By D.B.S.Jeyaraj This January is the 60th anniversary of what has come to be known as the 1962 Coup or Coup d’etat of Sri Lanka known formerly as Ceylon.News about the coup in Ceylon/Sri Lanka was first relayed over the state radio known then as “Radio Ceylon” on January 28th 1962. It was a Sunday …
Continue reading ‘Coup d’etat Conspiracy Crisis of 1962: The Background’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj India is Sri Lanka’s closest neighbour. Among the Indian states, it is the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu that is closest to he Island.Tamil Nadu meaning “Tamil Land/Country” is home to more than 72 million people. Since 1967 ,Tamil Nadu has been ruled by political parties adhering to what is termed as …
Continue reading ‘How Actor MGR Became Chief Minister: Cinematic Politics of M.G.Ramachandran’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj In a significant political move, seven political parties mainly representing the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern and Eastern provinces have written a joint letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his help to fully implement the provisions of the 13th amendment to the Constitution. As is well known the Provincial Councils …
(Text of Media Release Issued by Human Rights Watch on January 13, 2022) The Sri Lankan government in 2021 suppressed minority communities, harassed activists, and undermined democratic institutions, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2022. The government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa failed to carry out legal reforms promised to its international partners …
By Lord Tariq Ahmad Kumar Sangakkara, a sportsperson both our countries greatly admire, spoke passionately about ‘different ethnicities and religions who celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common cause’. Naturally, he was talking about cricket, but I like it as a metaphor for the ties between your country and mine. We hold in our …
By P. Krishnaswamy After the Christmas and New Year festivities, the focus is now on the Pongal harvest festival, popularly known as Thai Pongal, celebrated in the first four days of the month of Thai in the Tamil-Hindu calendar. Traditionally, it is the festival of farmers who depend on Mother Earth, the sun, rain, other …
Continue reading ‘‘Thai Pongal’ the Harvest Festival of Tamils’ »
Colombo Catholic Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday (13) accused the Police of not conducting a “truthful” investigation regarding the discovery of a hand grenade at the All Saints Church in Borella and said that Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne should “go home” if he cannot ensure a transparent investigation is conducted into …
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has denied media reports that it has taken a decision yet to leave the current Sri Lanka Freedom People’s Alliance (SLFPA) Government led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), but SLFP Senior Vice President Emeritus Prof. Rohana Luxman Piyadasa said that the party will definitely …
By Thulasi Muttulingam The Tamil month of Thai was ushered in on Monday Jan 14. It marks the end of the harvesting season of rice for the Tamil farmers who will be celebrating that harvest with their famous festival of Thai Pongal. Pongal means ‘boiling over’. To signify that they have had a bountiful harvest, …
Continue reading ‘Evolution of Agriculture and the ‘Thaipongal’ Tamil Harvest Festival’ »
By Pamodi Waravita President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had instructed Finance Ministry and Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle to reinstate Theshara Jayasinghe to his position as Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. Chairman yesterday (13), hours after he was removed from the post by the Finance Ministry, The Morning learnt. Sources said that a letter issued by the Finance Ministry …
In response to Sri Lanka’s immediate requirement of foreign exchange, India on Thursday allowed the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to defer the payment of about US$ 500 million given under the Asian Clearing Union Settlement Framework. This was conveyed to the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal by …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj A solemn, low key memorial event was held in Trincomalee town on Sunday January 2nd. Relatives and friends laid flowers and lit candles and lamps in memory of five Tamil youths killed in Trincomalee town on Jan 2nd 2006. The incident that happened sixteen years ago for which justice was not done is …
Continue reading ‘Killing of Five Tamil Students in Trinco Town: Emblematic Case of Impunity’ »
BY Pamodi Waravita Families of the Disappeared President Brito Fernando gave a statement to the Commission to Investigate into Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Monday (10), following a complaint the organisation had filed at the CIABOC last year, alleging “reasonable suspicion” that a bribe has been obtained to withdraw the indictment against former …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj 14th Death Anniversary of Shanmuganathan Ravishankar alias Col Arulventhan a.k.a Charles (Shanmuganathan Ravishankar alias Col Arulventhan a.k.a Charles of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)was killed on January 5th 2008. This article written within a week of his death in Jan 2008 is reproduced here on account of his fourteeth death anniversary) The …
Continue reading ‘“Col Charles”: The”tiger” Mastermind Behind LTTE Attacks Outside North-East’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Much concern is now being shown by political parties representing the minority (numerical) ethnicities of Sri Lanka over the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. As is well known it is the 13th Constitutional Amendment which ushered n a certain quantum of devolution to the country through the setting up of Provincial Councils. 13 …
Continue reading ‘Indo-Lanka Accord, Thirteenth Amendment and the Tamil March of Folly’ »
by Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne PC The National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ) has been faulted for not turning its attention to the process of constitution-making. This is far from the truth. While the NMSJ’s current proposals are on the contents of a new Constitution, it has also initiated a discussion on the process. Last month, …
By Chandani Kirinde President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last night amended the Gazette notification on the subjects and functions of Ministers and State Ministers and did away with the State Ministry of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation, and transferred all functions assigned to it to the Minister of Justice. Lohan Ratwatte served as the State Minister of …
President’s Counsel (PC) Uditha Egalahewa, arguing on behalf of Ministers Wimal Weerawansa, Udaya Gammanpila, and Vasudeva Nannayakkara, who have submitted an affidavit in support of the petitions filed against the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi Power Plant-related agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and US-based energy company, denied that their affidavit is unconstitutional and violates the collective …
By Shanta Devarajan (The writer is a former World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East and North Africa. He is now Professor of Georgetown University) The announcement by the Governor of the Central Bank that Sri Lanka has earmarked $ 500 million to repay a maturing sovereign bond on 18 …
Former State Minister Dr. Susil Premajayantha, who was removed from the said post last week, and several other government parliamentarians attended the slain Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike’s 123rd birth commemoration organised by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga last Saturday (8). Kumaratunga had organised one event to commemorate Bandaranaike’s 123rd birthday in front of the Bandaranaike …
The Sri Lankan President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, on Sunday sought from the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, a restructuring of the repayment of Sri Lanka’s debts to China and also a concessional trade-credit scheme to enable the island nation to import goods from China to make industries here operate smoothly. The rescheduling of the repayment …
By Buddhika Samaraweera Pointing out that it is the voice of the people that emerges from all quarters, including those who represent the Government and criticise certain government policies, State Minister of Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure Nimal Lanza said that such criticisms should not be underestimated. Speaking to the media yesterday (9), he said …
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema During Foreign Minister Yi’s visit, Sri Lanka and China signed four agreements; namely an agreement on Economic and Technical Co-operation, the Letter of Exchange on the project of 2,000 subsidised housing units for the low-income category in Colombo, the Handover Certificate of the Technical Co-operation Project for the Bandaranaike Memorial International …
By Azzam Ameen A ceremony to start Mount Lavinia to Kankesanthurai Intercity services using recently received Full AC Diesel Multiple Units (AC DMUs) from India under an Indian loan facility was held today (09). According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, Sri Lankan Minister of Transport Ms. Pavithra Wanniarachchi was the chief guest. Indian …
By Marianne David Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran in an interview with The Sunday Morning outlined the key challenges in the North and East – the economy, continuing militarisation and the national question remaining unresolved – while expanding on the party’s political concerns relating to the proposed new constitution, the hurdles in forging …
By P.K.Balachandran The visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Sri Lanka from January 8 to 9, and the Indian Foreign Minister S.Jaishankar’s recent phone call to his Lankan counterpart G.L.Peiris, have given the impression that both Asian giants are keen on helping Sri Lanka come out of the economic woods it has …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Even as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is reported to have cited a decision by the Sri Lanka Supreme Court (per the late Justice MDH Fernando) regarding collective responsibility of the Cabinet to justify sacking a state minister on the grounds that he criticised the Government, he may apprise himself of a plethora …
By Brian Baxter Sidney Poitier, who has died aged 94, was the first black actor to win an Oscar in a leading role, in 1964, for his performance in Lilies of the Field. This simple story about a handyman helping German nuns build a chapel in Arizona was enhanced by its star’s humour and vitality. …
Noting the tenet of collective responsibility and a constitutional cap on the number of cabinet ministries, Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (07) defended a decision to sack a state minister who had openly criticised the government. “I had to remove a state minister. If a state minister says this government is wrong, he …
Sacked Sri Lanka Minister Susil Premajayantha has called for a probe whether he was spied upon by intelligence agents after a ruling party member claimed the sacking came in the wake of spy reports. Premjayantha was sacked shortly after he commented on the fertilizer ban which had put the agriculture sector in crisis at an …
The 13th anniversary of the assassination of The Sunday Leader founder Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickrematunge, which falls on 8 January, will be marked with a service at his graveside. Family, friends, former colleagues and others will gather at Borella Kanatte at 9 a.m. to mark the anniversary and remember Lasantha. Assassinated on 8 January 2009, Lasantha …
By Susitha Fernando With the social, political and economic changes in the country over the last two years, specially since the spread of the Covid 19 pandemic, Jathika Jana Balawegaya or National People’s Power (NPP), the broader alliance of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, has shown impressive progress in its popularity among all section of the society. …
By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lanka and India on Thursday signed a fresh agreement on the 99 giant oil tanks in Trincomalee to supersede the controversial one signed 19 years ago in 2003. Through the new agreement, 85 of the 99 tanks will be under the control of Sri Lanka, either directly or indirectly, the latter being …
Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Susil Premjayanth is one of the good ones; educated, intelligent, experienced, a fine speaker and debater be it in parliament or on TV. He is not one of those the protesting peasants refer to rudely as “the buffaloes in Parliament”. An SLPP member, he represents what is best in the SLFP tradition: he …
By Mahendran Thiruvarangan (Mahendran Thiruvarangan is a Senior Lecturer attached to the Department of Linguistics & English at the University of Jaffna) The last Kuppi Talk article by Erandika de Silva discussed the disjuncture between the emphasis on standardisation and the absence of serious efforts to address the challenges facing students and teachers in the …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (Popular Tamil Nadu Film Actor cum Political Leader M.G.Ramachandran known as “MGR” passed away in Chennai on December 24th 1987.. This article written earlier for the “Spotlight” Column of “Daily Financial Times” is reproduced here to denote MGR’s 34h Death anniversary) There was a time when the magical initials MGR were a …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj 13th Death Anniversary was on January 1st 2022. Year 2008 dawned on a dreadful note for Tamils in Sri Lanka as one more democratically elected Parliamentarian was assassinated in broad daylight. United National Party (UNP) Colombo district MP Thiagarajah Maheswaran was shot dead at the Shree Ponnambalavaneswarar Sivan temple in Kotahena. 41 …
Continue reading ‘Thiagarajah Maheswaran: Blend of Business Acumen and Political Savvy’ »
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “There is something in human history like retribution; and it’s a rule of historical retribution that its instruments be forged not by the offended but by the offender himself.” Marx (The Indian Revolt) The 2015 presidential election; as analysts and astrologers proclaimed and predicted a Mahinda Rajapaksa victory, a beggar in Galle …
Jehovah, Thou hast promised The isles shall wait for Thee, The joyous isles of ocean, The jewels of the sea. Lo! we, this island’s watchmen Would give and take no rest; For thus hast Thou commanded Till our dear land is blessed. Then bless her mighty Father, With blessings needed most, In every verdant village, …
BY Pamodi Waravita Although Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera told the media yesterday (4) that the Cabinet of Ministers had taken a “collective decision” to remove State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities, and Distance Learning Promotion Susil Premajayantha from his portfolio, Cabinet Spokesman Dullas Alahapperuma said at the cabinet decisions press briefing that this …
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has removed State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion Susil Premajayantha from his Ministerial position with immediate effect. The same was made known through the President’s Media Division (PMD) today (04). This comes after Premajayantha levelled several criticisms towards the Government in the recent past. Courtesy:The Morning
By Pamodi Waravita Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday (4) that the Trincomalee Oil Tank Development Complex Project was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday (3) and that the agreement pertaining to this development will be signed with India within a week. “The initial agreement in 1987 with India was for India and …
By Ruwani Fonseka Former State Minister Susil Premajayantha who was stripped of his Ministerial Portfolio today (04) by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appeared to be unfazed by this development while speaking to the media. Premajayantha also expressed that he will be returning to his profession as a lawyer. “These are not big things. I have a …
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, recounting how he was elected by a majority of Sinhalese voters, stated that the protection of Sinhala Buddhists and their heritage is his foremost responsibility. Speaking at the Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya after being bestowed the honorary title of “Sri Lankadheeshwara Padma Vibhushana” by the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha …
By Nisthar Cassim The Cabinet of Ministers yesterday approved a massive but critical relief package worth Rs. 229 billion to people already reeling from the soaring cost of living, with the hope that the stimulus will invigorate the economy especially via the local economy including agriculture among others. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa told a hurriedly …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene On the very day that the powerfully resonant voice of South Africa’s anti-apartheid advocate and priest Desmond Tutu was stilled (December 26th 2021), Sri Lanka announced a preposterous rule potentially requiring citizens who marry ‘foreigners’ to obtain security clearance from the Ministry of Defence. Parameters that defined the apartheid State There …
By W.A. Wijewardena Sri Lanka has entered 2022. It is the tradition of Sri Lankans to celebrate the arrival of a new year with kiribath, a symbol of foretelling of happiness, prosperity, peace, and splendour. While kiribath is partaken at every home on the first of January itself, employees of both government and private sector …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Crackers did burst, and rockets did fly with blasts. As the old year folded up, the fireworks continued. Were some of the louder blasts from gas cylinders? Who knows, with no legal action taken against those gas-blast dealers so far. The law can wait till they draw in all the crooked profits. …
By Victor Ivan We are ready to take up the leadership of the country,” declared Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya (National People’s Power – NPP) and the JVP at the Convention held on 20 December. He said so in a tone to impress the audience that it was the latest strategy …
What do the chief executives of Adobe, Alphabet, ibm, Match Group (which owns Tinder), Microsoft, OnlyFans (a subscription service featuring content creators in various stages of undress) and Twitter have in common? All seven happen to be of Indian origin. That is not surprising considering the abundance of subcontinental talent drifting into Western companies: in …
There were many times, Desmond Tutu recalled, when the apartheid rulers were strutting like cocks of the walk and his own people were being treated like rubbish, that he wanted to whisper in God’s ear, “God, we know that you are in charge. Why don’t you make it slightly more obvious?” For most of his …
By Ruwani Fonseka The Easter Sunday terror attacks of 21 April 2019 brought about tumultuous change to Sri Lanka’s social and political landscape, and gave rise to several questions, which remain to be fully addressed, on the true cause and nature of the attacks. Chief among these questions, and ones that have even been raised …
BY Shenal Fernando The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) released a receipt of the ¥ 10 billion (equivalent to $ 1.5 billion) currency swap to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) yesterday (29), increasing the official foreign reserves of Sri Lanka to $ 3.1 billion, according to the CBSL. CBSL Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal …
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka At the time of writing, a fundamentally important process of discussion and drafting is underway, shaping a united Tamil political stand on a matter that has ‘intermestic’ (Kissinger) implications. ‘Intermestic’ denotes matters ‘at the interface’ of the domestic and the international. Whatever is contained in the document due for release around New …
India’s government has refused to renew the foreign-funding licence for a charity founded by Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity has thousands of nuns supervising projects like homes for abandoned children, schools, clinics and hospices. On Christmas Day, India’s home ministry announced it had not renewed the registration due to “adverse inputs”. Hindu hardliners have …
By Meera Srinivasan From the time he began voting, Kurunegala farmer B.M.H. Jayatilleka has not backed any party other than the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) at the polls. By extension, his vote in recent elections went to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP or People’s Front) that the Rajapaksas carved out of the SLFP …
By Nisthar Cassim President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence of completing his ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’ vision for Sri Lanka in the next three years despite losing the first two with COVID-19 pandemic induced setbacks. Speaking to a select group of editors at a luncheon, Rajapaksa listed priorities from his vision were boosting local …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year Friends! It’s Christmas season again! The COVID-19 Pandemic has restricted the fun,frolic and festivity this year too. Let us all hope and pray that the world withstands and recovers as soon as possible. The Christmas spirit however will remain despite the changed situation. An integral …
By Meera Srinivasan After a year of visible strain in its ties with Colombo, New Delhi may finally have some reason for cheer. In a month’s time, Sri Lanka will ink the long-dragging deal with India to jointly develop the Trincomalee oil tank farms — a coveted project that has remained controversial for decades. “We …
By P.K.Balachandran Colombo, December 27 (newsin.asia): The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Sri Lanka, which is to take place around January 8 and 9, will be happening when the island nation’s economy is in dire straits, facing a severe dollar shortage, absence of foreign investment and a fall in international financial ratings. Colombo …
By Dr Nihal Jayawickrama, LL.B (Cey), Ph.D (Lond) The 1978 Constitution introduced into the law-making process of Sri Lanka the concept of a “referendum”. It was hailed in some quarters as a return to basics. In the tradition of the Greek city states, actual decision-making was being restored to the people. 43 years later, what …
Six Diaspora Tamil organizations active in the United States of America have joint letter to the newly designated US Ambassador to Colombo Julie Jiyoon Chung outlined a “Common Position” regarding the “existential threat” facing the Tamil people of Sri Lanka and submitted specific requests. Chief among the requests are a call for an internationally conducted …
(Text of a Press Release Issued by the Tamil National Alliance) The Tamil National Alliance mourns the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a man of God who not only fought against apartheid in South Africa and injustice everywhere, but also worked tirelessly for peace and reconciliation. As the Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, …
By Rachel Bartholomeusz The Romans might have invented the fruitcake, but Sri Lanka, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, perfected it. (Full disclosure: I am half Sri Lankan and thus prone to hyperbole, but you’ve just got to trust me.) It might strike you as odd that a Buddhist-majority country is home to the …
By Alan Keenan On 28 October, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed the militant Buddhist monk Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara to head a presidential task force on legal reforms, shocking many in Sri Lanka and beyond. Gnanasara is the public face of the country’s leading anti-Muslim campaign group, Bodu Bala Sena (Army of Buddhist Power, or BBS). He …
By T. Ramakrishnan The Tamil Nadu government, which is keen on resolving the long-standing conflict in the Palk Bay, has been asked by the External Affairs Ministry to submit a list of probable participants from the fishing community in the State and tentative dates for the proposed talks between its fisherfolk and that of the …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu”of 23rd December 2021 under the heading Troubled waters: On Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody) The arrest of 68 Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan authorities between December 18 and 20 and the impounding of 10 boats for “poaching” in territorial waters have again raised concerns about the …
At first Bahrain-Lankan model Jacqueline Fernandez, who made good in Bollywood, refused to take the call from a mystery man last December who identified himself simply as ‘Shekhar Ratna Vela’. But that did not deter India’s ace conman Sukesh Chandrasekhar who knew there was more ways than one to skin a cat. In January this …
By V Suryanarayan (Senior professor (retd), Centre for South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Madras) In a highly commendable move, the Rajapaksa brothers, who hold the reins of power in Sri Lanka, invited the UN Human Rights Council dealing with contemporary forms of slavery to visit Sri Lanka, study the living conditions of the …
Sri Lanka’s Agriculture Ministry Secretary Prof Udith K Jayasinghe has been replaced by D M L D Bandaranayake, the fifth person to take the position in just two years, the fourth in 2021. The President’s Media Division (PMD) announced the appointment on Wednesday (22), along with that of Anusha Palpita as Secretary to the Ministry …
By Col R Hariharan Even as Sri Lankan Parliament was debating the annual budget presented by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, he flew off to New Delhi, for a two-day visit on 1 December, to seek urgent help from India to ward off an impending economic collapse of the country. This drew a sarcastic comment from …
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Catholic church has questioned President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Government as to why they are not investigating the alleged plot to assassinate then President and incumbent Government Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena and current President Rajapaksa, which led to the arrest of then Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) Director Deputy Inspector General of Police …
By Krishantha Prasad Cooray Christmas has a lot of meanings. It is a day for reflection, penitence and reaffirmation of faith for devout Christians. It is also a moment of celebrating community. It is also a time of joy, goodwill, sharing and reunions. To me, it is all of these things. But looking back and …
By Meera Srinivasan For Muthu Sivamohan, a farmer leader in Sri Lanka’s northern Kilinochchi district, the uncertainty looming over his paddy yield, after the government banned chemical fertilizers, is only comparable to “two other periods of crisis”. “The first was when Prime Minister Sirimavo [Bandaranaike] introduced import substitution in the 1970s,” said the 63-year-old farmer. …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ‘Arasiyal Madhiuraignar’ (Political Adviser) Anton Stanislaus Balasingham passed away 15 years ago at his South London residence on 14 December 2006. Bala ‘Annai’ (elder brother) as he was generally known among Tamils died of cancer at the age of 68 years. The funeral was held at …
Continue reading ‘LTTE Political Adviser Anton Balasingham:Up, Close and Personal.’ »
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Even at the brink, if not firmly in the abyss of moral, legal and financial bankruptcy as a nation, Sri Lanka’s vicious peddlars of racial and communal hatred continue unabated with their grisly mischief. Grim comedy and Animal Farm charades This week, utter confusion reigned in regard to the reinstatement (or …
The Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, made a highly profile visit the Tamil-majority Northern Province on December 15 and 16 exhibiting China’s new-found interest in that province. Observers see the visit as a thinly-veiled challenge to India’s claims vis-à-vis Northern Sri Lanka given its geographical proximity to India and cultural and linguistic affinity …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake The Budget for the next year has been passed, and the Festive Season is the stuff of politics today. Is the stuff of politics the absence of politicians? Now, don’t take wrong shots. President Gotabaya went abroad for a medical check-up. How can he be sure of a good medical check -up …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in the “Daily FT of December 18th 2021 under the heading “A broken justice system”) After an excruciating 18 months in detention, poet and teacher Ahnaf Jazeem was released on bail this week. Jazeem was arrested on 16 May 2020 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with a …
(Text of Editorial appearing in the “Daily FT”of December 17th 2021 under the heading “The measure of patriotism”) In a televised interview organised by the Presidential Media Unit, Defence Secretary Retd. General Kamal Gunaratne was questioned about alleged attempts to link the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Suresh Sallay to the bombings that killed 269 …
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the largest international organisation of national Parliaments , which investigated the arrest and detention of Vanni District Parliamentarian Rishad Bathiudeen issued its decision on the matter yesterday (16). The IPU expressed concerns that Bathiudeen was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in the absence of prompt processing of his fundamental …
By Azzam Ameen Responding to allegations made by certain groups who claim that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the mastermind behind the Easter attacks as it served as a catalyst for him to come to power, Defence Secretary Retd. General Kamal Gunaratne at a press conference yesterday (15) rejected such allegations. “Many people tried to create …
By Ruwani Fonseka Chairman of the Information Technology Society of Sri Lanka, Rajeev Yasiru Kuruwitage, claimed that on the 10th of December, 5 people in civil attire forcefully entered and raided his house without a warrant. He made this statement during a media brief held yesterday (12). “5 people clad in civil attire raided my …
(Text of Editorial appearing in “The Morning”of December 13th 2021 under the Heading The Yugadanavi exposé and a Government exposed’) The controversial Yugadanavi agreement, to which only select members of the Government were privy, is no longer a secret. Last week, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader and Parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake …
BY Pamodi Waravita The world’s leading organisation of national human rights bodies has recommended that the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) be downgraded to a “B” status, primarily due to its appointment process and its failure to adequately address human rights violations. The recommendation was made last week by the Global Alliance of …
By Hansi Nanayakkara Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala, on the advice of Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, on Friday (10), released Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary and head of the Presidential Task Force on One Country, One Law, Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, from the case where he had been charged with denigrating the Islamic …
By P.K.Balachandran On the occasion of World Human Rights Day on Friday, the US State Department designated 12 officials of foreign governments under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriation Act, 2021, for their involvement in gross violations of human rights. Among the sanctioned were Lt.Commander Chandana Hettiarachchi of …
BY Meera Srinivasan A group of Opposition MPs in Sri Lanka, representing Tamils from the north and east, hill country (Malaiyaha Tamils), and Tamil-speaking Muslims on Sunday sought the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to ensure “existing rights are not snatched away”. The contentious 13th Amendment, born out of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, …
By W.A. Wijewardena Falling forex reserves Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves are falling dramatically month after month. According to the data released by the Central Bank last week, foreign exchange reserves have declined from $ 2.3 billion at end-October to $ 1.6 billion at end-November. When one deducts the gold reserve and the position with …
By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene Recent observations by the Supreme Court regarding the importance of the Attorney General independently exercising the enormous array of powers conferred on that Office by statute are, by a cynic’s perspective, nothing very new. Elephant smuggling and the law Reportedly, these cautions had been issued during the recent granting of leave …
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake We have come to the Blast Stage in Sri Lanka! Gas explosions continue in kitchens and outside, and now there are explosions of liquid fertiliser too. It looks as if the Saubhagye Dekma thinking of presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa, were in fact a Maha Pipireema Dekma – a Vision of Huge Blasts. …
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed a new five-member Right to Information Commission (RTIC), with two previous commissioners reappointed and three new commissioners. Letters of appointment from the Presidential Secretariat were hand delivered on Friday evening and yesterday, over two months after the RTIC ceased to function due to term lapses and resignations of the sitting …
By Asiri Fernando The Parliamentary Council (PC) last Friday (10) approved the President’s nominee for the post of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Chairperson, The Sunday Morning learnt. Presidential Secretariat Director General (Legal) Harigupta Rohanadeera confirmed that retired Supreme Court Judge Rohini Perera Marasinghe, nominated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was approved by …
By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Yet another important national asset of the country, the oil tank farm in Trincomalee, was leased out to Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) in 2003. Recently, it has been marred in controversy, with possible new investments discussed during Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s recent visit to India. As learnt by The Sunday Morning, …
(Text of Statement Issued on December 10 after a Two-Day (Dec 5&6) rip to Batticaloa District by a Multi-ethnic Fact Finding Mission) We, the undersigned, undertook a visit to Batticaloa in the Eastern Province on 5 and 6 December to ascertain the current plight of the different communities affected by the Easter Sunday attacks. The …
The United States has imposed human right-related sanctions on two more Sri Lankan military officials under Section 7031(c), gross violation of human rights, the US State Department announced on Dec 10 Tho two military personnel are: Chandana Hettiarachchi, a Sri Lankan naval intelligence officer, for his involvement in gross violations of human rights, namely, the …
By S.Ratnajeevan H. Hoole The Rev. Gnanasara Thero and his Hindu counterpart Maruwanpulavu Sachithananthan allege unethical conversions by Christians. As a Christian, knowing many converts to Christianity as sincere and genuine, I have always been dismissive of such claims and still am. Recent events however make me think that there is another dimension of their …
By Azzam Ameen n a message to mark International Human Rights Day, the Bishops of the Church and the Church of Ceylon called upon all Sri Lankans to join the United Nations of the world to reaffirm their commitment to the equality of all human beings who are “born free and equal in dignity and …
By Meera Srinivasan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday appointed a former Navy chief, previously accused of abduction and conspiracy to murder, as Governor to the North Western Province, delivering what victims’ families called “yet another blow” to their 12 year-long fight for justice. This is Mr. Rajapaksa’s second controversial appointment in recent months. In October, …
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to establish a Green Agriculture Operative Centre to systematically and sustainably fulfil the priorities identified to make Sri Lanka a ‘green’ country. This is being implemented under the direction of Defence Staff Chief and Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva.
By Ruwani Fonseka A ship loaded with 20,000 tons of fertilizer from Shandong-based producer Seawin Biotech meant for export to Sri Lanka is on its way back after failing to reach any constructive agreement with Sri Lanka, despite relentless efforts to solve the dispute The Global times reports that the ship is to arrive in …
BY Pamodi Waravita Participants in the “One Country, One Law” Presidential Task Force’s (PTF) public consultation held at one of the divisional secretariats (DSs) in the Eastern Province alleged that the discussion was held predominantly in Sinhala, with no proper translators or language interpreters, which severely limited the accessibility of the public consultation. “They only …
By Ruwani Fonseka Admiral of the Fleet, Wasantha Karannagoda is tipped to be appointed as the Governor of the North Western Province, it is learnt. The Morning reliably learns that Karannagoda’s new appointment is likely to take place later today (09) Courtesy:The Morning
By Ruwani Fonseka As intra-country cargo builds around Indian west coast ports, feeder lines are flocking to connect the area to the Far East, shifting transhipment away from Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port in favour of India’s largest container port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) The Loadstar reports that as shippers desperately search for mainline connections …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ‘Maaveerar Naal’ or Great Heroes Day (GHD) is observed on 27 November by sections of Sri Lankan Tamils regarded as being generally supportive of the Tigers. It is the day on which fallen members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are commemorated. It was at one time a very important event …
Continue reading ‘Great Heroes Day (Maaveerar Naal) was a Partisan Event Of, For and By the LTTE.’ »
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The road to self-deception is narrow to begin with, but there’s always someone ready to broaden it out…it’s all a matter of beginning” – José Saramago (Cain) Call it a metaphorical warning shot. Several parliamentarians, including a presidential nephew, were at a public meeting in Hakmana (Matara) when a monk invaded the …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Last Saturday (November 20) saw a group of self-styled political activists create a ruckus and disrupt a public meeting in the Scarborough area of Toronto City in Canada. The incident -though distorted and misreported in sections of the media – received wide publicity in Sri Lanka. Moreover it has generated a multi-faceted debate …
Continue reading ‘Turmoil in Toronto as “Tigers” Target TNA Meeting’ »
By Ruwani Fonseka While stating that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa must always be present during the Budget debate, United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed in Parliament today (07) that Rajapaksa flew to India for reasons unknown. “We have had past Presidents who have also served as Finance Ministers parallelly, but they have always …
By Penny Macrae As Sri Lanka’s short-lived plan to transform itself into an “organic utopia” collapsed last month, a diplomatic dispute with China over a fertiliser shipment threatened the debt-laden island nation’s hunt for a lifeline to shore up its crisis-hit economy as it stares down the barrel of a default. Colombo’s ban on pesticides, …
BY Shahaen Vishak A Chinese company, that had been awarded the tender to develop three hybrid power plants in the Delft, Nagadeepa, and Analthivu islands off the Jaffna peninsula, is likely to lose this contract as the project, which was previously being conducted under a loan disbursed by an international financial institution, will now likely …
(Text of speech made in Parliament TN Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran on 04th December 2021 on the votes of the ministry of Highway, Transport and Labour.) Thank you, Honorable speaker for this opportunity to say a few words at the committee stage discussion on the votes of the ministry of High ways, Transport and …