By

Dharisha Bastians

He’s back!

After a year in the shadows, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, the controversial monk who leads the radical Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena, is front and centre of the news cycle again. He is storming into courtrooms, insulting Government lawyers and threatening, allegedly in foul language, the woman who has been searching for her missing husband for the better part of six years.

Sandhya Eknaligoda, the wife of disappeared journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, has pursued a lengthy legal process to find the whereabouts of her husband or learn the facts pertaining to his disappearance. Her Habeas Corpus petition is being investigated by the Homagama Magistrate’s Court. Since the defeat of the Rajapaksa administration one year ago, the Eknaligoda investigation has gathered steam, with police sleuths linking his disappearance to an army camp in Giritale, in the Polonnaruwa District. As evidence continues to surface that links the military to Prageeth Eknaligoda’s disappearance, the army begans to close ranks. Frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the military, CID sleuths complained to the Homagama Magistrate, who threatened to issue notice on the Army Chief Chrishantha De Silva unless his forces cooperated with the investigation into Prageeth’s disappearance.

In a country where the conviction of a soldier who was found guilty of the murder of eight persons including two children as in Mirusuvil Jaffna 16 years ago, is perceived as being high treason and a betrayal of the heroes of war, the implication of the military in the high profile disappearance of a dissenting journalist is causing ripples in the ultra-nationalist fringe. These fringe groups paint Prageeth as a double-dealing LTTE spy, thereby justifying his alleged detention by the military that is currently under investigation.

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena Leader Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Emerges Out of the Shadows Again.’ »

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that the government hadn’t ruled out foreign involvement in the proposed war crimes investigation.

The PM said so in answer to a Channel 4 News query. Asked whether there wouldn’t be any foreign involvement as declared by President Maithripala Sirisena last week, Wickremesinghe said the President had not ruled it out.

President Sirisena has said that as the local judiciary was capable of handling the inquiry there was no need for a hybrid mechanism.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Wickremesinghe Says President Sirisena has not Ruled out Foreign Involvement in War Crimes Investigation’ »

By
Vishwamithra 1984

Leadership in politics has been a subject many psychologists and social scientists have attempted to analyze, dissect and write about over and over again. These analysts and writers have ascribed strong leadership in politics to many a politician and history alone stands as the sole judge as to the validity and legitimacy of those claims.

However, when leadership is challenged, when it is questioned and probed, those who come out as deserving and great are those who have taken unparalleled risks under most trying conditions and come out on top to the wonder and amazement of many pessimists and skeptics.

Furthermore, one must guard oneself against reading too much into the simplicity of a persona of a leader, for more often than not, simplicity could be a shield, or a false façade against a more complex and sinister character that a leader tries to conceal. Yet a majority of people fall for that outer veneer and take that as the authentic nature of a leader whom they long to emulate and look up to as a messiah of sort.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Faces Challenge of Retaining his “Authenticity” Image For a Long Time’ »

By Sarath de Silva

Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayae yesterday ordered Officer-in-Charge of Homagama Police to arrest those who had been involved in unruly protests at the court premises as well as outside on Tuesday over the remanding to Ven. Galabodaatte Gnanasara thera on a charge of contempt of court.

Continue reading ‘Police Ordered to Arrest Bodu Bala Sena led Mob Causing Mayhem at Homagama Courts;37 Miscreants Identified.’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

The Sinha Le organization organized an Adhishtana Pooja recently opposite the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic). The media reported that those present at this pooja carried a National Flag sans the symbols that signify the minorities in this country. Earlier, the distorted content of the National Nlag surfaced when former Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was summoned before the Bribery Commission. Those opposed to the summoning of Gotabaya before the Bribery Commission waved those distorted National Flags to lodge their protests. They claimed it was the Sinha Le flag. That happened in April last year. Gotabaya addressed that group of persons who held the distorted National Flag in their hands.

The Cinnamon Gardens Police complained to the Colombo Chief Magistrate about the distorted version of the National Flag and the Magistrate directed the Police to submit video clips of that flag. Despite public agitation over the distortion of the National Flag, the government failed to act against the production and possession of such flag. The fate of the complaint made by the Cinnamon Gardens Police to the Magistrate is yet unknown.

Continue reading ‘Maithri and Ranil Prevent Arrest of Gotabaya Rajapaksa the “Crown Prince” of Sinha Le Organization’ »

by Dasun Edirisinghe

A tense situation prevailed near the Homagama Magistrate’s Court yesterday over the remanding of Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera for contempt of court.

Hundreds of Buddhist monks accompanied by laymen surrounded the court asking for the release of Ven. Gnanasara Thera.

They attempted to storm the court premises only to be prevented by the police. Two monks injured in a confrontation with the police were hospitalised. The STF brought the situation under control.

Continue reading ‘STF Uses Batons to Disperse Bhikku led Mob Obstructing Gnanasara Thera Being Remanded; Two Monks Injured- Damminda Thera Attempts Self-immolation’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

The involvement of foreign judges, prosecutors and investigators is a must for a credible Sri Lankan probe into war crimes charges, said Keith Harper, US Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.

In a terse but strong tweet on Tuesday, Harper said: “Credibility of any accountability mechanism requires involvement of foreign judges etc. That has not changed and will not change.”

Continue reading ‘US Envoy to UN in Geneva Keith Harper Says Mechanism Probing War Crimes in Sri Lanka Must Have Foreign Involvement’ »

By Saman Indrajith

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that his government would not leave room for the making of any more Bhikkus like Talduwe Somarama or Mapitigama Buddharakkthitha.

The Prime Minister, participating in a debate on agreements Sri Lanka entered with several other nations at the time of adjournment, condemned the conduct of Ven Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thera at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court on Monday.

The Prime Minister said he had instructed the police to have a full scale investigation into the conduct of Ven. Gnanasara thera and submit the report to Mahanayakes of the Malwatte and Kotte Chapters for further action against the monk.

Continue reading ‘“Govt will Investigate Whether Laymen Wearing Bhikku Robes Participated in Homagama Courts Demonstration” – Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has told Lankan security forces personnel that Lanka was answerable to the international community regarding charges of human rights violations during Eelam War IV, and that any attempt to dodge the issue would lead to the country’s isolation from the rest of the world.

But while saying so, the President assured the troops that the idea behind the proposed war crimes investigations was “to find out the truth and not to punish security forces personnel.”

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena says that Idea Behind Proposed War Crimes Investigation is “not to punish Security Forces Personnel”,’ »

By Dharisha Bastians

The Tamil National Alliance yesterday expressed disappointment over the delays in formulating a mechanism to draft a new constitution for Sri Lanka, and urged the Government and all Sri Lankans to seize the historic opportunity to change the country’s Governance culture.

Addressing a media briefing at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo yesterday, TNA Spokesman and Jaffna District Legislator M.A. Sumanthiran said the Tamil party did not want to see a dilution of the constitution- making exercise, even as the President sought consensus on the mechanism to draft the new supreme law.

“The whole constitution making exercise is aimed at changing the governance culture in Sri Lanka. It is important that this change happens,” Sumanthiran told reporters.

Continue reading ‘TNA Concerned More About Power Sharing Proposals in Constitution Than in “Unitary” and “Federal” Labels says MA Sumanthiran MP’ »

By Dharisha Bastians

Pandemonium reigned outside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court yesterday, after the court ordered the arrest and remand of controversial Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero on contempt of court charges.

Gnanasara Thero was escorted to the Welikada Remand prison under Special Task Force (STF) protection, after riot police squads were deployed to control an unruly mob of monks and lay people trying to prevent his arrest.

Saffron-clad monks attempted to scale the courtroom wall and lay down under the tyres of the prison bus trying to prevent the vehicle from leaving the court premises. Screeching obscenities and threats at prison officials and lawyers and threatening to self-immolate, the mob created chaos outside the courtroom for hours, preventing judges and court officials from leaving the premises.

Continue reading ‘STF Escorts Gnanasara Thera to Welikada Prison While Unruly Mob of Buddhist Clergy -Laity Tries to Prevent Arrest’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

The Government informed Parliament yesterday that Yoshitha Rajapaksa the son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had been inducted into the Sri Lanka Navy bypassing mandatory educational qualifications of the GCE Ordinary level and had been sent for extensive training in the United Kingdom and Ukraine at state expense.

Chief Government Whip Gayantha Karunathillake said that even though Yoshitha Rajapaksa had failed to obtain minimum results at his ordinary level exams after two sittings, a mandatory qualification to enroll in the Sri Lanka Navy, he had been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant soon afterwards.

Continue reading ‘Yoshitha Rajapakse Taken Into Navy Without GCE OL Qualification and Promoted as Lieutenant:Govt Spent Rs.22.23 Million For His Training in UK and Ukraine From Jan 2007 to Aug 2010’ »

Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera was remanded till February 9 by Homagama Magistrate’s Court a short while ago on Tuesday January 26th.He was arrested this morning when he surrendered to the Homagama Police.

The Homagama Magistrate issued an arrest warrant against Gnanasara Thera yesterday on three charges including threatening a state official, obstructing the court proceedings and contempt of court. He addressed the court yesterday immediately after the case on the disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda was taken up.

The incident which led to the arrest warrant occurred immediately after the court proceedings were concluded on the Eknaligoda case. Gnanasara Thera started addressing the court, alleging that the arrest of Army Intelligence officials regarding the Eknaligoda disappearance was illegal.

Pointing to Senior State Counsel Dileepa Peris, he claimed that they should be arrested for urging for the “illegal arrests” of military officers.

Continue reading ‘300 Police Summoned to Control Bhikkus Storming Homagama Court Premises as Bodu Bala Sena’ Gen Secy Gnanasara Thera is Remanded till Feb 9th’ »

By

Hafeel Farisz

I am not a Sinha-Ley Muslim. Won’t ever be. I had no problem with the concept of being a Sinhala-Muslim during my childhood. In-fact I often used to think Ven. Mahinda Thera included us — the minorities, in his poems and Anagarika Dharmapala in his, what I assumed were, anti colonialist speeches.

That was why, during many of the Sinhala speech contests I took part in as a teenager, I chose the topic ‘Jaathiyata Diridun Lak Doo Puthun’ (Those who gave life to the nation) or a deviant close to it.

I remember ending them with the poem.

“Be iwasannata Be iwasannata ammeni pembara Lanka
Ma sitha ginnehi loo lunu men pupuranneya kopa vikaren
E sanasannata Sinhala Ley athi Sinhala kolleku ayyo
Dan upadinnema nadda Upulwan dev rajune Laka Rakna”

All the while thinking, we also fit the criteria of a ‘ Sinhala Ley athi Sinhala kollek’. After all even the writer of the poem was not from the ‘Sinha-ley’ clan.

Then I remember reading Kumarathunga Munidasa as well, when he said ‘nuwanath hela, niwanath hela’ – ‘hela’, to me, meant nothing more than the Island. More recently, when Desmond de Silva sang in ‘ Yanna Rata Watey, Enna maa priye’, the verse ‘ Sinhala Polawa mage mey’ I didn’t find anything odd. In fact it is one my favourite songs. So is C.T Fernando’s Hela Jathika Abhimane.

I have no problem with the concept. Never did.

Continue reading ‘“I Have a Problem With Anyone Who is Shoving His Political, Religious or Cultural Fascism Down My Throat”’ »

By

Stanley Samarasinghe & Shahida Riza

Court of Appeal yesterday (25) issued an interim order against Minister of Megapolis Champika Ranawaka, preventing him from acquiring a plot of land owned by Minister Daya Gamage.

President of Court of Appeal Vijith Malalgoda and Justice Devika de Livera took this decision after considering an appeal by Gamage and three others. Minister Ranawake and three others have been accused.

Speaking to Ceylon Today, Gamage said that the former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had acquired many of his lands, the Ampara garment factory in particular where 4,000 people worked, which the UDA at that time got a Court Order to demolish. The previous government acquired land as and when they wanted for development, he said and went on to say that Ranawaka was also doing the same.

Continue reading ‘Appeal Court Issues Interim Order Against Megapolis Minister Champika Ranawaka Preventing Acquisition of Land Owned by UNP Minister Daya Gamage’ »

(Text of Media release Issued by Human Rights Watch)

(New York) – The Sri Lankan government should fulfill its commitments to the United Nations Human Rights Council by ensuring that foreign judges and prosecutors play a significant role in the mandated accountability mechanism for wartime abuses, Human Rights Watch said today.

On January 21, 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena told the BBC, contrary to Sri Lanka’s council commitments, that he will “never agree to international involvement,” saying “[w]e have more than enough specialists, experts and knowledgeable people in our country to solve our internal issues.”

Human Rights Council member and observer countries that backed the consensus October 2015 resolution, should make clear that foreign participation in a war crimes tribunal was already decided by the council and is not subject to renegotiation. After adoption of the resolution, Sri Lanka told the council that it was pleased to join as a co-sponsor “as a further manifestation of Sri Lanka’s commitment to implement the provisions of the resolution, in a manner that its objectives are shared by the people and all stakeholders in the country, for their benefit.”

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Needs to Understand that International Participation in War Crimes Tribunal is not a Vague Promise to the UN – Human Rights Watch’ »

By
Ranga Jayasuriya

Last week, this newspaper reported that some hotels in the Mirissa Bay area were refusing to serve Sri Lankans on the purported ‘uncivilized’ behaviour of local visitors. The report quoted a humiliated customer as complaining of being turned away from several places, when he ordered a simple cup of coffee.

Since people don’t get high over a cup of coffee, those are not preventive measures to wade off alcohol fuelled idiosyncrasies. What we are talking about is a clear cut case of apartheid, in which, Sri Lankans as a whole are being reduced to second class citizens in their own land, ironically at the hand of some folks in Mirissa, who before the trickle of tourists there, survived on the very locals they now refuse to serve.

Second, whatever those hoteliers may claim as the pretext, a blanket ban on the locals is patently unconstitutional. The Sri Lankan Constitution prohibits the discrimination on race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, place of birth. Article 12.2 states: “No citizen shall be discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, place of birth or any such grounds.”

However, no Constitution is worth the paper it is written on unless its guarantees are implemented; and they cannot be implemented when those who are entrusted to enforce them are ignorant and regressive in thinking, in the same way the folks who refuse to serve locals in Mirissa are. Since the Sri Lanka Tourism authorities who are meant to regulate the industry have so far failed to act, it seems we have plenty of those sorts in high places.

Continue reading ‘“Apartheid” Practised by Mirissa Hoteliers in Refusing to Serve Locals is Blatant Violation of the Constitution’ »

By

Chandeepa Wettasinghe

In his continuing campaign for abstinence, President Maithripala Sirisena called upon the residents of the Northern Province to stop consuming alcohol. “There is more alcohol distributed here in the North than elsewhere in the country.

Alcohol is worse than weapons of war. It destroys lives,” he said, at the ceremonial opening of the Hirdaramani Group’s latest apparel factory in Puthukudiyiruppu, Mullaitivu.

Noting that a majority of the factory workers were young, he had a directed his words at the young people. “Young minds get distracted fast by one thing or another. But the solution to that is not alcohol,” he said.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Calls Upon Northern Province Residents to Curtail Excessive Alcohol Consumption.’ »

by Dasun Edirisinghe

The government has lent credence to a non-existing human organ racket here and deprived the country of foreign exchange by imposing an ill-conceived, blanket ban on kidney transplant operations on foreigners in Sri Lanka, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) says.

GMOA Secretary Dr. Nalinda Herath said the end result of the government ban served the purposes of Indian doctors and medical industry to block a large number of Indians coming here for kidney transplant operations.

The ban was the result of a well-orchestrated media campaign in India against the Sri Lankan doctors. Kidney transplant operations in India had attracted many Indians and obviated the need for the Sri Lankan kidney patients to go to India, Dr. Herath said.

Continue reading ‘Allegations of Kidney Transplant Racket by Indian Media is Conspiracy to Prevent Indians Coming to Lanka for Surgical Operations – GMOA’ »

The National Government’s move to fast track the process for a new Constitution for Sri Lanka has been placed on temporary hold. A debate on the resolution for this purpose, moved by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, due in Parliament on Tuesday, January 26 has been cancelled. A new date is yet to be fixed and House Leader Lakshman Kiriella did not propose one when Speaker Karu Jayasuriya chaired a meeting of party leaders last Tuesday. As revealed last week, the delay is because Premier Wickremesinghe wants to discuss amendments moved by different political parties to his resolution.

One such amendment by the Mahinda Rajapaksa-backed ‘joint opposition’ has sought to include provisions that the entire House sit as a committee. In the original resolution reference is made only to the establishment of a Constitutional Assembly. Another is the exclusion of the word “new” from the original resolution. Talks are to begin after Wickremesinghe returns from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland today.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena in Unpublicised Meeting with Namal Rajapaksa Invites Ex-President Mahinda’s son to Work With him’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

When the party leaders met last Tuesday, it was decided not to hold the debate which was scheduled for January 26 (Tuesday this week) on the prime minister’s resolution to set up a Constitutional Assembly until the prime minister returns from his trip to Davos.

It is to be hoped that this postponement is to amend the resolution as recommended by the Joint Opposition and to proceed with the constitution making process under the standing orders of parliament, the same way the previous 19 Amendments to the constitution were made.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has gone on record suggesting that the constitution making process be split up into manageable parts by bringing in the abolition of the executive presidency and the reform of the electoral system first, before going onto other matters.

The example he had taken is the way the executive presidency was first created as an amendment to the 1972 constitution which was later incorporated into the 1978 constitution.

This suggestion has much merit to it because the last parliament also debated the 19th amendment to abolish the executive presidential system and the 20th Amendment for electoral reform separately. The reason why the 19th and 20th Amendments failed last time was because the SLFP Maithripala group sabotaged the 19th Amendment and the UNP cold shouldered the 20th Amendment in retaliation.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Keeps Dodging the Issue of Abolishing Executive Presidency Despite Swearing Over Sobitha Thero’s Dead Body to do so.’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

As former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa emerged smiling into television cameras this week following summons issued by Sri Lanka’s Presidential Commission on Serious Fraud et al (PRECIFAC), his jibes were clear. ‘So there were rogues in our time’ he said, ‘…there were rogues in the past as well and rogues also, in the present.’

Disinclination to change the impunity culture

The storm clouds that are gathering amidst rumors of a new Rajapaksa political grouping may not be directly over us as yet. Yet their appearance on the horizon is quite discernible as ultra-nationalism raises its monstrous head again as typified by slogans of ‘Sinha-le’ (blood of the lion) defacing vehicles and walls of houses in Colombo.

In the North, nationalist sentiment is also on the rise as buttressed by the castigation of the Government in appearing to renege on its promises to secure justice for war time abuses. Central to nationwide dissatisfaction is the retreat from the high moral ground on which the Sirisena Presidency had defeated the Rajapaksa juggernaut.

This retreat was entirely predictable as seasoned observers were quick to note early on. The catapulting of compromised flag bearers of the old regime into the fledging interim administration early last year created considerable disquiet. These were good warning signals.

Continue reading ‘We are yet to see Significant Domestic Course Correction on the Part of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Coalition’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Wartime Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, recently evoked memories of India’s disastrous intervention in Sri Lanka. Gandhi reiterated unsubstantiated war crimes accusations at an event to mark President Maithripala Sirisena’s first year in office. Gandhi was in Colombo a few days before Indian Foreign Secretary, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, arrived, in Colombo, for consultations. Jaishankar had served the Indian High Commission in Colombo during the turbulent 1988-1990 period as the First Secretary, Political Affairs.

Against the background of Gandhi’s pronouncements, The Island interviewed Dr. Engineer K. Vigneswaran, Secretary to the North-East Provincial Council, during EPRLF heavyweight Varatharaja Perumal’s tenure as its Chief Minister, in the late 80s.

Having conducted the NEPC polls, on Nov 19, 1988, India named Perumal as its first Chief Minister. Perumal received the appointment on Dec 10, 1988. The then President Ranasinghe Premadasa dissolved the Council, on March 1, 1990, immediately after Perumal made an unilateral declaration of independence. The announcement was made about three weeks before India pulled out her Army from Sri Lanka.

In a wide-ranging interview with the writer, Vigneswaran, former EPDP National List member, discussed contentious matters, including the ongoing battle between Northern Province Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran, and the four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a clandestine arrangement between the then UPFA presidential candidate, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the LTTE, ahead of Nov. 2005 polls, a UNP project to sabotage the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s bid to change the constitution, in 2000, and serving Indian Army officers thwarting Tamil Nadu administration from arresting him. Vigneswarana also recollected his contacts with Jaishankar.

Vigneswaran said that those who had been involved in Perumal’s administration earned the wrath of the LTTE, therefore top officials were given an opportunity to leave for India ahead of the departing Indian Army. Having received information regarding a possible attempt on his life, by the LTTE, in Colombo, Vigneswaran had sent his wife, and two children to Colombo. “I stayed in Trincomalee while members of my family took a flight to Tamil Nadu. The LTTE stepped-up pressure as the Indian Army gradually reduced its presence here. Perhaps, over a week before the last Indian contingent left Trincomalee, I was given an opportunity to join my family in Tamil Nadu.”

Continue reading ‘“Though Less-Educated Ex-tiger Pillaiyaan was a Better Chief Minister of East Than Ex-Judge Wigneswaran is of the North now” Says Dr.K. Vigneswaran’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has rejected the UN Human Rights Council’s demand for foreign involvement in the judicial mechanism to be set up to investigate and try war crimes charges against the Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

“I will never agree to international involvement in this matter. We have more than enough specialists, experts and knowledgeable people in our country to solve our internal issues,” Sirisena told the Sinhalese service of the BBC on Thursday.

“This investigation should be internal and indigenous, without violating the laws of the country,” he explained.

Asked when the court might be set up, he said: “These things cannot be done instantly or in a hurried manner. We will certainly reach our target but it’s a process.”

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena Rejects UN Human Rights Council Demand For Foreign Involvement in Mechanism Investigating War Crimes’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has refuted Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran’s contention that it has reneged in its commitment to secure for the Tamils of Sri Lanka the right to self determination.

Wigneswaran had told TNA members in the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) earlier this week, that the TNA had pledged itself to securing for the Tamils self determination in its manifesto for the 2013 NPC elections, but it had not mentioned it in its manifesto for the August 2015 Lankan parliamentary elections. He was insinuating that the TNA’s leadership had struck a cozy relationship with the Sinhalese leaders in Colombo to the detriment of the Tamils.

Refuting this contention at a meeting of members of the TNA in the Northern and Eastern Provincial Councils held at Kilinochchi on Thursday, the party’s leaders said that the manifesto for the August 2015 parliamentary elections had clearly stated self determination as a goal.

Continue reading ‘CV Wigneswaran’s Accusation About TNA 2015 Manifesto Abandoning Right of Self-Determination Proved Completely False.’ »

By Azzam Ameen
BBC Sinhala, Colombo

The president of Sri Lanka has said foreign judges and prosecutors should not be involved in an investigation into allegations of war crimes.

In a BBC interview, President Maithripala Sirisena said the country did not need to “import” specialists.
Both the army and the Tamil Tiger rebels are accused of atrocities in the civil war that ended in 2009.
The government previously backed a UN resolution calling for a war crimes court supported by foreign judges.

But on Thursday the president said: “I will never agree to international involvement in this matter.”
“We have more than enough specialists, experts and knowledgeable people in our country to solve our internal issues,” he said.

Continue reading ‘Investigation Into War Crimes Allegations will be Internal and Indigenous Without International Involvement, President Sirisena Tells BBC.’ »

An Interview with Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka
BY T. RAMAKRISHNAN in Colombo

IT was a Sunday afternoon, and the 64-year-old Maithripala Sirisena was in no mood to relax. He had a series of meetings earlier. After his appointment with Frontline in a hall of his official residence sporting the portraits of Marx, Lenin and Mahatma Gandhi, the President had some more meetings scheduled for the day. He appeared relaxed during his interaction with this correspondent, which was originally meant to be brief but lasted nearly one hour. He listened to the questions closely and patiently and replied mostly in Sinhala.

Excerpts from the interview.

How would you rate your performance in the last one year—good, very good, excellent?

[Smiles] Very good.

Have you finished what you had planned to do in the first year of your term?

No. But I have begun to carry out. It [last year] was the entry point.

Has your relationship with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was in the rival camp until November 2014, grown closer? How do you feel about working with him?

Very close. [I am] extremely satisfied.

What is your response to the criticism that a number of amendments made to the 2016 Budget have revealed that the United National Party (UNP)-Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) coalition government is not functioning cohesively?

It was a very good Budget. The proposals were excellent. The criticism arose when concessions to public servants and people of the country were reduced. If these [the concessions] are withdrawn, we need to inform the people in advance and explain why we are taking them back. In this instance, the people were not properly informed. That was our fault. This was why we had to make certain changes.

Continue reading ‘An Interview with Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka For “Frontline” by T.Ramakrishnan in Colombo’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

President Maithripala Sirisena’s own party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), in conjunction with the breakaway Joint Opposition Group (JOG) led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has stalled Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s move to change the country’s constitution.

On January 9, the JOG stopped parliament from debating and voting on Wickremesinghe’s resolution to change the constitution, saying that they needed to move amendments. To everyone’s surprise, when the resolution was taken up again on January 12, the SLFP, which is part of a coalition government headed by Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP), itself moved amendments. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) sought time to move its amendments, forcing the Speaker to put off the debate to January 26. This week, it was postponed indefinitely.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s SLFP Together with Ex-President Mahinda Loyalists Obstruct UNP Premier Ranil’s Move to Draft New Constitution’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran on Wednesday strongly denied that the Tamil Makkal Peravai (TMP), which he heads, is a political organization in competition with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). But at the same time he pointed out that the TNA has reneged on its commitment to securing for the minority Tamils the right to self-determination.

Speaking at a meeting of members of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) belonging to the TNA in Jaffna, Wigneswaran said that there was a marked difference between the TNA’s manifesto for the NPC elections in October 2013 and its manifesto for the August 2015 Lankan parliamentary elections. While in the 2013 manifesto, the TNA had pledged to fight for the Tamils’ right to self determination, in the 2015 parliamentary polls manifesto, this was conspicuously absent.

Wigneswaran recalled that he had been given an advance copy of the 2015 manifesto on a Friday with a request for his comments. But before he could give his comments, the TNA officially released its manifesto on Saturday morning.

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Accuses TNA of Abandoning Commitment to Right of Self-Determination for Tamils’ »

By Nisthar Cassim in Davos, Switzerland

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday urged participants at a forum in Davos in Switzerland to base their operations in Sri Lanka to serve South Asia and beyond.

Speaking at an investment forum held in Davos ahead of the World Economic Forum, the Prime Minister acknowledged that 2016 would be a difficult year globally but there would be bright spots and Sri Lanka would be one of those.

“Sri Lanka has political stability and is pursuing both political and economic reforms which will be far-reaching,” the Premier added.

Continue reading ‘Ranil Tells Investment Forum in Davos to Base Operations in Sri Lanka and Make it Hub Serving South Asia and Beyond’ »

by Upul Joseph Fernando

Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa suddenly broke silence last week and emerged into the scene through the media. Giving interviews to the media, Basil stressed the need to establish a new political party. As a prelude to his future dream or plan, both Basil and his brother Mahinda participated at a meet last week of Kurunegala District UPFA Local Government members. It was the first time that the two brothers were seen together at a political meet following the last general election. Earlier, Basil surfaced to the political scene in a discussion to unite Mahinda and Maithri.

Basil who deserted politics after Mahinda’s defeat at the presidential election travelled to the United States. On his return he was arrested and remanded. After being released on bail, Basil decided to be silent for some time. He re-emerged onto the political scene when talks began to unite Maithri and Mahinda prior to the last general election.

People who are aware of those talks know that S.B. Dissanayake was in the forefront to unite Maithri and Mahinda assisted by a few others. SB was among those who pressurized Maithri to unite with Mahinda. It was SB who wanted to use Mahinda to win the general election for the UPFA and urge Maithri not to give the Premiership to Mahinda. SB used that agenda with the view to feed Maithri with the need to offer the Premiership to another instead of Mahinda. In the end SB’s strategy boomeranged on him. What actually happened was that the UPFA lost the election with SB himself unseated and many Maithri confidantes losing their electorates.

Continue reading ‘SB Dissanayake and Basil Rajapaksa Planning to “Unite” Maithripala and Mahinda for Local Govt Poll and Topple Ranil Govt’ »

CV Wigneswaran

Two crucial issues are to be raised at the meeting scheduled for January 20th 2016 where an ultimatum is expected to be issued to the TNA chief minister by TNA councillors.

Continue reading ‘22 Out of 30 TNA Northern Provincial Councillors Revolt against Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran’s Political Conduct’ »

Actress Asin Thottumkal on Tuesday exchanged wedding vows with electronics company Micromax founder Rahul Sharma in a closely-guarded ceremony.

The couple married as per Christian rituals at the Dusit Devarana hotel here in the morning, and another celebration is in the pipeline later in the day.

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, the best man and the groom’s close friend, was present for the wedding, which was attended by only close family members and friends of the couple.

Continue reading ‘Indian Actress Asin Marries Micromax Founder Rahul Sharma With Actor Akshay Kumar Playing Cupid’ »

By

Prof.G.L.Peiris

The Resolution on the making of a Constitution for our country, moved in Parliament by the Prime Minister on 9th January, has given rise to public debate on a wide range of issues which need to be addressed in earnest if the professed objectives are to be attained.

I.Causes for Concern

(a) Absence of Cabinet Approval

Incredible as it may seem, the 6-page Resolution, setting out in detail the Government’s plans for drafting a basic law intended to govern our country for several generations, was presented to Parliament without the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers. It is an essential requirement that all legislation brought to Parliament as government business, is discussed at Cabinet and moved in the Legislature by the relevant minister with the consent of his colleagues in keeping with the principle of collective responsibility.

The Resolution in question dealt with no ordinary legislative business; it related to no less than the formulation of the Constitution of the Republic. And yet, almost defying belief, it saw the light of day, unbeknown even to the body charged with direction of the Government–the Cabinet of Ministers–let alone the general public.

Continue reading ‘Resolution on the Making of a Constitution and Causes for Concern’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

“What Sri Lanka’s national crisis—and it is clear that the unresolved ethnic issue is the core of that crisis—has ultimately achieved is that it has compelled us to come to terms with our identity.”

–Mervyn de Silva, (Marga lecture, 1985, in ‘Crisis Commentaries’ p.72)

The crucial and challengingly complex task facing Sri Lanka remains the resolution, or successful management and containment, of the ethno-national question.

What is the National Question or Nationalities Question? It is one of our composite and politically contending collective identities. More fundamentally it entails the existential questions: What is Sri Lanka and how can a better Sri Lanka come into being?

How must we structure the State in order to become Sri Lankan?

Though he didn’t get everything right (e.g. on the Presidential system and in his tangential PTOMS allusion) President Sirisena’s speech in Parliament on January 9, commencing the process of constitutional change, showed statesmanlike courage in saying what he did on the North-South question. As a non-patrician, non-cosmopolitan, he projected an organic,“homegrown” Sinhala Buddhist pluralist-liberalism, with echoes and inflections of DS Senanayake, President Premadasa and Vijaya Kumaratunga.

If certain conditions are fulfilled and obvious blunders avoided, could this discourse be a platform for a pluralist-progressivism and a new centrist consensus and convergence?

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s Moderate Sinhala Buddhism and Idealistic Liberal Reformism Will be Undermined by the Tamil National Alliance’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Sri Lanka is on the way to becoming a maritime security hub in the Indian Ocean, as regional and extra-regional naval powers eye the island nation for striking partnerships to ensure their maritime security.

Lanka itself has signaled its wish to acquire a Blue Water navy to exploit its strategic position in the Indian Ocean and to participate in international maritime security operations.

No wonder Colombo harbor has been attracting naval ships of key players with great frequency. Despite India’s objections to the visit of a Chinese nuclear submarine in 2014, three Chinese naval vessels, Liuzhohu, Sanya and Qinghaihu, are currently in Colombo having “passage exercises” with the Lankan navy.

Not to be outdone, the Indian aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, will be here this week.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka On the Way to Becoming Key Naval Hub in the Indian Ocean due to its Strategic Location’ »

By

Gagani Weerakoon

Soured relationships between the top echelons of the Executive reached highest levels recently with Head of the State President Maithripala Sirisena calling off his participation in two important events in the penultimate hour.

The discomforts, if there were any, were not made obvious by President Sirisena or Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for the past twelve months, yet the things seem to slip from the grip as two parties made their animosity obvious on few occasions recently. The first such that gave out this developing remorse to the outer world was during the much talked about visit of George Soros to the economic summit.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe making a special statement in Parliament on 5 November 2015 said billionaire businessman George Soros would be invited to visit Sri Lanka and this drew protest by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Joint Opposition.

The JVP pointed out that Soros, the Hungary born US businessman, is accused of being responsible for the financial crisis that occurred in Eastern Asia in the ’90s.Former President of Malaysia Dr. Mahathir Mohamad had publicly accused him of bringing down economies of countries in Eastern Asia by instantly withdrawing money invested in these countries.

In his native Hungary, Soros is accused of supporting illegal migration. Soros also wants more power for groups such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. A large part of Soros’ multibillion-dollar fortune has come from manipulating currencies. In Thailand he was called an ‘economic war criminal.’

They also said Soros, known as ‘The Man who broke the Bank of England,’ initiated a British financial crisis by dumping 10 billion sterling that forced the devaluation of the currency.

While their protest was made public, what was not known to many was that half of the Cabinet of Ministers, were also having their doubts about inviting Soros to the country and his would be involvement in the country’s economic matters.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena’s Cabinet Paper to Extend Colombo – Kandy Highway Up to Polonnaruwa Rejected by Finance Minister Karunanayake Because it Lacked Transparency.’ »

By Dr.Jayadeva Uyangoda

Sri Lanka has once again entered the uncertain path of drafting and adopting a new constitution. Not surprisingly, political opinion is becoming increasingly divided and even acrimonious over a variety of issues. The most contentious at present is the process of constitution making. The content of the new constitution is next in line.

Debate

Intensification of the political debate, polarization of views and contestations among diverse positions need to be expected when what is usually understood as the ‘supreme law of the land’ is set to be revised. There are two main reasons for this. First, constitutional reform is about the reorganization of state power. It entails questions such as the nature, role and place of the state in the political life its citizens. It seeks to alter the existing framework, structures and organization of state power. It is always the case that there is a multiplicity of incompatible views and approaches to clash with each other at moments of reforming the state.

The second reason is tied up with the fact that in a plural society like ours, there are many and often competing stakeholders who make claims to the state. They are primarily stakeholders representing the interests of ethnic communities, social groups and political formations. None of them wants to be a loser in the competition for what it views as its legitimate share of state power. Since these claims have the character of being zero-sum political games, state reform debate in plural and deeply divided societies can even run the risk of making compromises difficult and even unattainable. Sri Lanka’s past experience tells us that constitutional reform in a deeply divided society is an objective necessity, yet a most difficult goal to reach.

Continue reading ‘President and Prime Minister Must Not Dilute Their Promise of a New Constitution Due to Political Expediency.’ »

by P. Krishnaswamy

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Spokesman and Jaffna District Parliamentarian, M. A. Sumanthiran is of the view, given the fact that Tamils have repeatedly given overwhelming mandates to the party to work for a just solution to their problems, it would be appropriate that a lasting solution to the issue comes from the TNA. In an interview on constitution making with the Sunday Observer, the Parliamentarian who is also a respected Human Rights lawyer says the TNA proposals to the Constitutional Assembly would be drawn from the Mangala Moonesinghe recommendations, the three proposals of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and from Mahinda Rajapaksa’s APRC expert committee report.

MA Sumanthiran MP accepts “Living Hero” award on behalf of TNA leader R. Sampanthan at Canadian Tamil Congress Thai Pongal event in Toronto-Jan 16, 2016

Excerpts:

Q: The Third Republican Constitution is in the making to resolve the ethnic problem. What are the salient features of the TNA proposal on the Tamil problem to be presented to the Constitutional Assembly?

A: We have articulated our position regarding the Constitution. That is well-known to the people and the government. When we held talks with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2011, we came to an agreement that this could be solved on the basis of the former governments proposals -the Mangala Moonesinghe proposals, the three proposals of President Chandrika Kumaratunga and President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s APRC expert committee report. Our position today is the same. Ever since the 13th Amendment was identified as being insufficient to meet the aspirations of the Tamil people, there have been various efforts. All these documents that I mentioned came as government proposals. These were not our proposals and we are willing to resolve the issue on these proposals.

Q: Do you think you will get the consensus of all ranks within the party?

A: Our party has a clear position on settlement, because at the 2010 General Election we articulated that position. In the Provincial Council election too we confirmed it and in our manifesto for the August 2015 election, too we expressed the same desire. Right from the start, our people have given us an overwhelming mandate to pursue that solution. The consensus was arrived at within the ranks of the TNA.

Continue reading ‘“Tamil Peoples Council is a Creation of People Marginalised at Elections” Says TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’ Tamil-majority Northern Province has called for a new constitution which will be based on the principle of shared sovereignty between the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority within a united Lanka.

Giving the keynote address at a seminar on constitution making in multi-ethnic societies in Jaffna on Monday, Wigneswaran said: “The principles and specific constitutional provisions that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) considers to be paramount to the resolution of the national question relates mainly to the sharing of the powers of governance through a shared sovereignty amongst the peoples who inhabit this island.”

“ And devolution of power on the basis of shared sovereignty shall necessarily be over land, law and order, socio-economic development including health and education, resources and fiscal powers,” he added.

Continue reading ‘TNA Chief Minister Wigneswaran Raises Demand for “Shared Sovereignty” While Premier Ranil Re-iterates “Unitary” Nature of Constitution’ »

By

Gandhya Senanayake

Making a statement regarding the formation of the new Constitution in Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today stated that the new Constitution would not change the unitary nature of the country. He further added that some were alleging that the foremost place given to Buddhism and the unitary nature of the Constitution are being negated, he stated and that this was not true.

Moreover the Prime Minister stated that such comments were being made by parties that wanted to use this opportunity to create fear or mistrust among the people for political reasons.

Continue reading ‘New Constitution Wont Change Unitary Status of Country assures Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By

Mahinda Rajapaksa

(Text of a speech made by former President Mahinda Rajapksa at the Abeyarama Temple in Narahenpita)

pic via: mahindarajapaksa.lk

Venerable members of the MahaSangha, clergymen of other faiths, party leaders, members of parliament and local government institutions, and other distinguished guests,

Steps have been taken by the government to initiate the process of promulgating a new constitution for Sri Lanka. Since this is a matter that will touch the lives of all Sri Lankans, this process should receive as much public participation as possible.

Controversies have emerged about the procedure to be adopted in making changes to the constitution. The opposition has suggested that the process of constitutional change should be within the provisions of the present constitution and the standing orders of parliament. I believe the government will be flexible on this matter. This is not the first time that changes have been made to the present constitution. By keeping matters within the available parliamentary mechanisms, everybody will be able get on with the task at hand.

My manifesto for the 2015 presidential election “Mahinda Chintana lowa dinana maga” also pledged to take steps to formulate a new constitution for Sri Lanka. Earlier in 2011, my government had appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee under the chairmanship of Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva to look into the changes that need to be made to the constitution including changes relating to the executive presidential system. That responsibility now lies with the present government. The single most important pledge on which the present government was elected into power was the abolition of the executive presidential system. The 19th Amendment to the constitution passed last year purported to reduce the powers of the presidency, but the executive powers of the president still remain intact.

The preamble of the resolution introduced in parliament last Saturday by the prime minister repeatedly stressed that the main objective of the new constitution would be to abolish the executive presidential system and to institute electoral reform. These objectives should receive our fullest support. The executive presidential system was mired in controversy from the beginning. The SLFP opposed it even when it was first instituted. Now when the very UNP that created this position is putting forward proposals to abolish it, we in the SLFP cannot oppose it. Furthermore, it’s a nephew of J.R.Jayewardene, the founder of this system who is putting forward proposals to abolish the executive presidential system.

I must stress that this should not be another attempt to hoodwink the masses. If the intention of the government is to simply deflect public attention from the myriad problems facing the country by making loud noises about constitutional change and abolishing the executive presidential system, such an attempt will not succeed. People are now tired of the lies and deception of this government. It is only because the President publicly made a solemn oath over the body of the late Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero that the executive presidential system will be totally abolished that I felt that perhaps the government is serious about constitutional change this time.

Continue reading ‘Abolishing Executive Presidential System, Electoral Reform and Constitutional Change’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

Prime Minster Ranil Wickremesinghe has criticized the media over its conduct during the Rajapaksa regime. In other words, is blaming the victim for the rape. At the Thai Pongal festival in Jaffna, he accused the media of ‘going shopping’ for the infamous 18th Amendment and warned the media not to spoil the ongoing constitutional process. There is little evidence that the media, save the State-owned ones supported the 18A. Perhaps, the Sinhala media which caters to the largest segment of the audience could have been a little more aggressive. But, that could well have got a few more journalists white-vanned.

The difference between Mr. Wickremesinghe and the majority of journalists who disliked the former regime is that unlike the latter who as the then Opposition Leader enjoyed the protection from the excesses of the State, journalists did not have immunity from intimidation, abduction and state-orchestrated arbitrary sackings.

Journalism under the Rajapaksa regime was a Kafkaesque nightmare; with the omnipresent danger sugar-coated with Rajapaksa charm and hearty hopper meals he shared with newspaper editors. Mr. Rajapaksa, who was largely tolerant of media scrutiny, used to tell reporters, to criticize him, but not his younger brother Gotabaya and the first family.

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe Must Transform Politically Controlled State Media Into Becoming Truly Independent’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Astrology and occultism have been a double-edged sword for former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Belief in them has led him to heights of success as well as depths of disaster.

Currently, an astrological prediction is threatening to deny Rajapaksa the Colombo mansion he is desperate to occupy because astrologers had predicted that his political fortune, now at its nadir, would soar if he occupied the house.

To Rajapaksa’s dismay, ASP Liyanage, a big time real estate dealer who owns the house, wants to back out of the deal to give it out on rent to Rajapaksa. Liyanage’s soothsayer had predicted that he would not be able to get the house back from Rajapaksa.

The realtor is on the horns of dilemma. On the one hand, he owes a lot to Rajapaksa, who had made him Lanka’s Ambassador to Nigeria. But on the other hand, he is loath to sever links with the river-side 18-room mansion surrounded by an acre of fruit trees, because its construction had been a labor of love.

Continue reading ‘How Astrolgical Prediction is Preventing Mahinda Rajapaksa From Occupying Colombo Mansion Owned by Liyanage’ »

C.A.Chandraprema

The much anticipated constitution making process was kicked off the Saturday before last by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with a resolution presented in parliament for the appointment of a Constitutional Assembly to draft a new constitution. What would have been cause for some hope that this attempt at constitution making would be more successful than the 19th Amendment was that in addition to Wickremesinghe, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Champika Ranawaka, were also co-sponsors of this resolution. The latter two played a major role in sabotaging the 19th Amendment. But any hope that no fraud would be perpetrated on the people for a second time was to be rudely shattered even before the resolution was read out in parliament. The Sirisena faction of the SLFP raised objections to the resolution presented to parliament by the PM. The preamble to the resolution that the Prime Minister presented went as follows:

WHEREAS there is broad agreement among the People of Sri Lanka that it is necessary to enact a new Constitution for Sri Lanka;

AND WHEREAS the People have at the Presidential Election held on 08th January, 2015 given a clear mandate for establishing a political culture that respects the rule of law and strengthens democracy;

AND WHEREAS His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has clearly expressed his desire to give effect to the will of the People expressed at the aforesaid Presidential Election by enacting a new Constitution that, inter alia, abolishing the Executive Presidency;

AND WHEREAS it has become necessary to enact a new Constitution that, inter alia, abolishes the Executive Presidency, ensures a fair and representative Electoral System which eliminates preferential voting, strengthens the democratic rights of all citizens, provides a Constitutional Resolution of the national issue, promotes national reconciliation, establishes a political culture that respects the rule of law, guarantees to the People’s fundamental rights and freedom that assure human dignity and promotes responsible and accountable government.

Continue reading ‘President Sirisena “Betrays” Premier Wickremesinghe By Sabotaging Govt attempt to Abolish Executive Presidency’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

One year into the appealing rhetoric of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration, it is heartening to see Sri Lanka’s artistes and scholars, whose peoples’ movements were pivotal to the change of power last year, becoming increasingly stern in their tone and tenor.

Critical voices to be heard

This critical approach must not be limited to optics or to a few dramatic speeches for public consumption. Instead, politicians who protest that they are upholding good governance but act completely in contrast must be berated on public stages to street corners and teashops.

True, our politicians are seldom ashamed. This is illustrated by the audacity with which former President Chandrika Kumaratunga holds forth on judicial integrity despite the stubborn fact that the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka commenced its venture into the ‘political thicket’ with her connivance if not complicity at the time. Executive decisions were taken quite deliberately by that Presidency to ‘tame’ courageous judges and reward others who eagerly responded to the crack of the political whip.

The Rajapaksas only developed this further, stamping their distinctive mark of crudity on the process. So when a critique is made of the judiciary, the accusatory finger must be turned inwards. The issue is very much systemic rather than limited to a particular Presidency, Jayawardene, Kumaratunga or Rajapaksa as the case may be.

Continue reading ‘Establishing Independent Commissions Alone Without Political Will and Accountability Will Not Correct Systemic Abuses’ »

by Thulasi Muttulingam

Thai Pongal, the agrarian festival of the Tamils, will be in full flow around the country today. It is a festival celebrated not only in Sri Lanka and India, but all over the globe where Tamil populations are concentrated. It is essentially a festival of thanksgiving by farmers after their first harvest of paddy, but has become an ingrained aspect of the wider Tamil culture now. Most cultural Tamils in Sri Lanka, whether they be Hindus or Christians celebrate Thai Pongal, as it is viewed as a cultural festival, not a religious one.

Nevertheless, having its roots in early pagan nature worship of our forefathers, the festival (as it is practised mainstream) incorporates several aspects of nature worship. To the farmer whose main festival this essentially is, it must be remembered that nature in her manifold avatars serve to either make or break him. The sun’s heat is needed – but it shouldn’t be too hot nor too prolonged. The rain’s soothing downpours are needed – but at the right time in the right amounts. Too much would lead to floods and too little to drought. Both would wreak havoc on the crops – as the average Sri Lankan farmer very well knows.
Continue reading ‘Agrarian Festival “Thaip Pongal” Has Now Become An Ingrained aspect Of Wider Tamil Culture’ »

by Mahendran Thiruvarangan

More than six years after the war’s end, a particular line of thinking has come to the forefront in Tamil nationalists’ defence of their politics around national self-determination. I would broadly describe this philosophy as liberal pluralism. Predicating the politics around state re-formation primarily, if not solely, on ethnicity or culture, it tends to build a one-to-one relationship between cultural identities, territories and the state. It is not an entirely new phenomenon as far as Tamil politics in Sri Lanka is concerned. It has been the bedrock of political reforms proposed as solution to the national question by a wide variety of actors in the country and in the diaspora ranging from liberal intellectuals based in Colombo to sections of the Leninist left to the old Federal Party, sections of today’s Tamil National Alliance, the bi-nationalist Tamil National People’s Front, journalists and various militant groups and organizations like the Trans-national Government of Tamil Eelam and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the latter would not settle for anything less than a separate Tamil state in the north-east of the island.

Continue reading ‘Liberal Pluralism, Tamil People’s Council and the New Constitution’ »

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera faced strong resistance from his cabinet colleagues towards his proposal to shut down Sri Lanka’s diplomatic mission in Bagdhad at the weekly ministerial meeting yesterday, Daily FT learns.

After heated exchanges during the meeting, President Maithripala Sirisena decided to defer the decision to shut down the Lankan Embassy in Baghdad pending further review, sources told Daily FT.

Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen raised major objections to Minister Samaraweera’s cabinet proposal, saying Iraq was the fifth largest importer of Ceylon tea and had a demand for skilled migrant labour.

Continue reading ‘Mangala Samaraweera’s Proposal to Shut Down Sri Lankan Embassy in Baghdad Meets With Stiff Resistance in Cabinet’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

Southern extremists are now attempting to gain undue political advantage of the recent visit by the Norwegian Foreign Minister who was on a brief visit to Colombo. These extremists used anti-Norway slogans in 2004 and 2005 elections to gain victory. Norway was invited to mediate in the Sri Lankan peace process in 2000 by the Chandrika Kumaratunga administration.

However, in 2002 she extended her support to the anti-Norway moves to topple Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Government. Mahinda Rajapaksa who was the Opposition Leader in 2002 had close and cordial relations with Norway. But after winning the 2005 presidential election, Mahinda turned his back to Norway. Later in the same year he tried to befriend Norway to get round Velupillai Prabhakaran. Former Norwegian Foreign Minister Erik Solheim disclosed this fact at the launch of Mark Slater’s book on the Norway’s peace affairs. Solhiem disclosed that Mahinda was ready to give self-rule to Prabhakaran without holding an election to rule the North and the East.

Continue reading ‘If Not For Norway Mediation LTTE Would Have Captured Jaffna and Declared a Separate State’ »

Sri Lanka’s demoralised cricket team faces an investigation into alleged “scandalous behaviour” during its dismal tour of New Zealand, including drinking parties and squabbling, the sports minister said on Tuesday.

Dayasiri Jayasekera said he had been handed photos of national players attending all night parties just before crucial matches against hosts New Zealand, who achieved a virtual clean sweep in the just-ended tour.

“There was scandalous behaviour,” the minister told AFP. “They have not only attended drinking parties till three and four in the morning, but there was a lot of tension and friction among members.”

Continue reading ‘“Scandalous Behaviour”of Sri Lankan Cricket Team in New Zealand Including Late Night Drinking Parties and Squabbling To be Probed by Sports Minister’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Summing up President Maithripala Sirisena’s first year in power, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga said at a Ports Authority function that he (Sirisena) formed a government and has had no peace thereafter; and that he has not seen another leader as beset by problems as President Maithripala Sirisena. Minister S.B.Dissanayake speaking at the SLFP’s first press conference for the New Year described the past one year as a period during which no decisions could be made or a proper programme of work implemented – a government in a ‘gandabba’ state. He further stated that the UNP and SLFP are two different parties with different ideologies and that they can’t run a government together for long and that if they do stay together for a long time, extremist forces will emerge as political alternatives. That was the assessment of the first year of yahapalanaya by ministers of the government.

Minister S.B.Dissanayake’s misgivings about the SLFP-UNP marriage of convenience were confirmed by an incident at the 49th Anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation held last Thursday under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena. The SLFP trade union had with the concurrence of the chairman and director general of the SLBC put up a banner welcoming MS in his capacity as the president of the country and the president of the SLFP. The UNP unions had objected saying that it was the UNP that had voted for Maithripala Sirisena and that the SLFP had voted against him and therefore they had no right to put up banners welcoming him. The UNP unions had forced the SLBC chairman and director general to order the banner to be removed. The SLFP unions had refused to take down the banner but then the chairman under pressure from the UNP union ordered the security guards to take it down. Resentment within the UNP at the SLFP getting a free ride on their shoulders is boiling to the surface.

The government is in a state of paralysis. The cabinet reshuffle that was due early this year was put off for fear that it may give the opposition a boost if the affected ministers raise objections to changes in their portfolios. Earlier the local government elections were put off. The government is postponing, prevaricating canceling and sidestepping as a way of getting over the problems that crop up. If the government is in the doldrums, so is the opposition. After an election, the people usually become politically apathetic and that could be seen in relation to the anniversary celebrations of the yahapalana government. Even though the government asked the people to hoist the national flag to celebrate the first anniversary of the so called ‘rainbow revolution’, not a single national flag was to be seen anywhere. JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake was to comment that it appeared as if even the national flags that were on sale in shops had been taken off display!

Continue reading ‘Is President Sirisena Planning to Kick Out Ranil as Prime Minister and Form His Own SLFP Govt with help of 20 UNF MP’s?’ »

By Krishantha Prasad Cooray

Victory never falls from the sky. In politics victories are produced when the conditions for meaningful and effective struggle mature and more importantly those who struggle are empowered by single minded determination, unity of purpose, coherence, coordination and synergy in action, and visionary leadership. It is said and not without cause that victory begets a thousand fathers and that defeat is always a foundling. Indeed victory is not only fathered severally it is interpreted severally as well. The result of the Presidential Election held on the 8thof January 2015 is no exception.

It can be argued that corruption, wastage, abuse of state power, political patronage, absence of law and order and all the other factors that had seen discontent rise after the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009 were not attributes specific to the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. However, a lot that was forgiven, ignored or even considered inevitable due to the war were expected to be rectified in the post-war scenario. This did not happen. Instead it was perceived that not only was there an absolute disinterest in reining in corruption and wastage, these things were encouraged and worse, indulged in, by the then incumbent. Arrogance and cronyism pervaded all spheres.

The fact that the executive presidency was useful in executing the military offensive against the LTTE dulled the objections, but the treatment of Sarath Fonseka after his failed bid to oust Rajapaksa, the removal of Chief Justice Shiranee Bandaranayake, the 18th Amendment and a myriad of other moves clearly showed that it had outlived its usefulness.

It was clear that the entire system needed to be overhauled. In political terms this had to begin with constitutional reform. For that, Mahinda Rajapaksa had to be defeated since it was apparent by this time that no reform was possible unless this was done. He was standing in the way of the re-democratization that the country sorely needed. He had to be removed.

Continue reading ‘Ranil Wickremesinghe was Leader of the Political Struggle Which Brought About the Peoples Victory of Jan 8 2015’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

When the then Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe lost the Local Government elections in 2014, he proceeded to America to study at a university and also to deliver lectures. Before he left to United States Ranil told a media conference in Colombo that he was going over there to learn tactics to topple governments. He studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for one month and returned. Without wasting time, he started a dialogue to unite with Sajith Premadasa. At the Uva Provincial Council elections the duo came on stage. The UNP lost the election by a slender margin. When Mahinda called an early presidential election, Maithri emerged to contest Mahinda.

Now Mahinda is getting ready to fly to China for two weeks. Earlier he said the trip would last one month. The reason behind his tour is yet to be disclosed or revealed. Some say he is embarking upon a holiday to China. It is not clear whether Mahinda is heading to China to seek assistance to topple the Maithri-Ranil Government.

Continue reading ‘Is Mahinda Rajapaksa Seeking Assistance From China to Topple the Maithri-Ranil Govt?’ »

By

Harsha Gunasena

I have been a columnist for the Sinhala monthly publication Samabima. In early 2013, I along with the fellow columnists, were criticised by a Buddhist monk that we were writing against the Sinhala extremism but not against Tamil or Muslim extremism. I have responded to the criticism by stating that we were against all forms of extremism irrespective of whether those were Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim. However, at that time the dominant ideology was Sinhala extremism and as a result, all the other communities were marginalised. We were against that situation which was the need of the hour and it did not mean that we were in favour of Tamil or Muslim extremism.

The time has come to write about Northern politics. When C.V. Wigneswaran’s name was nominated as the chief ministerial candidate by Sampanthan, according to columnist D.B.S. Jeyaraj, none of the party leaders of TNA was in favour. Instead, they proposed the name of Senathirajah, a fellow ITAK member of Sampanthan. Finally Sampanthan was able to get the approval of other party leaders. Jeyaraj himself was not in favour of Wigneswaran, based on the tone of his articles written at that time. After winning the election, Wigneswaran came to Colombo along with Sampanthan to take oaths in front of President Rajapaksa although it was not mandatory. In an article written to this paper, I praised Wigneswaran and Sampanthan for this political gesture.

Continue reading ‘How Indian Ex-Finance Minister Chidambaram Advised Chief Minister Wigneswaran to Work with Govt for Permanent Solution’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

Former Sri Lankan Attorney General and constitutional expert, Shiva Pasupathy, has “rejected outright” Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran’s invitation to join the Tamil Makkal Peravai (TMP) as his personal representative on the sub-committee on constitutional reform, sources close to Pasupathy told Express on Monday.

Australia-based Pasupathy, who had gone to Jaffna on a private visit last week, was contacted by Wigneswaran over the phone and requested to be his representative on the sub-committee. But Pasupathy told him bluntly that he did not think that forming a separate outfit like the TMP was “appropriate” at a time when serious attempts were being made to find a solution to the Tamil question within Lanka and Tamil unity was the need of the hour. Wigneswaran doggedly persisted, but Pasupathy was unyielding. Finally, Wigneswaran hung up in a huff, sources said.

Continue reading ‘Former Attorney – General Shiva Pasupathy Rejects Invitation by Ex –Judge Wigneswaran to Join Tamil Makkal Paeravai Sub –committee as his Nominee’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

Recently Mahinda Rajapaksa had called an astrologer to Abhayaramaya Temple and inquired about the horoscope of Maithripala Sirisena. Mahinda is of the view that a bright time would dawn on him by April 2016 to form a government.

He has related his future dream to all his friends and members in the joint Opposition. So, all of them are eagerly waiting till Mahinda forms a government in April. Maithri had got wind of Mahinda’s dream about the future. In response Maithri told in public that Mahinda’s camp was planning to form governments by reading his horoscope to be sure about his death.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Consults Astrologer at Abhayarama About Forming his own Govt iAfter 2016 April New Year’ »

By

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

Three speeches last week revealed our future. Each concerned an aspect of this island’s fate.Together they show the whole. The Prime Minister announced that the country will have a new political system next year. That change has to be understood within a geopolitical and geo-strategic context signalled in two speeches, by an Indian Minister and a senior US official.

“India’s Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed Lokh Sabha yesterday that India will construct a bridge and tunnel linking Rameswaram in India with Sri Lanka…The project was also discussed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his counterpart during the latter’s recent visit, Gadkari said”.
(The Hindu, Dec 17, 2015)

Senior US official Thomas Shannon revealed in his Kadirgamar Institute lecture, the factor animating Washington’s Lanka policy: “To put it simply, stability and prosperity of the entire world is dependent on the stability of these vital energy and trade routes. And Sri Lanka is at the centre of this.”

The 2016 Constitution must be located at this intersection of Indo-US perspectives. It envisages the most drastic disruption of the Sri Lankan State formation arguably since 1833. The rupture would change the very type of State, implanting a new political matrix. We are being constitutionally reshaped to be integrated as a ‘chip’ into the Indo-US grand strategic matrix.

Continue reading ‘West Wants Sri Lankan Regime To Midwife a “Tamil Kurdistan “ To Serve As Permanent Proxy.’ »

BY Gagani Weerakoon

The internal clashes in Maithri-Ranil Yahapalana Government has reached a point where it has put the fate of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake hangs in the balance with several senior Cabinet colleagues openly criticizing him. In addition, it proved that every effort taken by Karunanayake to pacify his party colleagues have backfired adding salt to the wounded relationship between him and Premier Wickremesinghe.

This column last week reported the clash between Ministers Kabir Hashim and Ravi Karunanayake leading to a Cabinet reshuffle.

This political saga started unfolding after the new government was elected following the 17 August general election.

Clash deepens

Following elections, a committee led by Wickremesinghe was appointed to decide on the boards of directors and heads of institutions. Thus Wickremesinghe issued a directive to all directors and chairmen to resign from their respective posts paving the way for nominees of the committee to be appointed.

However, there were no changes suggested for institutions headed by reputed people like Hemaka Amarasuriya, but suggested new members to the board of directors in each institution.

Even though others took this order seriously, it seemed those who were appointed by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake were deaf and blind to the order despite several reminders from the top. These institutions included the People’s Bank, Litro Gas Company, Hotel Hilton, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and Hotel Taprobane.

Continue reading ‘Fate of Ravi Karunanayake as Finance Minister Hangs in the Balance as Relationship with Ranil Wickremesinghe Sours’ »

By Krishantha Prasad Cooray

One year ago, around the time of Christmas, there was tension in the country. The people were about to vote in a Presidential Election which would decide the destiny of the country, one way or the other. Today, one year later, we are celebrating Christmas and enjoying the festive season without any of these tensions.

A few weeks from now, we will see President Maithripala Sirisena complete one year in office. The anniversary will no doubt prompt many to step back and assess; promises made will be re-visited. The achievements will be listed. The tasks not attended to or those over which there was palpable stumbling will be noted. These analyses will be coloured by political loyalties. The more detached commentators will consider the contexts and their changing nature. Priorities as well as available resources will be factored in. In any event it is a necessary exercise for both the analyser and the analysed.

Continue reading ‘The Ranil Wickremesinghe factor in 2016 and beyond’ »

By P K Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province has formed a new “non-political” organization which observers see as the first step towards splitting the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which he represents in the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).

The outfit, christened Tamil Makkal Peravai or Tamil Peoples’ Assembly (TPA), was formed after a four-hour meeting at the Jaffna Public Library on Saturday.

Estimates of the number of people who attended vary from 15 to 30. But the significant thing is that only one TNA member of the NPC, and not a single TNA MP attended.

It was a closed door meeting into which the media were not allowed. After the meeting, Wigneswaran refused to brief the media, but individual attendees spoke to the press.

Continue reading ‘TNA Chief Minister Wigneswaran Forms New Organization in First Step Towards Splitting TNA’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) threw a tantrum when the government proposed to abolish duty free duty vehicle permits granted to certain categories of public servants. After the threat of a strike by the doctors, the government backtracked. Since there is hardly any link between doctors’ duty free car permits and patients’ welfare, the GMOA’s trade union action was one purely driven by pecuniary interests of its members.

On the other hand, professionals in the government sector, including doctors, are paid abysmally low salaries (though, doctors on their part have opportunity to make money through private practice, a luxury most other professionals don’t have ).

Like we, the journalists (who are equally underpaid) say, bylines cannot buy groceries, professional esteem alone won’t help in an increasingly materialistic world.

However, the same GMOA has been up in arms against private medical universities, with their self serving logic being that the provision of medical education, or for that matter any other university level education, should be the monopoly of the state.

Continue reading ‘Monopolistic Cabal Has Taken Entire Country Hostage Under Guise of Protecting Free Education or Free Health Care’ »

A new political front has been launched in Jaffna on Saturday December 19th 2015 with Northern Province chief minister Canagasabapathy Visvalingam Wigneswaran at the helm. The new front known as “Thamil Makkal Paeravai” in wamil and “Tamil Peoples Council” in English is viewed as a political alternative to the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) which is regarded as the premier political configuration of the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

Suresh Premachandran, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and CV Wigneswaran

Around 25 to 30 persons including the Chief minister CV Wigneswaran who was elected to office on the House symbol of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), Ex –parliamentarians Kandiah Premachandran(Suresh) of the EPRLF, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam of ACTC, Senior ITAK vice –president Prof. S. Sittambalam, Northern province councillor Sivanesan alias Bavaan of PLOTE,Dr. Poopalan Lakshman of the Jaffna Hospital,Batticaloa civil society secretary T. Vasantharajah and N.Vijayasuntharam Editor of “Valampuri”newspaper published in Jaffna were present at the inaugural meeting of the Tamil Peoples Council (TPC).Among others who participated in the meeting were religious leaders, professionals, academics ,NGO personnel and political civil society activists.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Peoples Council (TPC) Launched in Jaffna as Political Alternative to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran at the Helm’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

‘Captain Tissa’, a chauffeur of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was not an unknown figure to the upper rungs of the previous government because of the strong link he had with the former first family.
When ‘Captain Tissa’ constructed a house near Medawelikada Road, Rajagiriya, some years ago, the former President, along with some ministers of his government, visited his place to attend a family function. It demonstrated that ‘Captain Tissa’ had a position of authority under the previous government due to his close association with certain top echelons of that regime.

According to sources in the former President’s camp, ‘Captain Tissa’ hails from a remote village in Laggala, Matalé. His father had worked as a driver attached to the Ministry of Irrigation. ‘Captain Tissa’ had first worked as a driver under Monty Gopallawa, former MP for the Laggala electorate. Gopallawa had a close relationship with former President Rajapaksa who later hired Tissa to work under him.

It is still not entirely clear as to how the driver joined the Army and won his officer cap. It is widely believed that ‘Tissa’ joined the Army as a trooper and was elevated to the rank of Captain after Rajapaksa became the President. There were rumours that Tissa the trooper left the Army at one point and was re-instated with officer ranking after the former President came to power.

Whatever his military origins, ‘Captain Tissa’ became a long-standing member of the security detail of the former President. During the last few years of the Rajapaksa rule, he was often seen with Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and Lieutenant Yoshitha Rajapaksa, two sons of the former President. Even after the former President and his family fell out of power in January, this year, ‘Captain Tissa’ chose to remain with the Rajapaksas.

‘Captain Tissa’ linked?

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Henchman “Capt Tissa” Allegedly Linked to Murders of Ruggerite Thajudeen,IUSF Student Activists and Assault on JSC secretary Thilakaratne’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Close to one year since the change in political leadership in Sri Lanka, glaring peculiarities of bad law-making decisions have begun to cling to this Government much like an unpleasantly persistent odor.

Almost without exception, each and every draft law presented to the House displays a manifest lack of clear-headedness. Such laxity may be excused in respect of a singular instance or two. But when this becomes a matter of general habit, it is exceedingly worrying even with all the good will displayed towards an administration inheriting a decade of Rajapaksa misrule as an unenviable legacy.

Interjection of bad laws into the mix

And when confusion is evidenced in relatively uncomplicated matters, more complex processes of accountability attract greater doubts. Even as the Minister of Foreign Affairs talks winningly of special judicial mechanisms ensuring justice for war-time abuses, the dissatisfaction of the Northern polity increases day by day. The Witness Protection law remains largely confined to theory. Policy makers have expressed little willingness to amend its more obvious flaws, such as the lack of independence of its Protection Division. In the alternative, it is a mystery as to how one can talk of effective truth and reconciliation processes?

Beset on all sides, the fear is that before long, this Government will be caught pincer-like between the rumbling discontent in the North and the seemingly dormant but simmering Rajapaksa-tide in the South, with much of the ‘peoples’ power’ movement being diluted through the co-option of its members into government ranks.

The interjection of bad laws into this unhappy mix, conceived of without public consultation by a few misguided spirits makes matters even worse. I must stress that this concern is not confined to the Government’s proposed hate speech amendments to the Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, though that example is bad enough. Tabled in the House by the Government with grandiose ceremony this week, the amendments were hastily postponed immediately thereafter with far less grace. The spectacle of a government presenting and postponing Bills with the disconcerting rapidity of a boomerang is not a pleasant sight.

Attracting unlikely partners in dissent

The storm of protests provoked by the Bills included incongruous partners, each on the extreme far end of Sri Lanka’s religious and ethnic divide. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the radical Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) protested unsurprisingly from directly divergent perspectives. The TNA expressed strong concern that the proposed amendments replicated feared provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) under which journalists, politicians and dissenters had been summarily jailed through a subversion of the judicial and legal process. The fact that the Bills would have permitted arrests without a warrant in respect of new offences buttressed these concerns.

On its own part, the BBS objected to the proposed laws evidently fearing their impact on inflammatory statements inciting religious and racial hatred which it excels in. The point, of course, is that sufficient legal provision, including the Penal Code and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act (ICCPR Act, 2007) exists to quell such incitement. The BBS was allowed to dance unrestrained under the Rajapaksa Presidency not due to the lack of law but according to a political decision of that Presidency to use hate mongers for political gain. In any event, the ICCPR Act has been virtually unused since its enactment in regard to its other provisions as well.

In the midst of the melee, constructive interventions took place through an exceptionally well timed statement by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) as well as a letter signed by members of the public, drawing attention to the ill wisdom of these amendments.

Greater coherence needed in government

The fact that the parliamentary debate on the Bills was postponed could perhaps be taken positively in that it is responding to public scrutiny. But a larger and far more obstinate question looms large. Why is greater care not taken before such laws are presented to the House in the first place? Indeed, it is a mystery as why the Government insists on cluttering up Sri Lanka’s statue book even as prevalent law is treated as if it is non-existent to all intents and purposes.

Undeniably there must be greater coherence in government as well as in law-making. The draft Right to Information (RTI) law, approved by the Cabinet this month, is perhaps one exception to what is fast becoming a general rule of ‘yahapalanaya’ (good governance) law-making disarray. But those associated with the drafting process will be aware of the difficulties that emerged when it was sought to bring the draft into consonance with modern RTI standards in the region and across the world.

Even so, the drafters of the 19th Amendment, now a part of the Constitution, included a retrograde constitutional provision on RTI which significantly contradicted the RTI Bill, also being drafted in parallel processes at the time. Ironically even though government lawmakers congratulated themselves in enacting a constitutional RTI, the simple fact was that this detracted from the strength of the separate RTI law. Denials to information in the constitutional RTI provision were archaic, overbroad and vague, as pointed out editorially in this newspaper and these column spaces.

If this constitutional provision is not amended, a conflict may well emerge in the interpretation of dual RTI regimes. Lacunae in other respects in the 19th Amendment have been dissected at length. At that point, the excuse was that an uncertain interim government was in power. But the sympathetic leeway which one gives a honeymoon coalition is fast yielding to a far harsher assessment that does not bode well for the future.

These should not be choices before us

Where former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was concerned, one did not expect such niceties. The Bills presented during that time were pushed through with the force of a sledgehammer, directly or indirectly aggrandizing his stranglehold on power. Then we had abuse of power. Now we appear to have what some may uncharitably label as incoherence in power.

It may be debated by those inclined towards the nonsensical that incoherence in government is better than abuse of government.

Certainly however, these should not be the choices put before us by a Presidency and a Government elected to office on vastly different expectations.

Courtesy:Sunday Times

Police yesterday thwarted an attempt by Parliamentarian Vadivel Suresh to carry two cans of kerosene into Parliament, allegedly to carry out his threat to set himself on fire in protest against the Government’s failure to address the plantations sector wage dispute.

Continue reading ‘Protest Attempt by UNP Badulla Disrict MP Vadivel Suresh to Set Himself on Fire in Parliament Prevented by Police’ »

By Taylor Dibbert

There was another high-level U.S. visit to Sri Lanka this week. State Department Counselor Thomas Shannon visited the island nation from December 14-16.

The highlight of his trip seems to have been the formal announcement that the first “U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue” will be held in Washington this February.

The dialogue will focus on four broad areas: governance, development cooperation, and people-to-people ties; both economic and security cooperation; and global and regional affairs.

Shannon’s remarks after his meeting with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, were very optimistic. Here’s part of what he said:

Continue reading ‘As Outgoing President, Barack Obama May Visit Myanmar and Sri Lanka Next Year as “Pair of US Foreign Policy Success Stories”.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Chairman of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated Northern Provincial Council (NPC) C.V.K.Sivagnanam, says that he is determined to overcome obstacles to sending relief to flood-ravaged Tamil Nadu.

While Indian diplomats told Sivagnanam that India has a policy of not accepting foreign aid for disaster management, a section of the Jaffna Tamil media, allegedly instigated by his rivals, either ridiculed his plans or said that it is not the NPC’s business to send relief to Tamil Nadu. And the response of the NPC itself to his plea for contributions has been lukewarm.

In the first week of December, Sivagnanam had called an informal meeting of the NPC to discuss ways in which the Council could aid relief efforts in Tamil Nadu. An informal meeting was called presumably because Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran dropped the idea of sending relief on behalf of the Northern Province after the Indian Consul General in Jaffna, A.Natarajan, told him about India’s inability to accept external aid.

Out of the 38 members of the NPC, 17 attended and 21, including Chief Minister Wigneswarn, stayed away from the meeting called by Sivagnanam.

Continue reading ‘21 NPC Councillors Including Wigneswaran Not “Co-operating” with Chairman Sivagnanam’s Efforts to Send Flood Relief for Tamil Nadu’ »

By C. A. Chandraprema

Speaking during the committee stage debate on the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Mass Media and Parliamentary Affairs, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that a compensation plan would be implemented for 44 media persons who were killed due to political reasons under the former regime. He said that President Maithripala Sirisena had also supported the move to pay compensation to these murdered journalists. When he speaks of 44 media personnel having been killed during the previous administration, he is referring to the list put out by media NGOs such as the Media Movement for Democracy (MMD).

The list put out by the MMD of journalists killed since 2004 is by and large acknowledged by other media NGOs such as the Free Media Movement (FMM) which has a more comprehensive list of murdered ‘media persons’ going back to the early 1980s. The list of 44 killings that the prime minister speaks of dates from early 2004, not from late 2005 when the Rajapaksas assumed power. So there is some overlap with the latter part of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s rule. That may not be any cause for concern for the PM because that too falls into the period of the ‘previous regime’ as far as he is concerned. The list of 44 murdered journalists (as well as others associated with media institutions) compiled by the media NGOs is as follows:

Continue reading ‘Points to Ponder Over Paying Compensation to Slain Media Persons’ »

By
Yohan Perera

The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) had become a meaningless institution as it had not used a single cent out of the funds allocated for it by the Central Government, Opposition MP Douglas Devananda told Parliament today.

Mr. Devananda who is an MP representing the Northern District of Jaffna said the funds allocated for the provincial council even in 2013 and 2014 had not been utilized.

Continue reading ‘Northern Provincial Council has Failed to Utilize Funds Allocated by Govt Alleges EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda’ »

By

Sandun A Jayasekera

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senaratne today admitted that his daughter-in-law was studying at SAITM and added that not only her but that many of his relatives were studying there.

He said the Health Ministry permitted to facilitate clinical training for students at the Malabe private Medical College following a court order on a payment of Rs. 50,000 per student and there was no personal or political consideration involved in that decision.

The Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) yesterday said that Minister Senaratne’s daughter-in-law (MP Chathura Senaratne’s wife), was following a course at the SAITM and that that was why Dr. Senaratne was striving to protect SAITM.

Continue reading ‘Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne Admits that his Daughter – in – Law and Many Other Relatives are Studying at SAITM’ »

By

Don Manu

Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe must ask himself a few simple questions:

Has he as a member of parliament availed himself of any generous hospitality in the past extended to him and his family by the controversial Avant Garde chairman, the arms dealer Senadhipathi whom he has been defending so vigorously in public in recent times as being innocent and devoid of any wrong doing?

And whether, even if he, Wijeyadasa, has not accepted the benefit of any sponsored stay in the United States or elsewhere, his past actions now revealed have irrevocably created in the public mind the indelible impression that he appears to have been influenced and his judgement coloured even by a shade as a result?

And whether, even if he is innocent of all the innuendos levelled against him, his close friendship with the controversial Avant Garde boss – now photographically established beyond reasonable doubt -has made his position as the nation’s Minister of Justice no longer tenable?

Continue reading ‘Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe Must Reveal Truth About His Links with Avant Garde Chairman Senadhipathi.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province on Tuesday expressed opposition to the Lankan government’s plan to introduce “Grama Rajya” as the unit of devolution of power.

Presenting the Northern Provincial Council’s budget for 2016, Wigneswaran said that as per a circular sent by the Central Government, under the proposed “Grama Rajya” scheme of devolution, the Center’s village and provincial level development programs will be implemented by committees which come directly under it.

This is tantamount to sidelining the Provincial Administration and the Provincial Council, Wigneswaran pointed out.

Although the Maithripala Sirisena-Ranil Wickremesinghe government has a pleasant visage as compared to the regime it replaced, it is continuing the discredited policy of chipping away even the limited powers devolved to the provinces under the 13 th.Amendment of the constitution, Wigneswaran said.

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Opposes Sri Lankan Govt Proposal of “Grama Rajya” Scheme of Devolution’ »

OPTIMISM was in abundance in Sri Lanka following the surprise results of a presidential election at the beginning of the year. After the long civil war, after a decade of government by the self-aggrandising Rajapaksa family, opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena swept to power at the head of a coalition of Sri Lanka’s two main parties, with promises of freedom and prosperity for all and an end to corruption and nepotism.

It may have been the case that our new broom President had been a Minister under Rajapaksa. It could also have been true that Sirisena was only selected as candidate because veteran opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe did not have the stomach for a campaign he knew he would lose, and instead struck a deal, backed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, for his party’s support in return for the promise of the Premiership. And perhaps there might have been help from abroad to facilitate this curious deal which is worrying for national sovereignty when foreign judges are set to investigate alleged war crimes.

Alas, with promise of change, we have had also to live with certain continuity. What better candidate could there have been for Chairman of Sri Lanka Telecom than our new leader’s brother? Sirisena is indeed a strong advocate of family values. His charming daughter has been using public resources for her personal campaigns while Sirisena’s deeply unqualified, loutish son accompanied the President to New York in September and sat in with Daddy on sessions of the UN General Assembly.

Continue reading ‘Change and Continuity in Sri Lanka:There May be Different Snouts but the Trough Has not Changed -Private Eye’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

When President Maithripala Sirisena was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly sessions, United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, visited him. When Kerry sought his leave after a lengthy discussion, Maithri asked him a pertinent question: “How are you going to balance China and India?” asked Maithri. The Sri Lankan Leader stressed that Chinese support was needed to strengthen his economy. Kerry advised to balance India and get assistance from China adding that America was not opposed to Colombo getting Chinese aid.

Now the Maithri Government has given the green light to proceed with the once controversial Colombo Port City Project funded by China. When the project was suspended, China viewed it as a slap on her face. China lamented that it was her President who laid the foundation stone for the project and no project started in that manner by the Chinese President had been halted or cancelled.

Though India has not raised objections to the resumption of the Chinese funded Colombo Port City Project, the fears over the project are not allayed. India is aware that the policies of the Maithri Government are not harmful as those of the Rajapaksa Government.However, it yet has fears as to what a future Sri Lankan Government in the next two to three decades would do regarding the Chinese Port City Project if those governments decide to amend the project posing a security danger to Indian interests in the region.

Continue reading ‘China Adopts Carrot and Stick Aproach Towards Sri Lanka to Ensure Resumption Controversial Colombo Port City Project’ »

Race Course Police in Coimbatore have registered a case against actor Simbu and music director Anirudh on Saturday based on a complaint filed by the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) with the Commissioner of Police seeking action against them for composing a song which denigrates women.

Comments criticising Simbu and Anirudh were also posted online.

AIDWA members also tore up pictures of the duo on the premises of the Commissioner’s office.

“We were shocked to hear the song,” the association’s district secretary A. Radhika said.

Continue reading ‘Police Register Case Against Tamil Actor Simbu and Music Composer Anirudh For Obscene Song Denigrating Women’ »

(Text of a Press Statement Issued by the Tamil National Alliance on Proposed Penal Code Amendment regarding Hate Speech)

The Tamil National Alliance is deeply concerned about the proposed Penal Code (Amendment) Bill placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on 11 December 2015. The said Bill was placed on the Order Paper by the Minister of Justice.

The Bill seeks to introduce a new provision (Section 291C) to the Penal Code, No. 11 of 1887. A further Bill seeking to amend the Criminal Procedure Code Act, No. 15 of 1979 was also placed on the Order Paper.

We observe that the proposed Section 291C is nearly identical to Section 2(1)(h) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 (PTA). The previous government used this very provision to target persons from the Tamil and Muslim communities and to deprive them of their freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 14(1)(a) of the Constitution.

Continue reading ‘TNA Wants Govt to Withdraw Penal Code Amendment Bill as it is Inconsistent with Article 14 of Constitution’ »

By

Taylor Dibbert

Just days ago, a Tamil political prisoner being held in Jaffna Prison commenced a hunger strike. Similar hunger strikes have taken place this year, although this behavior doesn’t appear to have changed the government’s calculus in a significant way.

This issue has been a source of ongoing debate and tension. The Sri Lankan government has shown, with great reluctance, that it’s willing to grant bail to some prisoners. On November 11 The Wall Street Journal, reported that “the country’s attorney general gave approvals to allow bail for 63 prisoners.”

However, it’s important to keep in mind that these prisoners have been asking to be released and given some semblance of genuine freedom. They’ve not been requesting that they be released on bail, which ensures that they’ll have to appear in court at a later time. (Who knows what might happen then?)

Continue reading ‘Abdication of Presidential Leadership by Sirisena On Release of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Political Prisoners’ »

The collective of trade unions has called off the strike planned to commence today following discussions with the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday.

The co-convener of a collective of Government, semi-Government and private sector trade unions, Saman Ratnapriya said they are in favor of several changes made to the budget proposals as noted in the Prime Minister’ statement and decided not to participate in the strike opposing the 2016 Budget proposals.

Continue reading ‘Collective of Trade Unions Calls off Strike after Last Minute Discussions with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Facing down perhaps the biggest challenge to Budget 2016 Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday offered an olive branch of sorts to trade unions that included a salary increase and concessions on industry related charges.

Wickremesinghe delivering a special statement to parliament that included a slew of promises after discussions with trade unions over the weekend informed that his Government would take steps to include the Rs.10,000 increment of public employees to their basic salary in three stages with the first starting in January with Rs.2,500.

Several amendments to the Budget proposals were also announced that centred on tax relief with more promised in the future. These BUP_DFT_DFT-1-02included reduction of the vehicle emission tax to Rs.1,500 as an interim measure and to reduce the revenue license fee increase to 15% from the initial 25% which was announced in the Budget speech.

Wickremesinghe also reiterated his previous pledge in parliament to keep the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Employees Trust Fund (ETF) as separate entities under the Central Bank.

Continue reading ‘Prime Minister Wickremesinghe in Special Parliament Statement Offers “Olive Branch” To Trade Unions in Bid to Avert General Strike’ »

BY Mirudhula Thambiah

Chunnakam water crisis has turned into a never ending dispute which has dragged on for over a year. Northern Provincial Council (NPC) expert committee Final Report, independent medical experts pointed out is impugned. Early this year when the Chunnakam water issue aggravated further, due to continuous protests by the people of the area, the NPC appointed a nine-member committee from the Universities of Jaffna, Colombo and Peradeniya, that examined water samples from different wells in Valikamam North; though it was only the well water in Chunnakam that was highly contaminated.

Conflicting reports

However, the interim report of the expert panel stated that there were chemical properties and there are certain levels of metallic substances proven in the water. Although, the interim report was publicized people were unclear on the exact outcome of the report as it seemed too complex for the villagers of Valikamam North.

Yet, the expert panel, formed by the NPC has currently warned that the ground water in the Jaffna Peninsula was found to be contaminated only with septic germ and nitrate contents of alarming levels endangering the ground water; however, there was hardly any poisonous chemical or heavy metallic substances found in the water.

The expert panel which was formed on the directive of the NPC, early this year, on finding some oil substances in wells in Chunnakam and Tellipalai areas, to submit a report on the state of the present ground water in the peninsula; had handed over the findings to the Northern Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran and Minister of Environment P.Aynkaranesan at the Jaffna Public Library Auditorium on Monday (7).

Continue reading ‘“Northern Provincial Council Bribed by Those who Contaminated Water in Jaffna – Dr. Murali Vallipuranathan.’ »

The marriage of the UNP-SLFP coalition government seems to be on the rocks with internal clashes that were kept under the carpets so far, reaching a threatening level of going out of control. The government seems to have started counting its days with relationship between government hierarchies and its Finance Minister getting sour and the greatest international pillar of support India frowning at a defence deal between Sri Lanka and India’s arch rival Pakistan.

On top of everything Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced in Parliament on Friday (11) that Local Government elections would be held before Sinhala-Hindu New Year next year, which in other words may lead to the end of this love marriage, as the two parties will have to choose different paths to campaign for the impending election.

An invisible hand in action

After the new government was elected following the 17 August General Election, a Cabinet reshuffle was suggested with several key changes in certain Cabinet portfolios that were in the 100-day government.
Several new ministries were introduced and institutions under some key ministries were separated and put under new ministries.

It was learnt that President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe were engaged in serious lengthy discussions when deciding who’s getting what and top in the list had been the Ministry of Finance.

As President Sirisena was concerned about giving the portfolio to the same minister, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had convinced the President not to change the person who held the office of Finance Minister in the 100-day programme.

Instead, Premier Wickremesinghe had promised to bring reforms and put key institutions under a different ministry. Thus, he introduced the Ministry of Public Enterprise Development under Minister Kabir Hashim and put 19 institutions including Srilankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka and all State banks which were under the purview of the Ministry of Finance earlier, under the new ministry.

Following elections, a committee led by Wickremesinghe was appointed to decide on the boards of directors and heads of institutions. Thus Wickremesinghe issued a directive to all directors and chairmen to resign from their respective posts paving the way for nominees of the committee to be appointed.

However, there were no changes suggested for institutions headed by reputed people like Hemaka Amarasuriya but new members were suggested to be appointed to the board of directors in each institution.
Even though others took this order seriously, it seemed those who were appointed by Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake were deaf and blind to the order despite several reminders from the top. These institutions included the People’s Bank, Litro Gas Company, Hotel Hilton, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and Hotel Taprobane.

As the Chairmen and Boards of Directors in these institutions which were under the Finance Ministry during 100-day programme remained in their positions firmly without any hesitance, everyone began to pay attention to the matter. These constant underground investigations by government hierarchies and interested parties were able to finally find a clue.

It seems that these officials had received strong legal advice telling them there is no reason to be afraid as the law is such that any change of positions should come bearing the signature of the Treasury Secretary.

Despite mounting pressure for those holding office to resign, Treasury Secretary Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunga remained silent as he was pressurized by Minister Karunanayake not to take any action.

As this unspoken clash between Premier Wickremesinghe and the Finance Minister intensified, focus was diverted on finding as to who was behind the legal advice issued to Chairmen and Boards of Directors.
Unconfirmed sources suggested that it is Nihal Sri Ameresekere, a well-known Sri Lankan professional consultant, public interest litigant and anti-corruption activist, who was behind this legal advice.

He, during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime openly challenged financial regulations adopted by then Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara and it was rumoured in political circles that Ameresekere’s legal opinion was sought by Minister Karunanayake.

In an attempt to resolve the matter, Wickremesinghe’s close confidante Minister Malik Samarawickreme held negotiations with People’s Bank Chairman Hemasiri Fernando to resign from his post and also appointed him as the Chairman of the ITN. However, the deal seemed to have backfired as Fernando after receiving the legal advice is holding the post as the Chairman of both ITN and the People’s Bank.

As this tug-of-war continued, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, who was at the receiving end of grouses of Minister Hashim, summoned the Board of Directors of Hotel Developers (Lanka) PLC which owns The Colombo Hilton led by Chairperson Sagarika Delgoda, who for some time, was the Sri Lankan permanent representative for the German aided Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The meeting was far from being cordial and the officials engaged in heated arguments with Premier Wickremesinghe provoking him to walk out of the meeting. Angry Prime Minister Wickremesinghe demanded a report within a week on the progress of what was discussed.

With this, Wickremesinghe who had reached the limits of patience submitted a Cabinet paper proposing powers of appointing chairpersons and boards of directors to the Minister and the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Enterprise Development.

President Sirisena, referred the Cabinet paper to the Attorney General as there are legal provisions that the matter should be placed before the Parliament before making any changes.

The process may take longer than expected and as it could worsen the situation, both ministries are trying to reach a consensus. Secretary to the Ministry of Public Enterprise Development Ravindra Hewavitarana met the Treasury Secretary to discuss how they could settle the matter at their level by appointing new members.

The Treasury Secretary had in return informed Hewavitarana to send the list of nominees and that he would give his decision after studying the list. However, the matter is still stagnating.

Meanwhile, in a dramatic turn of events Ameresekere has been asked to appear before the FCID regarding an alleged Rs 100 million scandal less than a month before the Presidential Election.

Ravi’s fate uncertain

It is in this midst that the Budget 2016 presented by Minister Ravi Karunanayake is being heavily criticized by his Cabinet colleagues and government MPs.

The SLFP ministers have informed that it is extremely difficult to defend the budget which has now being termed as one of the worst budgets presented. The budget proposals have already being amended in chunks and there seems to be no proper way of gaining revenue and the proposed measures of income had to be changed amidst strong protests.

This new development comes in the midst of UPFA MPs, representing the Joint Opposition, attempting to move a No-Faith Motion against Karunanayake.

SLFP Ministers who are protesting had also pressurized the President and the Prime Minister to change Finance Minister Karunanayake.

On the other hand, it is speculated that nearly 10 SLFP MPs have expressed their willingness to join the government and are having negotiations with both UPFA Maithri faction and the UNP separately.

It is speculated that both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will use this opportunity to remove Karunanayake from the Finance Ministry portfolio using a Cabinet reshuffle as the best option to solve the matter.

India’s final warning

With speculations rife, that two governments will enter into a deal to procure 10 combat aircraft from Pakistan during Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sherrif’s impending visit to Sri Lanka, diplomatic sources revealed New Delhi is planning to send a special envoy to Sri Lanka early next year.

We in this column last week revealed that the Sri Lankan Government is facing mounting pressure from its powerful neighbour India over a defence deal Sri Lanka is to enter with Pakistan.

According to highly placed sources in the diplomatic circles, India has expressed its strong opposition to a deal SL Government entered with the Pakistan Air Force to purchase 10 JF-17 combat aircraft.

JF-17 is a lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. The JF-17 can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception. Its designation “JF-17” by Pakistan is short for “Joint Fighter-17”

The JF-17 was primarily developed to meet the PAF’s requirement for an affordable, modern, multi-role combat aircraft as a replacement for its large fleet of Dassault Mirage III/5 fighters, Nanchang A-5 bombers, and Chengdu F-7 interceptors, with a cost of US$500 million, divided equally between China and Pakistan. The aircraft was also intended to have export potential as a cost-effective and competitive alternative to more expensive Western fighters. The development of this aircraft was headed by Yang Wei (aircraft designer), who is considered China’s “ace designer”.

The deal was entered into apparently by former Air Force Commander Jayalath Weerakkody when he was serving as the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Pakistan.

The Indian High Commissioner Y.K. Sinha who met Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had expressed India’s strong protest over the deal.

He had said that if Sri Lanka was to go ahead with the deal even he cannot imagine the impact of repercussions and India’s reaction.

Earlier, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had personally expressed India’s concerns on the deal to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Doval who telephoned both President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe had told them outright that New Delhi is against the deal.

He warned that Sri Lanka will have to face serious repercussions if Sri Lanka was to seal the deal with Pakistan.

It is in this context that India is planning to send its special envoy to Colombo. India had appointed special envoys to Sri Lanka on crucial issues previously as well. Following the end of humanitarian operations in May 2009, then Manmohan Singh appointed India’s 4th National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon as the special envoy to Sri Lanka. He was tasked to negotiate and assess the post-war situation and resettlement efforts in the North in addition to having discussions with Sri Lanka’s special envoy former Minister Basil Rajapaksa on possibilities of finding a lasting political situation and report to New Delhi.

MR to seize the opportunity

As once cordial relations between Maithri- Ranil Government and Modi Government seems to turn sour, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was criticized for his over friendly China foreign policy is apparently trying to seize the opportunity to revive his Indian relations.

The Rajapaksa camp was seen busy attempting to make their rapport with the Indian High Commission here in Colombo and according to unconfirmed sources two senior members of the Rajapaksa family met with Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka recently in an attempt to renew the long lost friendship.

Rajapaksa who is known for shrewd strategies in turning soured relationships between two parties to his benefit may maximize this opportunity to rectify his anti-Indian policies adopted while in power with the coalition government tipped to go ahead with combat aircraft deal with Pakistan and Colombo Port City Project with China.

Marriage to end

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe informed Parliament on Friday that Local Government elections would be held before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year in 2016.

The Premier made this revelation while responding to questions raised by Chief Opposition Whip MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake and MEP Leader MP Dinesh Gunawardena who were adamant about the need to hold Local Government elections.

However, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe pointed out that several issues concerning the recently amended legislation on Local Government elections, such as matters pertaining to delimitation and the establishment of wards, needed to be resolved before calling for polls.

Political experts view this move as the probable end to the SLFP-UNP marriage as the two parties will be competing with each other at the elections. Interested parties worry that this move will put an end to all that promised by President Sirisena to go for major political reforms to establish good governance and a just society.

The Local Government elections will be extremely decisive as it will ruin the already fragile consensus the two parties maintain with great difficulty as several Cabinet ministers are not sharing a friendly relationship.

It is feared that the government will not last until reforms to the Executive Presidential System and the Electoral System are introduced.

Ministers in near fisticuffs

The division in the Cabinet of Ministers came to the limelight with the creation of two camps regarding the Avant Garde issue.

Last week’s Cabinet meeting saw these conflicts reaching to another level when Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and Minister of Justice were in near fisticuffs.

The incident occurred when a group of ministers were watching a news item about Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka making remarks about Rajapkshe being photographed with Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi during a visit to Disneyland in the USA in 2006 with their families.

When a group of ministers were watching this news item prior to the Cabinet meeting Dr. Senaratne walked in. Ministers who were watching the news called Senaratne saying there is a news item regarding a ‘friend of his (Senaratne’s)’

Without having any idea about his ill-timed arrival Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe too walked into the room and it was Dr. Senaratne who said “ah minister there goes your foreign trip with Senadhipathi.”

Rajapakshe who was not affected by the sarcastic remarks of Senaratne started defending Avant Garde once again.

He said no matter others trying to make mountains out of mole hill, Senadhipathi was engaged in a legal business and there was no fraud involved.

This made Dr. Senaratne lose his cool and he blasted Rajapakshe while going red with anger.

“How dare you tell me that it was legal? This man is a b****y fraud and you do not try to teach me…”
Angry Seneratne was approaching Rajapakshe when others realized the situation could lead to another fracas. It was Senaratne’s Kalutara colleague Mahinda Samarasinghe who managed to divert former’s attention by congratulating Senaratne for an award he received recently.

“Oh Minister… we heard about you receiving an award. My heartiest wishes,” Samarasinghe said while managing to put his arm around Senaratne and slowly escorting him out of the room.

Courtesy:Ceylon Today

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

No matter his excesses, ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be remembered as the political leader who defeated terrorism that blighted this country for three decades. His predecessors failed in doing that for many reasons: All of them were constrained by geo-political reasons, but, the earlier leaders — especially J.R. Jayewardene, whose efforts to fight back terrorism were stifled by an insular India in the 80s — were hamstrung by geo-political constraints more than their successors.

R. Premadasa was hindered by short-sighted domestic opposition that forced him to expel the Indian Peace Keeping Force when it was waging a decisive war against the Tamil Tigers.

His Defence Minister, Ranjan Wijeratne, who could have done the job, was bumped off by the terrorists.

Chandrika Kumaratunga was let down by her own generals, who may be gentlemen in the high society cocktail circuits, but were not a patch on the man who finally gave military leadership, with a ruthless efficiency to defeat the LTTE. That was Sarath Fonseka.

From J.R to MR, every political leader talked peace with terrorists, who used periodic ceasefires to regroup, rearm and attack with a greater monstrosity at the collapse of each failed peace effort.

MR inherited an accumulated rot, a terrorist group that appeared invincible, a political leadership that cowed in and an economy held hostage by runaway terrorism. He, somehow, finished off that threat. How he did that may be controversial, but the magnitude of the threat and the monstrosity of terrorists we were pitted against called for the decisive action, failing which we would have been condemned to live in the shadow of terrorism for many decades to come.

He will be remembered for that singular feat, something that no other leader could accomplish.

Continue reading ‘Why Not Rename a Rajapaksa Edifice as the Muttiah Muralitharan International Cricket Stadium ?’ »

By

P.K.Balachandran

Super Power United States as well as Regional Power India are none too happy with the political conduct of C.V.Wigneswaran, the Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province.

US and Indian envoys have directly conveyed to him their concern that his unhelpful and radical posturing could jeopardize the Lankan government’s bid to find an amicable solution to the long-standing Tamil question.

Last Thursday, Indian High Commissioner Y.K.Sinha met Wigneswaran and urged him not to split the moderate Tamil National Alliance (TNA) but instead cooperate with the leaders of the TNA such as R.Sampanthan, M.A.Sumanthiran and Mavai Senathirajah in engaging the Lankan government to find a solution to the Tamil problem when there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Wigneswaran told Sinha said that differences within the TNA could be solved through talks, but it was apparent that the gap was wide, if not unbridgeable.

Continue reading ‘Super Power USA and Regional Power India Unhappy Over Political Conduct of Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Yesterday, the government held last minute talks with the trade unions with a view to heading off strike action on Monday. The GMOA apparently had not been invited for this meeting. The only way for this meeting to succeed would be for the PM to cave into all the demands of the unions. That hardly seems likely because if the government caves in, there will be no budget.

The coming week will be an acid test for the government. If they manage to survive the standoff with the unions, they’ll be able to implement their budget proposals; if not we would have reached a new highpoint in the unfolding crisis. No throwing of red herrings across the trail like the Thajudeen case, Avant Garde case or the Medamulana memorial seems to be working. For the first time since 1980 we seem to be facing a situation of a general strike even though the term is not being used. The next week will be the final week before the vote on the third reading of the budget is to be taken on Friday. So Monday to Friday next week will be a week of strikes and demonstrations.

It cannot but be noticed that the most visible leaders in the strike action planned for next week are the same union leaders who played a prominent role in the yahapalana campaign not so long ago. Having thus played a visible role in bringing the present government into power, if the members of their unions lose even the perks and privileges and welfare measures they enjoyed under the previous regime, that will end the careers of these individuals as union leaders. That is part of the reason for the froth and fury that we see today on the union front.

Another reason of course is that these cuts were genuinely unexpected by those who voted for yahapalanaya. Election rhetoric led them to believe that once the yahapalana government comes into power, the waste and corruption of the Rajapaksa government will end and state employees and the general public will get even more privileges – not less – with all the money ‘saved’ by not having to maintain the Rajapaksa family.

Continue reading ‘Govt Can Implement Budget Proposals Only If It Survives “Greek Week”Stand-off With Trade Unions.’ »

By P.K.Balachandran

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated Northern Province, C.V.Wigneswaran, has assured India that the differences in the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will be ironed out and that unity will be maintained to enable the Tamils to secure their rights in Sri Lanka.

This assurance was given to the Indian High Commissioner in Lanka, Y.K.Sinha, when he had a two-hour meeting Chief Minister Wigneswaran in Jaffna on December 10.

Sinha was on a three-day tour of the Northern Province which ended on Saturday.

Briefing the media on his talks with the High Commissioner, Wigneswaran said that the envoy expressed concern over internal dissensions in the TNA and said that such dissensions could be used by the majority community to deny the Tamils their rights at a time when chances of finding a political solution to the Tamil question are brightening.

Sinha urged the Chief Minister to get along with the TNA leadership comprising R.Sampanthan, M.A.Sumanthiran and Mavai Senathirajah.

Continue reading ‘Indian Envoy YK Sinha “Advises” Chief Minister Wigneswaran to get along with TNA Leadership Comprising Sampanthan,Senathirajah and Sumanthiran’ »

By Udaya P. Gammanpila

“When Chandrika returned to the party after working against it, the party embraced her with both hands and elected her as the leader. Only I am subject to all sorts of harassments. If I had an aristocratic background, I would not have faced any of these harassments”. This was told by President Maithripala Sirisena in the presence of several SLFP Parliamentarians. It is true that he was flatly rejected by the UPFA supporters as evidenced by the recent parliamentary election results. However, is it because absence of an aristocratic background? Or something else?

Identification of true reasons for this rejection is crucial for President Sirisena’s political future. On the other hand, I am duty bound to correct him as a representative of the UPFA, as the party supporters have no opportunity to convey President Sirisena why they reject him. The UPFA supporters rejected President Sirisena in 2015, embraced Chandrika in 1994 and rejected again in 2015 for the very same reason, their contribution to electoral victories or defeats.

Continue reading ‘UPFA Loyalists Reject President Sirisena Due to his Betrayal of the Party’ »

By

Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Euphoria in regard to the Cabinet decision this week that Sri Lanka will sign the International Convention on Enforced Disappearances must be tempered by several factors. First, a sober appraisal makes it evident that though we have ratified a bewildering array of such treaties, a huge gap exists between international commitments and practical realities.

Gap between theory and reality

Unfortunately this is so even when we have enacted domestic legislation giving effect to international obligations. A case in point is the enabling law in regard to the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT). An excellent law in theory, the 1994 CAT Act has become a miserable failure in practical terms. In the first decade after its enactment, the High Court handed down just three convictions of state officers. The convictions record since then has continued to be unimpressive.

Even those few convictions were laboured and confined to the most egregious violations. Judges have strained to let alleged torture perpetrators off the hook. Prosecutors have refrained from indicting Officers in Charge of Police Stations (OICs) who are culpably inactive when torture is committed under their watch. Some High Court judges have reprimanded the Department of the Attorney General for this failure.

Continue reading ‘Euphoria About Signing International Conventions and Practical realities of Committed Implementation’ »

by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“The black cells will dry up and die Or sing with joy and have their way.”
Jorge Luis Borges (Cancer Cells)

Last week Beijing went into shutdown mode. Children were housebound, factories and worksites closed and cars disallowed on roads. The reason for this three day state of emergency was not a terrorist threat but extreme air pollution. A foul smelling and tasting smog enveloped the city rendering the very act of breathing life-threatening. The Beijing Times very appropriately called it ‘Airpocalypse’. China was infamous for a growth model which completely ignored environmental concerns. The payback time has arrived.

According to a new scientific study, if climate change continues at the current pace the Gulf region will ‘suffer heat waves beyond human endurance’ after 2070. The temperature hikes in the region might even interfere with some Hajj rituals, warns Prof. Elfatih Eltahir of MIT: “One of the rituals of Hajj…involves worshipping at the site outside Mecca from sunrise to sunset. In these kinds of conditions it would be very hard to have outside rituals.”

At the 2010 Copenhagen Climate Summit, Chinese obstruction played a major role in preventing a global carbon mitigation treaty. China did not want any deal which would impede its rampaging economic growth. Today its fabled economy is in crisis and over 70% of its population exposed to pollution levels above national regulatory norms

Oil rich nations in the Gulf region, led by Saudi Arabia, have long opposed climate deals which would affect their petro-dollars. Activists are accusing Riyadh of sabotaging a Paris Climate deal which seeks to set a long term temperature goal of 1.5C. The Arab Group was the only bloc which opposed this limit and many environmentalists see Saudi bullying as the primary reason.

Continue reading ‘Is the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration becoming afflicted with topsy-turvy vision as well?’ »

Pandemonium reigned in Parliament as some Opposition MPs lashed out at UNP Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman, who brought up the death of national rugby player Wasim Thajudeen and alleged that some of those responsible for killing had been elected to Parliament.

MP Rahuman, whose seat had been allocated at the opposition, was participating in the committee stage debate on budget proposals under the expenditure heads of the Ministries of Foreign Employment and Foreign Affairs.

Rahuman blamed the then government for the death of national rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. Rahuman said Thajudeen had been killed and the killers would soon be identified.

Opposition MPs registered their protest and said the matter could not be debated as it was sub judice.

Continue reading ‘UPFA MP Indika Anurudha Hits Mujibur Rahman with a Book While Speaking in Parliament;Johnston Fernando and Sanath Nishantha Rush Towards UNP MP Aggressively’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Economic Affairs Minister Basil Rajapaksa will be summoned soon by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate and inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC) to explain payments amounting to over Rs. 156 mn to the SLAF for using fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

Former Accountant at the Economic Affairs Ministry M. M. J. N. R. Fernando on Thursday told the PRECIFAC that Divineguma funds to the tune of nearly Rs 157 mn had been utilized to pay the SLAF.

The commission comprises four High Court judges namely Preethi Padman Surasena (Chairman), Amandra Seneviratne, Vikum Kaluarachchi and Gihan Kulathunga. Retired Director (Administration) of Parliament Lacille de Silva is Secretary to the Commission.

Continue reading ‘PRECIFAC to Probe Basil Rajapaksa for Using Rs 156 Million Divineguma Funds to Pay for Flying in Air Force Planes and Helicopters’ »

By Dharisha Bastians

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday outlined the broad framework of Sri Lanka’s new constitution that his Government will begin drafting next year, with devolution of power, electoral reform and the replacement of the executive presidential system forming the three main focus areas for drafters of the country’s new supreme law.

Delivering the Sujata Jayawardena Memorial Oration, organised by the Alumni Association of the University of Colombo at the BMICH last evening, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe stressed that consensus on these major issues were the need of the hour.

Explaining how the National Unity Government would go about the process of drafting a new constitution, the country’s first since 1978, Wickremesinghe said that a resolution of Parliament will call for the establishment of a constituent assembly, the proposal of which will then be approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. “The job of the constituent assembly will be to draft the constitution, which will then be put before the people at a referendum,” the Prime Minister said.

Continue reading ‘“After Constituent Assembly Drafts New Constitution it Would be put to the People at a Referendum” – Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By Saman Indrajith

Strikes, pickets, demonstrations and trade union actions could not topple a government and that was a task only people were equal to, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliament yesterday.

Participating in the committee stage debate on budget proposals under the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Labour and Trade Union Relations, the Premier said that a few demonstrations by politically motivated trade unions would not level a knockout blow to the government elected by the people.

Wickremesinghe said that the government had increased the salaries of public employees and the private sector salaries would be increased in January.

Continue reading ‘“Strikes,Pickets,Demonstrations and Trade Union Action Cannot Topple Govt” States Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

M. A Sumanthiran

A Bill prohibiting mechanized bottom trawling was filed again in parliament last week by M. A Sumanthiran, Member of Parliament. The Bill calls for the amendment of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No 2 of 1996. The Bill was first presented by Sumanthiran on 21st of April 2015. Following this, however parliament was dissolved.

The Bill in essence proposes to prohibit trawling operations in Sri Lankan waters. The Bill seeks to:
• Amend legislation which allows for licenses to be granted for trawling operations;

• Prohibit the use, possession, import, transport, purchase and sale of trawl nets for the purpose of carrying trawling operations in Sri Lankan waters;

• Specify the action to be taken in the event of persons engaging in trawling operations in contravention of these provisions.

Continue reading ‘Sumanthiran Files Bill Again in Parliament Seeking Prohibition of Mechanized Bottom Trawling in Sri Lankan Waters’ »

By

Reeza Hameed

Today marks the death anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. It is an appropriate time to ponder over the man and his message.

The edifice of Islam is built upon the basic belief that ‘there is no god save Allah, and Muhammad is His apostle’. It is a statement that is whispered into the ears of every new-born and the dying and uttered on all possible occasions by Muslims all over the world. It is part of the call for prayers five times a day.

Allama Iqbal, thinker and poet, sings the glories of the Prophet in the following words:

“ ‘Tis in the forests and the hills,
And on the tranquil plains,
On the seas, in the arms of the waves,
In the roar of hurricanes;
A music heard in China’s towns,
Morocco’s desert song,
And hid within each Muslim’s heart
It makes his faith grow strong
How I have made this glorious name
Beyond all thought sublime.”
Not a learned man

The Prophet was not a learned man. Indeed, there is no evidence that Allah chose his prophets from among the learned. It does not mean he was illiterate, as is frequently said about him. The Prophet, if he was illiterate, could not have engaged in the transaction of business and managed caravans. The Prophet admonished every Muslim to seek knowledge even if it meant having to go to China. It is hardly unlikely that he did not practice what he preached.

Continue reading ‘Pondering Over Prophet Muhammad and his Message’ »

Basil Rajapaksa, the former Minister of Economic Development and powerful brother of ex President Mahinda Rajapaksa was indicted today on multiple criminal charges ranging from bribery and corruption to misappropriation of public funds.

Mr Rajapaksa who left the country immediately after the defeat of his brother at the January 8 Presidential election was arrested on his return several months later but was released on bail after spending time in remand prison.

He has now been formally indicted by the Attorney General in the Colombo High Court for publishing thousands of almanacs on the eve of the presidential election under the ‘Divi Naguma’ village upliftment programme that came under his ministry.

Continue reading ‘Attorney – General Files Indictment at Colombo High Court Against Ex – Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa Over Publication of ” Divi Naguma” Almanacs Issue.’ »

by Saman Indrajith

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that Sri Lanka would not enter into the controversial Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India. It would sign a totally new economic partnership agreement, he added.

The agreement would be on economic and technological partnership and it was being formulated, the Premier said making a special statement in Parliament.

He said the agreement would cover only goods and technological aspects and it would not be extended to professional services.

There was no intention of signing the CEPA by another name contrary to rumours spread by some sections of the society, he said.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka will not Sign Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement(CEPA) with India Declares Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Only Mahinda Rajapaksa was equal to the task of eliminating the LTTE through military means Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Italy Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, PC, said yesterday. He had, therefore, backed Rajapaksa at the 2005 presidential election, he added.

The UNP had been in the grip of the LTTE and the country in crisis at that time, Warnakulasuriya said, noting that there had been a pressing need to ensure Rajapaksa’s victory.

One-time Secretary of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) was responding to interviewers, Faraz Shauketaly and Bandula Jayasekera in an interviews telecast on Sirasa and MTV.

When it was pointed out that Warnakulasuriya had intervened on behalf of a person at that time accused of alleged misappropriation of tsunami funds, the former diplomat said that the national requirement to meet the LTTE’s conventional military challenge took precedence over all other contentious issues.

Continue reading ‘If Mahinda Rajapaksa Won Elections in January he Would Have Declared himself as “KING” by Amending Constitution” says Hemantha Warnakulasuriya’ »

By Todd Schneider

Constructing a good budget is like building a good house. The foundation needs to be solid, high-quality materials make a big difference to durability, and careful craftsmanship will bring both stability and confidence to weather future storms. Similarly, budgets needed to be well grounded and credible, built with care to ensure both equity and support high levels of inclusive economic growth, and have enough room to adapt to shocks. Sri Lanka’s proposed budget brings many of these elements to the table, but the devil is in the details and some proposals raise questions.

The proposed budget is right to emphasize the secular decline in government revenue over the past two decades and to make reversing this trend a top priority. Sri Lanka’s tax-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the world, and estimated tax efficiency is low compared with peer countries. However, the targeted rise in public revenue (tax and non-tax) of almost 40 percent seems ambitious—perhaps overly ambitious. This compares with the average rate of revenue growth over the past 20 years of 12 percent. Apart from being an unprecedented increase, the main underlying measures—for the most part—are likely to work toward lowering revenues.

For example, the budget proposes to (i) reduce the rate of the value added tax (VAT); (ii) introduce multiple VAT rates (a practice that generally makes the tax more difficult to administer); (iii) reverse the extension of the VAT to the wholesale and retail sectors; (iv) raise significantly the threshold for the personal income tax; and (v) introduce new tax exemptions. Non-tax revenue is projected to rise by 300 percent, but the specific measures to achieve this increase are not clearly specified.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Budget: Devil is in the Details and some Proposals Raise Questions’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has alleged that among those LTTE cadres expected to be released soon by the government are two hard core undercover operatives responsible for executing all major attacks in Colombo and its suburbs.

Rajapaksa said one of them was known as Morris, the kingpin of LTTE terror project in Colombo. Morris had masterminded the abortive assassination bid on then Army Chief Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka on the afternoon of April 25, 2006, he added. The other operative has been identified as Giri.

Addressing a gathering at the Sunethradevi pirivena, Pepiliyana, Rajapaksa said that Morris had personally taken the woman suicide cadre tasked with assassinating Fonseka on the pillion of a motorcycle into the Army headquarters.

Continue reading ‘Govt Releasing Hard Core LTTE Cadres in Custody Could Pose Severe Security Threat Warns Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’ »

By Chitra Weerarathne

A domestic aide of Justice Sarath de Abrew, the Judge of the Supreme Court, has told a Judicial Medical Officer that she was sexually assaulted by Justice de Abrew at his residence. The complainant had told the doctor that the petitioner threatened to kill her if she revealed the incident, the Additional Solicitor General, Yasantha Kodagoda, President’s Counsel told the Supreme Court while reading a medico-legal report.

Kodagoda said that criminal proceedings had already been initiated in the High Court against Justice Sarath de Abrew, the petitioner in the fundamental rights violation plea. A criminal prosecution is also pending inquiry in the Magistrate’s Court of Colombo.

The ASG submitted to the Supreme Court a copy of the indictment filed in the High Court by the Attorney General together with the medico-legal report and a list of witnesses.

The medico-legal report is by a medico-legal consultant. It was issued by the Director General of Health Services.

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court Judge Sarath de Abrew Sexually Assaulted domestic Aide and Issued Death Threat -Medico Legal report’ »