by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (P. Leela was the uncrowned queen of song in the realm of Tamil films during the fifties and sixties of the last century.Born in 1934, Leela passed away in 2005.This Article written in 2015 is re-posted here without any changes to denote Leela’s Birthdy on May 19) I was pleasantly surprised this …
Continue reading ‘♬ P. Leela, ‘Forgotten’ Singer Who Sang Unforgettable Songs In Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
Dear Prime Minister, As I watched you take oaths at the Presidential Secretariat, my mind was drawn to the last time you did so, on 16 December 2018, on day 52 of the 52-day coup plot that was mounted against Lankan democracy. On that Sunday morning, you were flanked by your wife, Dr. Maithri Wickremasinghe …
By Chandani Kirinde The Inspector General of Police (IGP) had prevented police personnel on duty near the Prime Minister’s official residence Temple Trees on 9 May from firing tear gas and water cannons to disperse the mob that attacked protestors at Galle Face Green, a senior Government member told Parliament yesterday. Galle District MP Dr. …
Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who had to go into hiding after angry crowds besieged his official residence Temple Trees on 9 May came to Parliament yesterday. Rajapaksa who was taken to the Navy Camp in Trincomalee came to the House with his son MP Namal Rajapaksa.
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed Maldivian Parliamentary Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed as the “coordinator” for securing foreign aid to Sri Lanka that is facing an unprecedented economic crisis. Mr. Wickremesinghe on May 19 held a closed-door meeting with his long-time friend Mr. Nasheed who is visiting Colombo, …
(This article from “The Economist” appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Gota go”) On paper, at least, Sri Lanka is one of the wealthiest countries in South Asia, ranked by the un on a par with much of eastern Europe in terms of development. Yet the country of 22m …
By Meera Srinivasan Scores of people on Wednesday gathered in Mullivaikkal village, in Sri Lanka’s northern Mullaitivu district, to remember the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians who were brutally killed in the final stages of the civil war in May 2009, when the armed forces crushed the LTTE. Simultaneously, dozens came together expressing solidarity …
by Krishnadas Rajagopal The Supreme Court on Wednesday invoked its extraordinary powers to do complete justice under Article 142 of the Constitution and ordered the release of A.G. Perarivalan in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. A Bench led by Justice L. Nageswara Rao, in its judgment, took into consideration Perarivalan’s long incarceration for …
(Text of Special Statement made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 16th 2022 Regardig the Current Economic Siitution in Sri Lanka) Last Thursday, I accepted office as the Prime Minister. I did not request this position. In face of the challenging situation facing the country, the President invited me to take up this position. …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu” of May 17th 2022 Under the Heading “ Crisis and opportunity: On Sri Lanka political crisis”) The adage ‘every crisis contains the seeds of an opportunity’ could not have been truer for anyone than for Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The severe economic crisis, which set off …
By Chandani Kirinde TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran yesterday slammed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, calling his conduct absolutely shameless after the latter voted against the motion moved by the TNA MP to suspend Standing Orders in order to debate a motion against the President. He accused the Prime Minister of trading on his policies and principles …
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday reaffirmed the UNP’s commitment to vote in favour of the motion expressing displeasure against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa when it is taken up in Parliament. The Prime Minister reiterated his position after he came in for criticism for voting against a motion in Parliament yesterday to suspend Standing Orders to take …
SLPP Hambatntota District MP Ajith Rajapakse was elected as the new Deputy Speaker of Parliament yesterday after a secret ballot in which he defeated the SJB’s nominee Matale District MP Rohini Kaviratne.Rajapakse won 107 votes while Kaviratne got 98 votes while 23 votes were rejected. Although discussions had been held to field a consensus candidate, …
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday won crucial support from the main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the 10-party alliance for his efforts to revive the economy. The Parliamentary Group of the SJB unanimously decided to extend support to the Government led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on decisions …
Ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MPs Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayatilleke were arrested yesterday by the Criminal Investigations Department over violent incidents which took place at Galle Face and outside Temple Trees on 9 May.
There was complete pandemonium on Saturday (14)when embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with SLPP legislators for the first time since the latest wave of mob violence, which led to arson attacks against many of them. Tight security granted to the president’s personal shaman, Gnana Akka, in Anuradhapura was figured at the meeting with angry MPs …
Several homes, properties, and vehicles belonging to MPs were destroyed during Monday’s (9) unrest, according to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). This full list, compiled by the SLPP, was released recently, and is as follows: Former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Carlton house was damaged. The Rajapaksa Museum, including the monuments of the former Prime …
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) yesterday (15) stated that it would support all correct decisions taken by the Government to resolve the current economic crisis in the country, and that it was willing to discuss the allocation of ministerial portfolios to SLFP MPs, two days after stating that it would neither be part of …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka on May 15 said it will “duly investigate” information flagged by Indian intelligence agencies — that ex-LTTE were “regrouping to launch attacks” in the island — and “strengthen security”, a day after authorities denied the claim reported in The Hindu. On May 13 The Hindu, citing Indian intelligence sources, reported …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe grabbed media attention a few weeks ago when she spoke out strongly in support of President Gotabaya Rajapksa. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) Galle district MP who enjoyed much popularity as a successful actress for many years had been appointed State minister of Culture and Performing Arts by …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene In the shambles left of the Rajapaksa Government this week in Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s last-ditch conjuring of many-times Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to fill the vacuum left by the resignation of his brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was hardly unexpected. The bitter aftermath of Monday’s attacks That was the most predictable …
By Sandun Jayawardana Elements backed by political parties and enemies are being blamed for the destruction caused to vehicles and properties of government politicians, their relatives and supporters during the three days of violence that broke out after pro-government thugs attacked peaceful protesters outside Temple Trees and at Galle Face on Monday. Properties and vehicles …
By Meera Srinivasan Just as it became apparent on Wednesday that Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was about to appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM, in place of Mahinda Rajapaksa who resigned days earlier, an old video clip got widely shared on social media. Clad in a back suit, a prim looking Mr. Wickremesinghe tells a …
By Mujib Mashal and Skandha Gunasekara As the guests sat down for a banquet dinner last summer at the grand colonial-era home of Sri Lanka’s president, the small talk soon turned gravely serious. Addressing members of the ruling coalition, the country’s energy minister, Udaya Gammanpila, defended a small increase in fuel prices that was intended …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence on Saturday denied reports of ex-LTTE cadre “regrouping to launch attacks” in Sri Lanka, as reported by The Hindu, citing sources in Indian intelligence. “The article is completely baseless. We have received no intelligence warning of such a security threat,” a Ministry spokesman said. The report, citing …
By S.Vijay Kumar Intelligence agencies have warned of erstwhile cadre of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) regrouping to launch attacks in Sri Lanka, as the country is embroiled in a deep economic and political crisis. As the island nation has declared emergency twice amid escalating violent protests, some sections of the Sri …
By Chandani Kirinde The 10-party alliance led by former Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said yesterday they will not accept any ministerial portfolios in the Government of newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, but will extend support to the programs to revive the economy. Former President Maithripala …
Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday appealed to the people to be patient, and promised to work diligently to find a way out of the unprecedented economic crisis and bring relief to the people. The Prime Minister instructed his staff to be prepared to continue working without thinking about the holidays. Accordingly, the upcoming …
BY CHANKA JAYASINGHE A former ruling party legislator who died in violent clash in Sri Lanka was beaten to death by a mob and it was not a suicide as claimed earlier, Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said on Thursday. Amarakeerthi Athukorala, an MP in former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa-led Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) administration …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who has vowed to “deliver solutions” to the island’s deepening economic crisis, kicked off duties on Friday, discussing formation of a “foreign aid consortium” with Colomb-based envoys, his office said. His outreach came a day after he was sworn in Premier by President Gotabaya …
A decision has been made to pass a resolution in support of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister in the Parliament when it convenes next on 17 May. The motion states that the support of the majority of the Members of Parliament will be expressed to Ranil Wickremesinghe. It is reported that lawmakers of …
JUSTICE FOR ALL 13th May 2022 We condemn the reimposition of the State of Emergency from midnight on the 6th of May 2022, the very first instance it was available after revoking it on the 5th of April 2022. We vehemently condemn the violence unleashed on peaceful protestors on the 9th of May 2022 both …
By Chandani Kirinde UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday in one of the biggest reversals of political fortune in the country. The shock decision to appoint Wickremesinghe to the post vacated by Mahinda Rajapaksa was made on Wednesday night after the President met …
Several members of the Parliament including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and foreign envoys extended congratulatory wishes to newly appointed sixth Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, whilst few others expressed their displeasure. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa congratulated Wickremesinghe for taking up the challenging task to overcome the multiple crises. “My best wishes to the newly …
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said yesterday that his first choice for the post of Prime Minister was SJB leader Sajith Premadasa but as he had rejected the offer to take over the Government, he had decided to appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The President disclosed this in a letter he sent Premadasa yesterday in response to …
Completing a stunning comeback, United National Party (UNP) Leader and National List MP Ranil Wickremesinghe, who failed to secure his seat in Parliament in the August 2020 General Election, was sworn in as the new Prime Minister last evening (12). Wickremesinghe took oaths before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s House, with Secretary to the …
By Yohan Perera Newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had accepted his new post to save the nation from its present crisis. “I accepted the Prime Minister’s post to save the nation and to see that people of this country get three square meals while essential goods such as fuel, gas and electricity …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday appointed former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe as Premier, in a bid to restore stability in the island nation in the midst of a political impasse and stifling economic crisis. This is the sixth time Mr. Wickremesinghe, 73, has been appointed to the office — he has …
By Chandani Kirinde In a day of dramatic political developments President Gotabaya Rajapaksa met with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe last night amidst speculation that the latter would be appointed as the country’s new Prime Minister. Speculation was Wickremesinghe will be sworn in today by the President after which the UNP Leader will firm up support …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s beleaguered President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday said he will appoint a new Prime Minister, who commands a parliamentary majority, and a Cabinet of Ministers, within a week’s time, as the island struggles to cope with its political and economic crises. “I am taking steps to form a new government to …
(Text of Address to the Nation Delivered by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on May 11th 2022) Most Venerable Maha Sangha, Other Religious Dignitaries, Mothers and Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, Beloved Children, Friends, At present, our country is facing the worst crisis in its history. The economic crisis that preceded this event created social and political instability …
By Meera Srinivasan Meanwhile, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa was evacuated from Temple Trees, his official residence in Colombo, and taken to a naval base in the eastern port city of Trincomalee on May 10 for his “security”, according to Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Defence Ministry. Addressing a media conference on May 11, he said: “The …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Central Bank chief on May 11 warned that the economy would “collapse completely” unless political stability is urgently restored and a new government is appointed to run the crisis-hit country. Addressing reporters in Colombo, Nandalal Weerasinghe, who assumed charge as Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka just over …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “London Bridge is falling down, Falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, My fair lady.” – Nursery Rhyme When Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was in a rn in as Finance Minister by his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2021, the appointment grabbed the attention of the world’s influential media. It was …
Continue reading ‘Is the Medamulana “House of Rajapaksa” Falling Down, Falling Down?’ »
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The enlightenment driven away, The habit-forming pain, Mismanagement and grief: We must suffer them all again.” Auden (September 1, 1939) “We must love one another or die,” wrote Auden in September 1, 1939 as the world slid into calamity. Gotagogama and the nationwide anti-Rajapaksa struggle it pioneered and symbolized seemed to be …
(Text of the editorial appearing in “The Hindu” of May 11th 2022 under the heading “The end of a brand: On the fall of the Rajapaksas”) The resignation of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, amidst extraordinary scenes of violence as part of the widespread public uprising against his family’s rule, marks the abrupt fall …
By Chandani Kirinde The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will take over the government if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa agrees to resign after appointing Sajith Premadasa as Prime Minister, a senior SJB source said. The Party will write to the President today with the proposal, the source said. “The SJB is not willing to join a government …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Morning” of May 11th 2022 Under the Heading “Protesting with cognitive violence over brute force”) In less than 24 hours, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, anti-Government groups retaliated against pro-Government groups, people were killed, and properties amounting to an unknown value were destroyed. Most importantly, violence, which was hardly …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s tri-forces on Tuesday received shooting orders to “bring violence under control”, authorities said, amid a spate of retaliatory attacks targeting government members. “Defence Ministry has ordered the tri-forces to shoot at persons causing harm to life or involved in theft of property,” the Army said. On Monday, Rajapaksa supporters assaulted …
By Meera Srinivasan The Sri Lanka Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been tasked with probing the concerted attack on anti-government protesters, police said on Tuesday, a day after a pro-Rajapaksa mob went on a rampage at agitation sites in capital Colombo and in central Kandy district. The death toll in the attacks, which the …
Mahinda Raja-paksa, who resigned as prime minister on Monday, will not flee the country, his son Namal Rajapaksa told AFP on Tuesday. The 76-year-old heads a political clan whose hold on power has been shaken by months of blackouts and shortages in the island nation, which is suffering its worst economic crisis since independence in …
Protests were held yesterday (10) in front of the Trincomalee Naval Base, where former Prime Minister and incumbent Government MP Mahinda Rajapaksa is reportedly staying, along with a number of his family members. Video reports also show a helicopter, reportedly belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force, being boarded by a few people at the …
By Chandani Kirinde President Gotabaya Rajapaksa clamped a countrywide two-day curfew last night in a bid to stop escalating violence across the country which saw houses and offices of more than 15 ruling party politicians set on fire and crowds attempting to break into Temple Trees where Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family were …
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday eventually resigned as mayhem unfolded on the streets after hundreds of his supporters bussed in from different parts of the country to Temple Trees to support the PM unleashed violence on peaceful protestors. With the Prime Minister’s resignation, the cabinet of Ministers stands dissolved. The Prime Minister sent his resignation …
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne, acting on instructions from Public Security Ministry Secretary (Retd.) Maj. Gen. Jagath Alwis, had instructed senior Police officials, including Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) – Colombo Central Nishantha Chandrasekara not to use water cannons and tear gas to disperse supporters of the Sri Lanka …
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran yesterday said that former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa must be arrested and prosecuted. “Mahinda Rajapaksa who just resigned, must be arrested and brought before the law along with all others who organised and brought the attackers to Colombo,” he tweeted on his official handle yesterday.
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned on Monday, his office said, hours after his supporters brutally assaulted peaceful, anti-government protesters amid a worsening economic crisis in the island. The resignation was accepted, according to a gazette notification, and consequently, the Cabinet stands dissolved as per the Sri Lankan Constitution. Three persons …
A legislator from Sri Lanka’s ruling party shot dead an anti-government protester and then took his own life during a confrontation outside the capital, police said Monday. Amarakeerthi Athukorala opened fire and critically wounded two people blocking his car in the town of Nittambuwa, police said, adding that one of the victims died of his …
Several countries via their diplomats condemned yesterday’s violent attacks by supporters of ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on peaceful protestors. The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton in a tweet said: “Strongly condemn the violence against peaceful protestors today. The authorities have a responsibility to safeguard citizens’ rights to protest peacefully and …
BY Dinitha Rathnayake An islandwide curfew was imposed yesterday (9) following supporters of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led Government attack on peaceful anti-Government protesters at “MynaGoGama” in Kollupitiya and “GotaGoGama” in Galle Face, which led to over 130 sustaining injuries and being hospitalised. Prior to the declaration of islandwide curfew, Police curfew was imposed …
Shots were fired from inside the Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s official residence Monday, as thousands of protesters breached the main gate and torched a truck at the entrance, an AFP reporter said. Police also fired tear gas to push back protesters retaliating against an attack on them earlier in the day by those loyal to …
BY Dinitha Rathnayake Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa sent his letter of resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (9) after violent scenes were witnessed in Colombo. Speaking to The Morning, Prime Minister’s Secretary Rohan Weliwita confirmed that the letter was sent to the President yesterday evening. In the letter addressed to the President, Premier Rajapaksa noted …
A large number of supporters of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa are expected to gather outside his official residence Temple Trees this morning amidst reports that he will hand in his resignation today(May 9). Members of local authorities led by the SLLP as well as trade unionists affiliated to the party who met with the Prime …
by D.B.S.JEYARAJ “Go Home Gota” and/or “Gota Go Home” is the resounding clarion call that is currently motivating and mobilizing a number of protest demonstrations throughout Sri Lanka. The underlying thread is that Sri Lanka’s Executive President Gotabaya (Gota) Rajapaksa should resign and quit. The social media too is replete with demands of a similar …
Continue reading ‘Will the Executive Presidency “Go Out” If Gota Refuses to Go Home?’ »
By Kelum Bandara Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for the Jaffna district M.A. Sumanthiran, in an interview with Daily Mirror, airs his views on the present status of the economy and the political crisis. Excerpts: Q The TNA has taken a different stand regarding the no confidence motion against the government. Why is it? When …
By Dr. Ram Manikkalingam (The writer is a Visiting Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Director of the Dialogue Advisory Group.) Sri Lanka is at a political deadlock. Protesters want the President and parliamentarians to go home. Parliament wants the President to go home. And the President wants the protesters to go home. But …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Bright smiles of determined young Sri Lankans contrast starkly with the tear gas and water cannons used by the police this Friday to smash tents and scatter protestors outside the newly established ‘HoruGoGama’ (‘thieves, get out’) on the road to Parliament. On the one side, there is youth, optimism and hope. …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has thanked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for his initiative to provide humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, which is in the grip of a grave economic crisis. In a letter dated May 4, 2022 and addressed to Mr. Stalin, Mr. Rajapaksa said the passage of …
By Meera Srinivasan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s move declaring a state of emergency late on Friday has sparked wide criticism within Sri Lanka, as well as from the international actors who contended it was unhelpful and counterproductive, coming amid peaceful citizens’ protests. Government critics and civil society groups fear that the emergency regulations, which give sweeping …
By the Sunday Morninng Political Editor The proposed 21st Amendment Bill presented to Parliament by the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was gazetted last Friday (6). The gazetting of the proposed 21st Amendment to the Constitution has now put into motion the moves to repeal the controversial 20th Amendment and revert to an advanced …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake I was 14 plus when the first hartal took place in what was then Ceylon. We had only print and radio for news, yet the LSSP-led mass protest did have echoes of workers and people’s action, police shooting, 10 persons killed, and the overall failure of the government leadership.Sixty-nine years later, the …
By Bishop Duleep de Chickera People’s protests today, occupy the public space as the people clamour to create and occupy democratic space. This receives public attention and worries the oppressor. Today’s protests demand change. The sovereignty of the people has been brazenly ursurped by callous and arrogant legislators. They must go if the people are …
An emergency Cabinet meeting called by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ended last night amidst conflicting reports of the imminent resignation of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. Soon after news broke that the President had asked the Prime Minister to resign, a spokesman for the PMs office denied the claim.
By Chandani Kirinde President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last night declared a state of emergency with immediate effect as public protests calling for his resignation intensified. The emergency regulations which give wide powers to the armed forces to detain and arrest persons as well as quell public protests were declared under the Public Security Ordinance and came …
By Meera Srinivasan Several hundred people gathered outside Sri Lanka’s Parliament late Thursday night, hours after police tear-gased students who marched to the spot as part of ongoing citizens’ protests against the ruling Rajapaksas. Their agitations continued all day on Friday, braving fresh rounds of water cannons and tear gas unleashed by police, as the …
Ranjith Siyambalapitiya who was elected as Deputy Speaker on Thursday by way of a secret ballot in Parliament resigned from the post last evening. .In a letter addressed to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Kegalle District SLFP MP said that his decision to take up the post has turned public opinion against him and he did …
By Chandani Kirinde Ranjith Siyam-balapaiaya was re-elected as Deputy Speaker in a secret ballot held in parliament yesterday with 148 MPs voting for him and 65 for the Samagi Jana Balawegaya nominee Imtiaz Bakeer Markar. Siyambalapitiya’s name was proposed by MP Nimal Siripala De Silva and seconded by Susil Premajayanth while Bakeer Markar was nominated …
Reacting to the election of Government MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya as Deputy Speaker of Parliament yesterday (5), the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB), as well as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), claimed that the MPs formerly of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Government camp and who now sit independently in Parliament are …
SLFP MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was today re-elected Deputy Speaker by a majority of 83 votes in a secret ballot. A total of 148 members voted for Mr. Siyambalapitiya and SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar obtained 65 votes. Three votes were rejected.
BY Pamodi Waravita Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena yesterday (5) refused to enter the no-confidence motion (NCM) against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa into the Order Book of the Parliament immediately, stating that he needs to first consult the Attorney General about its legality, while the NCM against the Government will be placed in the Order Book of …
By Chandani Kirinde The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday handed over two No-Confidence Motions, one against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and another against the Government, to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. The No-Confidence Motion against the Government was handed over after weeks of speculation on whether the Opposition can muster enough votes to get it …
By Jamila Husain Hours after the main opposition SJB handed over a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against the President and another against the Prime Minister to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena last afternoon, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said he was confident of winning the NCM against him as he held the majority support in Parliament. The …
By Chandani Kirinde Finance Minister Ali Sabry yesterday told Parliament that the country’s economy is at a critical level and warned that painful reforms lie ahead irrespective of who is in power. In a detailed statement to the House on the present fiscal situation in the country as well as the way forward, Sabry admitted …
BY Buddhika Samaraweera Following an order issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court and a heated debate between Police and protestors outside Temple Trees in Kollupitiya, vehicles parked on the pavement in the area and the constructions of the protest zone generally referred to as “MynaGoGama” were removed yesterday evening (4). The heated debate took …
BY Buddhika Samaraweera and Dinitha Rathnayake The arrest of 13 protestors in front of the entrance road to the Parliament in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte yesterday (4) has been criticised by Amnesty International, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), and the Parliamentary Opposition. A total of 13 persons were arrested by the Maharagama Police while …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “Ain’t it nice to fly? You’re waving as soft clouds go by But peace won’t be still of its own free will” – Gil Scott-Heron (Free Will) The Rajapaksa’s, an immovable object; the popular resistance, an unstoppable force; their meeting has created an impasse. Can it be unblocked constitutionally and peacefully before …
by Uditha Devapriya What happens to a mass scale uprising when it loses its radical potential? It loses direction, focus, and the will to continue. The protests unfolding in the country have cut across ethnic and social divisions, unifying disparate classes and groups that once warred with each other. One middle-class protester, a private university …
By Sanja De Silva Jayatilleka It’s The People vs The Political Class, in the Aragalaya. The People are winning because they are clearer, more intelligent and are way ahead of the politicians. The parliamentarians who can’t seem to get what the people have made crystal clear, can play silly buggers only until the people stop …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj This column focuses this month on my favourite Sinhala film director Lester James Peries and his award winning film “Gamperaliya” . Lester’s 103rd birth anniversary was celebrated on April 5 while his 4th death anniversary was commemorated on April 29 this year.The Gamperaliya film was based on the famous novel of the same …
Continue reading ‘Lester James Peries and the Double Gold Winning “Gamperaliya”’ »
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (3) presented over 100 files pertaining to various alleged cases of corruption in Sri Lanka, implicating a string of high profile politicians including the ruling Rajapaksa family, Government MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa, and United …
BY Ruwani Fonseka and Dinitha Rathnayake Despite intense speculation and statements that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa would be resigning from his post today (4) after making a special statement in Parliament, the Prime Minister’s Office maintains that Rajapaksa will not be stepping down today, and that the special statement will be about the current situation …
BY Dinitha Rathnayake Sajeewa Chamikara of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) has alleged that a hotel named Sinharaja Green Eco Lodge is causing great damage to the Sinharaja environment through the development of a road leading to the hotel, and that the hotel project is linked to Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff …
The main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), handed over two no-confidence motions (NCMs), one against the incumbent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)-led Government and the other against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana yesterday (3). A group of SJB MPs led by SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa presented …
By Ranga Jayasuriya Soon after the military victory against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a nihilistic terrorist group of its right, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the then-president embarked on cultivating a full-pledged personal cult. That was not a fantasy that was exclusive to MR himself, many of his peers, and predecessors here and abroad had similar …
By Kelum Bandara Political unrest still prevails in the country, with the chorus urging President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down. An interim government representative of all the parties with MPs in Parliament has been proposed by some parties and groups in the meantime to run the country for a short period –may be one year- …
By Jamila Husain Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in a conversation with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today said the President, under the 20th amendment, has the authority to make decisions to resolve the ongoing political crisis and he would extend his fullest cooperation to any decisions made by the President. The Daily Mirror learns that Prime Minister …
By Nirupama Subramanian It was sometime in 1997. In Colombo, in the basement banquet hall of a five-star hotel, the “milk man of India” was addressing a press conference to announce a $20 million joint venture between the National Dairy Development Board and Sri Lanka’s state-owned MILCO. It would be called Kiriya — kiri being …
By Arun Janardhanan The Tamil Nadu Assembly’s move to pass a resolution Friday urging the Centre to allow the state Government to send humanitarian aid to the people of Sri Lanka came in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central Government not responding to its similar requests made earlier. The resolution was brought …
By Nirupama Rao (Nirupama Rao, a former Foreign Secretary, was India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. She is the author of The Fractured Himalaya: India Tibet China 1949 to 19aaa62, Penguin Viking, 2021) India is Sri Lanka’s only neighbour. It follows that what happens in Sri Lanka, especially if it involves the suffering of Sri …
China will be treated equal to all other external creditors and will not be given any preferential treatment when Sri Lanka carries out its debt restructuring, the island nation’s Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said on Friday (29). Sri Lanka on April 12 announced that it was suspending all foreign debt repayments as it had …
By Chandani Kirinde The Sri Lanka Parliament marks the 40th anniversary of its move to Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte today. It comes at a particularly tumultuous and trying time for parliamentary democracy in the country with the public focused on their elected representatives more than ever before. When the country’s first executive president J.R. Jayewardene declared …
Hundreds of Buddhist monks called on the President and the Government to immediately implement the Mahanayaka Theras’ proposals to resolve the prevailing economic crisis. The monks who gathered at Independence Square warned that if the proposals were not implemented, the Mahanayaka Theras would issue a Sangha Convention edict calling on monks to shun politicians. The …
A Sangha Convention held at the Independence Square yesterday (30 April) called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to step down to facilitate a smooth transition of power to an all-party interim government, aimed at creating political stability, rebuilding public faith in governance, and facilitating economic recovery. The decree of the Sangha Convention calling for the …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene There is a trace of helplessness and more than a touch of cruel ridicule to dramatic protest scenes being played out this week in front of Temple Trees, the official residence of the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The State has become a satire The loud chanting of ‘pirith’ by Buddhist …
By The “Sunday Morning” Political Editor No Confidence Motions (NCMs) against the President and the Government are to be submitted to Parliament this week, it is learnt. The NCM against the President was drafted by a team of legal experts led by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran PC while the NCM against the …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake This is just after the first ever single day, countrywide, strike action in Sri Lanka.As the protests against the Rajapaksa Brotherhood continue, we may be moving to the next big Hartal in this country. After the historic Hartal in 1953 – which saw country-wide civil-disobedience and strike, where 10 people were killed, …
By Dr.Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu The situation in the country is one of dynamism as well as stalemate. Dynamism on account of the determination, creativity and resilience of the Gotagogama demonstrators, the extension of their efforts to the Mainagogama demonstration outside Temple Trees to the sheer celebration of Sri Lanka’s diversity and the unity of its peoples, …
By Arundathie Abeysinghe The worst fears of Sri Lanka’s tea and apparel sectors have become a reality as they are losing their orders to competitors, and India, Sri Lanka’s neighbour, is a major beneficiary. As Sri Lanka is facing a severe dollar crisis, its capacity to import food, gas, fuel, medicine, and essential items has …
By Jamila Husain Former President Maithripala Sirisena today said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had agreed to form an interim government under a new Prime Minister for a short period, but this was denied by senior officials in the President’s office who attended the meeting.
Confusion reigned yesterday disappointing many as political leaders failed to deliver and be sincere to a protesting nation. A meeting between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and a group of dissident SLPP MPs ended yesterday with plans to nominate five representatives from the group to devise the modalities of setting up an all-party Government but all main …
By Jamila Husain In a meeting held with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government parliamentarians last evening, 117 MPs said Mahinda Rajapaksa should continue as the Prime Minister and further informed the President and Prime Minister both should continue. 109 MPs were physically present while 8 MPs could not attend due …