Ransom Racket.’ »

By

Hafeel Farisz

Friends and family of 25-year-old Kamar Nizamdeen, who was arrested by the New South Wales Police on Thursday for alleged ‘terrorism’ charges, claimed that Nizamdeen was framed.

“He was an open minded Muslim who has been framed by someone with immense jealousy in heart. Jealousy on his accolades, his position and the type of character he has developed,” his 19-year-old brother said in a posting that is being circulated on Social Media.

Another friend, Shehan Bhavan posting on Facebook questioned as to the credibility of the evidence against him.

“Why would an IT savvy person like him have a notebook full of places in Sydney? he is being framed for his name,” he said.

Another friend posted “Absolutely unbelievable that this is happening to the Kamer we know and love” before adding sympathy toward the family.

Continue reading ‘Family and Friends of 25 Year Old Sri Lankan Nizamdeen Arrested by Australian Police for Alleged “Terrorism” Charges is Innocent and has been Framed by “Someone”.’ »

Australian law enforcement authorities today announced that the New South Wales student accused of documenting plans in a notebook to assassinate two senior Australian politicians is the nephew of a Sri Lankan cabinet minister.

The ABC revealed Mohamed Nizamdeen, 25, is related to Sri Lankan MP Faiszer Musthapha, who is the country’s Sports and Local Government Minister.

The PhD student,, is also the grandson of Jehan Kamer Cassim, the late former chairman of one of Sri Lanka’s biggest banks — Bank of Ceylon.

Nizamdeen, who also worked as a UNSW business systems analyst, was arrested at the Kensington campus last Thursday.

Continue reading ‘New South Wales Student Mohamed Nizamdeen Arrested on Suspected Charges is Nephew of Sri Lankan cabinet Minister Faiszer Musthapha State Australian Media.’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Joint Opposition has rejected Speaker Karu Jayasuriya’s invitation to join a parliamentary group invited by the Lok Sabha as a protest against Jayasuriya’s decision not to recognise the JO as the legitimate opposition.

JO parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday told The Island that the grouping wouldn’t help the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe duo to deceive the Indian parliament.

Asked whether Speaker Jayasuriya had been informed of the JO’s decision, Gunawardena said that the Speaker’s Office was told of their move. Gunawardena alleged that the UNP-led ruling coalition was playing politics with the Opposition Leader’s position.

Continue reading ‘Joint Opposition Refuses To be In Delegation to India as Mark of Protest Against Speaker’s Refusal to Let JO get Leader of the Opposition Post.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

The progress of ongoing criminal investigations into the grisly killing of several Tamil youths following a racket of abduction for ransom, spearheaded ‘allegedly’ (here, I use the term quite deliberately) by a Naval officer and others during 2008-2009 will be the crucible on which this Government and this Presidency’s commitment to promises made, will be tested most severely.

Fair differences between then and now

Unlike other instances of the killing of youths, such as what occurred in Trincomalee in 2006, ready excuses cannot be offered as to the chain of evidence becoming cold or pointing to key witnesses living overseas being reluctant to return to testify, as would be naturally the case given the trauma that they have had to undergo.

It must be fairly acknowledged that one distinguishing feature of the current ‘yahapalanaya’ administration is that the Navy suspect was arrested and produced before court which would have been out of the question if the Rajapaksas were still in power. Then again, the fact that the Court inquiring into the matter had proceeded to act according to law is also another demonstrable difference when compared to the past. These officers of the state must be commended to the highest extent possible for carrying out their functions with due diligence despite the enormous and impossible strains put on them by political forces.

Continue reading ‘If Full Force of the Law is not Applied Due To Political Interference Against Superior Officers Allegedly Protecting Subordinates in Navy Abduction and Murder Racket it would Be the Last Nail in the “Yahapalanaya” Govt Coffin.’ »

By

Maneshka Borham

The Naganathan residence on Shoe Road, Kotahena is dark and dreary. Inside, it is as though time has stood still for the once happy Naganathan family, since the abduction of their son, Rajiv Naganathan, almost 10 years ago by a suspected, organized Navy abduction for ransom gang. Since his disappearance, Rajiv’s parents, especially, his mother Sarojini Naganathan has left no stone unturned in the search for her only child. Her only focus is the return of her child. Splitting her time between caring for her ailing husband and numerous court visits, Sarojini now spends most of her days at kovils and temples, praying for the return of her son, and inviting the fury of the Gods upon those who took him away from her.

Before all this anguish (September 17, 2008, was the last time Sarojini saw her son) those were happier times. The International School educated Rajiv had just been accepted to a University in the United Kingdom and, had left home to spend time with friends before leaving Sri Lanka. The five friends including Rajiv went mysteriously missing that day, in Badowita, Dehiwala on their way to meet a man identified as Mohamed Ali Anwer, later revealed to be the informant of the abductors.

Recalling the day, Sarojini says, it was she herself that withdrew money for her son so he could treat his friends. She wavers between profound emotion when speaking of Rajiv, and shaking anger at the mere mention of his abductors.

Continue reading ‘Explosive Revelations in Court Implicate Navy Top Brass With Abduction for Ransom and Murder racket Conducted by Navy Personnel.’ »

Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama believes attitudes of the people must change for the country to move forward and adequately address the sufferings of families of disappeared persons.

“We should not look at this through a political or racist perspective,” she said, and pointed out that some harbour negative feelings toward the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). She commended the OMP for being the first State affiliated organisation to mark the International Day of the Disappeared and acknowledged more support needed to be given to institutions like the OMP to promote reconciliation and harmony.

“Still, those trying to find their missing loved ones are called traitors, while those responsible for the disappearances may be regarded heroes,” she said delivering the keynote address at an OMP event to mark the International Day of the Disappeared.

Continue reading ‘“If People are not Moved by the Struggles of Families of Disappeared Persons then Something is Wrong with our Country” Says Human Rights Commission Chair Dr.Deepika Udagama.’ »

By

Leon Berenger

A total of 62,338 Sri Lankans are currently on the country’s blacklist and are prevented from leaving the country, unless they obtain prior Court approval, senior State intelligence sources revealed yesterday.

According to the sources, who cannot be named for obvious reasons, the figure includes close to a 30,000 security force personnel starting from the lowest ranks to senior most officers with some of them facing various charges in the country’s Courts.

Most of the SF personnel are on the list for being Absent Without Leave (AWL) while there are those who are facing criminal charges in various Courts, they said.

Continue reading ‘62,338 Sri Lankans Including Nearly 30,000 Security Forces Personnel “Blacklisted” by Authorities to Prevent them Leaving Sri Lanka reveal State Intelligence Circles.’ »

By Manekshaw

A mammoth gathering of protestors in Mullaitivu on Tuesday (28) chanted slogans to halt colonization under the Mahaweli System L in the Northern Province being carried out with State patronage.

The Northern Provincial Council has been agitating that land powers under the 13th Amendment be granted to it.

However, it was evident from the mammoth protest, plans have also been mooted to divert the longest river in the island to spearhead State-backed colonization in the province.

From the time the Mahaweli Project was initiated, the Mahaweli remains a great blessing to farmers in areas where it flows.

However, the Mullaitivu agitation highlighted that System L of the Mahaweli Project, covering Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu districts has been worked out to spearhead colonization with outsiders from the Northern Province and not with the sincere interest of providing water for the Northern farmer.

Continue reading ‘System “L” of Mahaweli Project Being used to Spearhead Colonization of Northern Mainland With “Outsiders” and Not With Sincere Intention to Provide Water to Northern Farmers.’ »

A team of Sri Lankan judicial officers visited the United States recently on a US government sponsored tour.

The last item on their itinerary was a visit to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters.

Continue reading ‘Details of Ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Family’s Assets Made Available to Sri Lankan Govt for Due Action by FBI After Conducting Probe.’ »

President Maithripala Sirisena will recommended to the Constitutional Council the appointment of Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya as the new Chief Justice.

The present incumbent Priyasath Dep retires next month.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Recommends To Constitutional Council That Attorney -General Jayantha Jayasuriy be Appointed Chief Justice After Present Chief Justice Priyasath Dep Retires Next Month.’ »

Arrangements are in place for the long-awaited arrest of Sri Lanka’s senior-most military officer in connection with an extortion racket and the horrific murder of 11 young men, official sources said.

The Colombo Fort magistrate on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne after the CID said it had evidence of him shielding the main suspect, a navy intelligence officer.

Despite the unprecedented order seeking the arrest of a military officer equivalent to the rank of a four-star general in the army, Wijegunaratne continued to receiving visiting foreign dignitaries.

Incidentally, Wijegunaratne was attending the funeral of one of his predecessors, General Rohan Daluwatte, when the court made the stunning pronouncement against him.

Continue reading ‘All Arrangements in Place for Arrest of Ex-Navy Commander and Current Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne for Shielding Chief Suspect in Abduction and Murder of 11 Youths for Ransom Case’ »

It was a lavish, fairy-tale wedding for more than 1,500 guests at one of Sri Lanka’s best known addresses on Thursday (Aug 30)

Chatura, the son of Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, and a parliamentarian himself was given in marriage by his father Rajitha Senaratne at a gala wedding ceremony at ‘Temple Trees’ – the official residence of the Prime Minister.

Continue reading ‘Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne’s Son Chatura Senartne MP’s Fairy-tale Wedding Takes Place at “Temple Trees” in a “Maharajah Palace”Decor with More Than 1500 Guests’ »

(Excerpted from the “Sunday Times”Political Column of September 2nd 2018)

Wednesday’s protest rally by the ‘Joint Opposition’ has come under heavy focus of leaders of the ruling coalition.

Whilst the ‘JO’ wants to induct large crowds, coalition leaders want to do just the opposite — prevent as many from taking part. Indications of who will win the ding-dong battle will be known within the next 48 hours. Yet, it has set off alarm bells in the coalition. The Western Province Transport Authority has banned from yesterday until September 8 all private bus operators undertaking special tours. Only buses operating on specified routes on permits issued to them will be permitted on the roads. Violators will have their permits cancelled. Other than that first blow, more are due, say government sources.

The ‘JO’ is keeping the venue a secret. “We have sought approval for five different venues. Our organising committee will decide on Tuesday the exact location,” Wimal Weerawansa, leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF), and one of the front liners, said. Such approval would have to come from both the Colombo Municipal Council and the Police. A safe guess is that ‘JO” marchers may converge on the Galle Face Green.

Perhaps to allow all MPs to assist ministers in showcasing the government’s different achievements, also on Wednesday, President Maithripala Sirisena is in favour of Parliament sessions not being held on Tuesday and Wednesday. With no visibility of any such move, it is not clear whether there is any other reason behind it. In fact, the Leader of the House, Lakshman Kiriella, told a party leaders’ meeting in Parliament that Sirisena has made this suggestion to him. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya who presided asked how this could be done since it would violate accepted traditions. It is unlikely that sittings will be cancelled.

Continue reading ‘Envisaged Protest Rally by Joint Opposition in Colombo On Sep 5th Places Coalition Govt In Tricky Situation.’ »

By

Lucien Rajakarunanayake

Public interest in the handling of fraud and crime that prevailed under the Rajapaksa Regime shows a new interest with the action by the Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar over two key figures in the past regime. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary, and six others, were noticed to appear before the new court with regard to misappropriation of funds over construction of the D. A. Rajapaksa Museum and Memorial. This followed the High Court also issuing notice on Gamini Sedera Senarath, Chief of Staff of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and three others, on misuse of public funds under the Public Property Act, Penal Code and Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

These cases mark a major change in what was seen as a long delay in the fight against corruption by of the former regime, which was a major pledge of the in the political campaign to defeat the re-election of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in January 2015. There was major public concern about investigation and legal action delays on matters of corruption by those in the Rajapaksa Regime. This led to criticism by President Maithripala Sirisena over attempts to cover up some of these probes, and led to ministerial changes in the UNP branch of the ruling coalition.

Continue reading ‘For Past Three Years Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was Seen as Someone Above the Law Who Could Not be Arrested and Brought Before Courts.’ »

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, yesterday, issued a statement urging people to join the planned Joint Opposition protest in Colombo on Sept 5.

Alleging that there are also dangerous and concerted efforts to compromise peace and reconciliation in the pursuit of personal political interests, the war veteran said that it was evident in the ongoing constitutional reform initiatives as well as the witch-hunts launched against military personnel who had made untold sacrifices to rid the country of terrorism. The former Defence Secretary asserted that all true Sri Lankans would observe those developments with great dismay.

The following is the text of the statement issued by Gotabhaya Rajapaksa;

“Sri Lanka has never, in its long history, fallen to the political, social and economic depths that the nation has witnessed in recent times. Having recognised the dangerous trends across all sectors, we have engaged in various processes and readied ourselves to take up the challenge of rectifying the status quo in a systematic manner. A large number of professionals and intellectuals from all walks of life, irrespective of their religious and ethnic identities, have rallied around us for this purpose.

Continue reading ‘Ex -Def -Secy Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Issues Statement Urging all Professionals and Intellectuals to Support the “Janabalaya Kolombata” Rally on Sep 5th in Colombo.’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne

The Court of Appeal yesterday refused Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara thera, leave to appeal to the Supreme Court against the recent judgment of the Court, which convicted him of contempt of court and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for six years.

The Court of Appeal recently convicted the Venerable Galagodaatte Gnanasara thera of contempt of court and imposed a sentence of six years rigorous imprisonment.

Gnanasara thera disturbed the proceedings of the Homagama Magistrate’s court, when the inquiry in respect of the disappearance of Pradeep Ekneligoda was in progress.

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena Gen Secy Gnanasara Thero Refused Leave To Appeal to Supreme Court Against His Contempt of Court Conviction By the Court of Appeal.’ »

By

Kaushi Sendanayake

It is not a matter of whether Mahinda Rajapaksa can contest for the Presidency once again or not, as long as whoever becomes the President at the next election forms a Government with him (Mahinda) as the Prime Minister, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

He was responding media queries after appearing before the Investigation Unit of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) today (29), to give evidence regarding the formation and initial operations of Mihin Lanka during his tenure as a Director of its Board.

Continue reading ‘“It Does Not Matter Whether Mahinda Rajapaksa Can Contest for Presidency if Whoever is Elected the Next President Forms Government With Mahinda as Prime Minister” States Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.’ »

A 25-year-old Sri-Lankan named M. Nizamdeen was arrested over suspected terror-related offences in Australia.

The Australian law enforcement authorities said he was in Sydney on a student visa, and was arrested after finding “symbolic locations within Sydney” listed as possible targets in his notebook

Officers from NSW’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) arrested Mohamed Nizamdeen at Kensington, in Sydney’s south-east.

The University of New South Wales contractor appeared in Waverley Local Court today where he was refused bail, with the matter adjourned to October 24.

Continue reading ‘25 Year old Sri Lankan Named Nizamdeen in Australia on a Student Visa Arrested in Sydney For Suspected Terror Offences Targeting “Symbolic Locations”.’ »

speaking in Sinhala in Galle All the problems of Tamil People won’t b solved by a new Constitution, but a new Constitution is fundamental. Without this, no issue an be addressed, said TNA Spokesman M. A. Sumanthiran speaking in Sinhala an an event in Galle on Constitutional Reform.

Continue reading ‘A new Constitution is a fundamental necessity. The Sinhala majority should accept it – M. A. Sumanthiran’ »