By

Dharisha Bastians

A Government Minister has claimed that he was offered a ‘bribe’ by outgoing US Ambassador Michele Sison.
Resettlement Minister Guneratne Weerakoon told a political meeting in Aranwela on Thursday that he had recordings of the discussion, to which the Secretary to his Ministry was also privy.

“She came to meet me and said I was a skilled Minister. She said I had done a good job with resettlement,” the Minister said.

Minister Weerakoon said the Envoy had asked him to remove military camps in the north.

Continue reading ‘Resettlement Minister Guneratne Weerakoon Alleges Outgoing US Envoy Michele Sison Offered him a Bribe of a House in the USA Plus Green Card and Scholarships for his Children.’ »

Declaring he was happy to go before the people, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence of winning the office for the third term, dismissing any real threat from his main opponent.

pic: facebook.com/maithripalas

“I like to go before the people as I have always done,” the President told Editors yesterday during his regular breakfast meeting, probably the last for 2014.

This was in response to a question that, given various accusations, whether he regretted the decision to call a snap election. ‘No, not at all, I am very happy to go before the people any time. This is the democratic principle,” the President said.

Continue reading ‘“Real Contest in this Election is Between the Mangala-Chandrika Alliance and Myself”-States President Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

By
Dharisha Bastians

Retracting a previous statement, the Bodu Bala Sena yesterday insisted it was not officially endorsing either of the main candidates at the January presidential election.

Speaking at a rally in Hyde Park yesterday, BBS General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero told crowds that the group had decided to act independently at the elections.

“We are not going to sign agreements with anyone. Then we will have to take that agreement forward. We are going to be responsible to the Buddha. We will act independently to defeat the conspiracy against the country,” the controversial priest asserted.

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena will be Responsible to the Buddha and Wont Endorse Any Candidate at the Presidential Election.’ »

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday returned another stock of gold possessed by the LTTE to the rightful owners at a function held at the Temple Trees.

Nearly 2,000 rightful owners of the gold jewellery either confiscated by the LTTE or pawned to them by the owners during the LTTE’s control of the north were invited to attend the ceremony at the Temple Trees and receive their possessions from the President.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Hands Back Jewellery Kept by the LTTE to 1960 Identified Owners from the Northern Province’ »

by

K.C. Gopakumar

V.R. Krishna Iyer

Eminent jurist and former Supreme Court judge, Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi around 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. He died due to renal and cardiac failure, hospital sources said. He was hospitalised for a fortnight.

Justice Iyer, known for his forthright views, turned 100 recently. He was sworn in as the judge of the Supreme Court on July 17, 1973 and retired at the age of 65 on November14, 1980.

Born to a leading criminal lawyer V.V. Rama Ayyar in 1915 in Thalassery, Justice Iyer had his education at the Basel Mission School, Thalassery, Victoria College, Palakkad, Annamalai University and Madras Law College. After starting legal practice in 1937 under his father in the Thalassery courts, he used to appear for workers and peasants in several agrarian struggle-related cases in his early years of practice.

Continue reading ‘Legendary Indian Jurist VR Krishna Iyer who Voiced for the Underdog Passes away at the age of 100 in Kochi.’ »

By

Sarath De Alwis

“There are some ideas so wrong that only a very intelligent person could believe in them”: George Orwell.

Reading Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka’s dilemma in the article captioned ‘Who Rules’ in the Weekend FT on Saturday 27 November, I could not help but recall this piece of concise wisdom of George Orwell.

In the current debate on the executive presidency, all pundits ignore the realism of J.R. Jayawardene the author of this Constitution. His last act as executive president was to deprive his successor that miraculous five-sixth majority obtained under a first-past-the-post system of elections.

Well conversant with the Tammany hall political instincts of the man emerging as the winner of the Presidential contest, he dissolved parliament effective midnight of his last day in office. The people confronted the dawn with a new executive President deprived of the five-sixth majority to tamper with the Constitution.

Continue reading ‘Sirisena Candidacy is an Endeavour to Put a Gorbachev in Place of a Brezhnev to Reach a Glasnost Through A Perestroika’ »

By
Shihara Maduwage

pic via: facebook.com/sarathfonseka

Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, the leader of the Democratic Party has announced that his party would support the common candidate Mr. Maithripala Sirisena at the upcoming presidential polls. Sarath Fonseka who was the common opposition candidate of the 2010 presidential elections said that his party had taken this decision to defeat the present ruler in the country.

Excerpts:

Q You took part in the MoU signing ceremony with the common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena. So this must mean that your party is supporting the common candidate?
Continue reading ‘“If It is a free and Fair Election,Mahinda Rajapaksa can Never win Against Maithripala Sirisena” says Sarath Fonseka’ »

By

Izeth Husain

First of all let me add my own tribute to all the others on the stunning political skill shown in the choice of Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate. The tribute for this, according to public perceptions, should go primarily to Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chandrika Bandaranaike. It is worth a song and dance because political skill of a high order has been for the most part been conspicuously absent from our politics.

MS is a true son of the rural soil, to a far greater extent than President Rajapaksa, as Premadasa was a true son of the urban gutter. He has a blameless political record, and can be expected to split the Sinhalese Buddhist vote to a substantial extent.

But he is a rather colourless figure, which raises the question of why it has been so difficult to find a credible common candidate. We have come to a crossroads in our politics at which it is desperately important to choose a new road as the present one can be expected to lead to another doom-laden 1989, as I argued in my last article. The need of the hour is therefore a charismatic leader, but none can be spotted on the horizon.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena has a Blameless Political Record but is Rather a Colourless Figure.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

“If I was not too Kind,Mahinda wont be President Rajapaksa today”……….”Rajapaksas have massive Complex against the Bandaranaikes.It’s a Sociological Phenomenon,I think”………CBK

Love her or hate her, ex-President Chandrika Kumaratunga is a force to reckon with. Coming out of a nine-year retirement last month, the former Head of State has joined forces with a broad opposition movement attempting to abolish and reform the presidential office that she once held for 11 years.

The declaration of SLFP frontliner Maithripala Sirisena as a common opposition challenger to President Mahinda Rajapaksa has cemented Kumaratunga’s position in the public psyche as polls fever hits the nation. As she struggles alongside Sirisena, the UNP and the civil society movement coalescing around the abolition platform, Kumaratunga is perceived as the leader of the SLFP rebellion that is threatening to crack open the ruling coalition ahead of the 8 January 2015 poll.

Chandrika Kumaratunga and Maithripala Sirisena visiting the Bandaranaike family home in Nittambuwa-Nov 15-pic courtesy of: facebook.com/BBCSinhala

She remains one of the fiercest critics of the Rajapaksa administration, but the fears of her children held her back from contesting as the opposition candidate in this election.

As she lingered over a late lunch at her Independence Avenue residence, before the elections were declared, President Kumaratunga engaged in a frank and laidback discussion with Daily FT about constitutional revolution, SLFP politics and when the hostility with President Rajapaksa began.

The former President laughed about how she sketched the original design of the Nelum Pokuna, her essay-writing skills that she is using towards penning her memoirs and how much she loves being a grandmother.
She also shared what aspects she would try to do-over if she could turn the clock back on her two-term presidency.

Following are excerpts:

Continue reading ‘“56 of the 61 Member Party Politbureau Begged me not to Nominate Mahinda as Presidential Candidate in 2005” – Reveals Chandrika in Interview’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

External Affairs Ministry’s monitoring MP Sajin de Vass Gunawardena asks whether President Mahinda Rajapaksa would have left the country on an official visit to Nepal if his government had been in crisis due to the then SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena’s defection.

Addressing a series of meetings at Balapitiya, Ahungalle and Dodanduwa during the past few days, MP Gunawardena said that President Rajapaksa had left for Nepal on Nov. 25, just four days after Maithripala Sirisena had switched his allegiance to what the chief SLFP organiser for Balapitiya called a satanic alliance hell- bent on causing havoc.

Had the government been plunged into crisis as propagated by various interested parties, the President wouldn’t have attended the 18th SAARC summit, the MP said. MP Gunawadena accompanied the President.

Incumbent President Rajapaksa’s victory at January 8, 2015 presidential poll would ensure an undivided country, whereas Maithripala Sirisena’s camp included elements openly supportive of separatist ideology, Vaas said.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Camp Wants to Facilitate LTTE Diaspora Project of Hauling President Rajapaksa Before the International War Crimes Tribunal-Sajin Vaas’ »

By
Ananth Palakidnar

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Provincial Councillor, M.K. Sivajilingam, had thrown the mace of the Council and demanded that a motion brought by him six months ago, calling the alleged war crimes a genocide, should be passed by the Council at the NPC’s 20th sitting yesterday.

Sivajilingam became violent when he was told by Council Chairman C. V. K. Sivagnanam that his motion would be taken for voting in January next year.

However, Sivajilingam was adamant that the motion should be passed by the NPC without any further delay.

Continue reading ‘Ex-MP and Councillor MK Sivajilingam Turns Violent During Northern Provincial Council Meeting and Flings Mace.’ »

By

Shamindra Ferdinando

Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe yesterday said some countries were using the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as a cat’s paw to destabilise Sri Lanka. But, he declined to name those countries.

Minister Samarasinghe alleged that the government had been relentlessly pursued since the conclusion of the war in May 2009.

He was responding to a query at a media briefing at SLFP headquarters by Colombo based The Hindu correspondent whether Sri Lanka construed Indian National Security Advisor Ajith Doval meeting Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, MP and former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga as a hostile act. Minister Samarasinghe said: “I don’t want to pin point any country.”

Continue reading ‘Some Countries Using Geneva Based UNHRC as a cat’s paw to De-stabilise Sri Lanka Charges Mahinda Samarasinghe.’ »

by Zacki Jabbar

Some senior government and police officials had been summoned to Temple Trees by President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently and scolded in filth for not doing enough to promote his candidature at the forthcoming Presidential Election, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga alleged on Tuesday.

Addressing a meeting in support of the Joint Oppositions Presidential candidate Maithripala Srisena at Hyde Park, Kumaratunga lashed out at President Rajapaksa for denigrating public servants and treating them like dirt.

The former president said Sri Lanka’s police service had once been considered the best in Asia, but under the Rajapaksas its ranking had dropped drastically.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Scolded Senior Govt and Police Officials in filth for not Promoting his Candidacy Alleges Chandrika Kumaratunga.’ »

By

Harischandra Gunaratna

General Sarath Fonseka, leader of the Democratic Party (DP) while announcing that it would field its own candidates at the next general election said yesterday that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was making a vain attempt to cover up corrupt deals by threatening to blackmail the parliamentarians who pledged their support to the common candidate by carrying some empty files.

“Family bandyism is the motto of the UPFA and Rajapaksas rule the roost riding roughshod over the SLFP seniors as well as all others who worked hard to bring them to power,” he said.

The President was attempting to hide the fact that there were others who had hundreds of files in their possession pertaining to the Rajapaksa family and the President’s inner circle and they were in a vulnerable position, Fonseka said.

“The Rajapaksas have amassed wealth at the expense of the poor masses through corrupt deals in the name of development and these projects have brought them massive commissions.”

Continue reading ‘Hundreds of Files about Corrupt Deals of Rajapaksa Family and Govt Inner Circle Available warns Gen.Sarath Fonseka.’ »

by

Madura Ranwala

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will hand over a part of recovered gold jewellery belonging to over 2,100 Northerners at Temple Trees today.

Those valuables had been recovered by the army from the ‘Eelam banks’ set up by the LTTE in the North.

Addressing the weekly media briefing at Kollupitiya yesterday, Military and Urban Development Ministry Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that the army would provide transport facilities travelling from Jaffna, Vavuniya and other parts of East and North to Colombo to receive their jewellery.

They would be brought to Temple Trees in four trains including Yal Devi.

Continue reading ‘Over 2100 People from North Brought in 4 Trains to Colombo by Army will be Given Back Jewellery Pawned to LTTE at Temple Trees by President Rajapaksa’ »

Common opposition candidate Maithripala today said he would restore civic rights and all military decorations of former Army commander and Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka within hours if he is elected as the Executive President.

“I will restore all rights and military decorations of former army commander within hours of my election,” he said.

Mr. Sirisena gave this assurance at a Democratic Party meeting which was held at Solis Hall this morning. The assurance was given when a member of the Democratic Party requested that Fonseka be given all his rights and decorations once Mr. Sirisena is elected.

Continue reading ‘Sarath Fonseka’s rank as General with Military Honours and Civic Rights will be restored within Hours of Becoming President Pledges Maithripala Sirisena.’ »

By

Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy at WNYC on November 10, 2011. She was on the Leonard Lopate Show to discussed her time embedded among the Maoist rebels in India, which she wrote about in Walking with the Comrades – Credit Melissa Eagan

My father was a Hindu, a Brahmo. I never met him until I was an adult. I grew up with my mother in a Syrian Christian family in Ayemenem, a small village in communist-ruled Kerala in southwest India. And yet all around me were the fissures and cracks of caste. Ayemenem had its own separate “Paraiyan” church where “Paraiyan” priests preached to an “Untouchable” congregation.

Caste was implied in people’s names, in the way people referred to each other, in the work they did, in the clothes they wore, in the marriages that were arranged, in the language they spoke. Even so, I never encountered the notion of caste in a single school textbook.

It was reading Annihilation of Caste, a 1936 lecture by the Indian writer and thinker BR Ambedkar, that alerted me to a gaping hole in our pedagogical universe. Reading him also made it clear why that hole exists and why it will continue to exist until Indian society undergoes radical, revolutionary change.

If you have heard of Malala Yousafzai, who was joint winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, but not of Surekha Bhotmange, then do read Ambedkar.

Continue reading ‘India’s Shame: Dominance of the Upper Castes and Deprivation of Lower Castes at Multiple Levels of Indian Society’ »

By

DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

MAITHRIPALA SIRISENA MUST A BE A DENG HSIAO PENG, NOT A MIKHAIL GORBACHEV

“I hate the goddamn system! But until someone comes along with changes that make sense, I’ll stick with it.” – Clint Eastwood as “Dirty Harry” Callaghan, in ‘Magnum Force’ (1973)

pic via: twitter.com/officialunp

Those who criticize my continued ‘nonaligned’ approach to the Presidential election and the candidates, as well as my refusal to convert unthinkingly to the cause of the joint opposition, make the cardinal error of confusing governance, government and the State. That is not an error a political scientist is permitted; still less one of Marxian and Leninist provenance such as I am. I agree with all the criticisms made by the Opposition of the present regime and even go beyond them in some aspects.

However, those are criticisms about bad governance, and require a solution in precisely that realm. Bad governance must not be confused with the structure and system of the State; the framework of the state.

While I have no problem with the prospect of a Maithripala Sirisena presidency, my problem with the Opposition’s project is that it will not merely displace the regime—which is fine by me—but will weaken the core of the state through the Constitutional ‘shock therapy’ of a 100 day abolition project.

JR Jayewardene’s modernizing revolution was located in the domain of the state system; the form of the state – the shift to an elected executive Presidency. I do not think it should be fundamentally reversed or upended.

Continue reading ‘“Thank God for the MOU Signed with the JHU Which Provides Course Correction to Sirisena Campaign”’ »

By

Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P.

Enemies of the President’s Promise – 20
Sneezy – 1

If G L Peiris moved only gradually into seeing his principal role as advancing the agenda of the Secretary of Defence, his intellectual counterpart in the inner echelons of government, Mohan Peiris, had from the start been associated with Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He began his rise to the position of Chief Justice by being Adviser to the Ministry of Defence. His reputation at the bar, after he had left the Attorney General’s Department, rested however on his commercial skills, and his main use initially was to advise on arms procurement for the Ministry of Defence.

Gotabhaya had set up a dedicated agency for this purpose, and it seemed an extremely good idea in a context in which, for years, arms procurement had been a cash cow for favourites of the incumbent President. Jayewardene had set the ball rolling, with indulgence of his Secretary, a former very junior public official called Menikdiwela, whose son became a well patronized dealer in arms. Premadasa was exempt from this trait, but Chandrika Kumaratunga allowed free rein to the children of both her Secretary, another not very capable official called Balapatabendi, and her Secretary of Defence, a distinguished public servant called Chandrananda de Silva. Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government took things a stage further, when the offspring of his Minister of Defence, Tilak Marapana, a former Attorney General, also got into the game.

Continue reading ‘Long Association Between Chief Justice Mohan Peiris and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’ »

by

Zacki Jabbar

The Joint Opposition’s Presidential candidate Maithripala Srisena said yesterday that he would win the January 8th Presidential Election but would not step into the President’s House since he was committed to abolishing the Executive Presidency within 100 days.

Addressing a campaign meeting at Hyde Park in Colombo, Srisena, who recently resigned as SLFP General Secretary and Health Minister, said that he was on a mission to rescue the country from the abyss it had fallen into in the post conflict era with chaos and unprecedented lawlessness and corruption griping the country.

“When I am elected President on January 8, I will not go to the President’s House. It is not a place for me because I am seeking a mandate from all Sri Lankans to abolish executive presidency within 100 days of my election and replace it with a parliamentary system of government where the legislature would elect the Prime Minister,” Srisena, who has picked the Swan as his symbol, pledged.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena says he will not Step into Presidents House After Winning Elections as he is Commited to Abolishing the Executive Presidency’ »

By

Dasun Edirisinghe

UPFA Nuwara Eliya District MP Navin Dissanayake who crossed over to the UNP on Sunday said yesterday that he had been offered Rs. 100 million by the government to remain in the UPFA coalition.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo flanked by Opposition Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Dissanayake said that he had been approached by three persons in a bid to bribe him into changing his mind.

“I am aware several billionaire businessmen are spending their money on behalf of the government to stop Ministers and MPs from crossing over and pledging their support to opposition presidential candidate,” he said.

Continue reading ‘Billionaire Businessmen Bribing Govt Ministers and MP’s to Prevent them Crossing Over to Opposition Reveals Navin Dissanayake.’ »

By

Don Asoka Wijewardena

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) General Secretary Susil Premjayantha addressing the media yesterday in Colombo revealed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s election manifesto was being prepared to accommodate major constitutional amendments.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa will Propose Amendments to the Constitution in his Election Manifesto’ »

By

Maheesha Mudugamuwa

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday announced that it had decided to extend conditional support to common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena at the forthcoming presidential election.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by JHU leader Omalpe Sobitha Thera and Maithripala Sirisena on Monday, the party would support common candidate Sirisena to win the election and for a period of 100 days after he becomes the President, JHU General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

Other agreements on the MoU are

Continue reading ‘Jathika Hela Urumaya Extends Conditional Support to Maithripala Sirisena After Signing a 9 point MOU.’ »

Dasun Edirisinghe

Opposition Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena will contest the Jan. 08 election from the New Democratic Front (NDF) under the Swan symbol.

The deposit for contesting election was handed over to the Elections Secretariat at Rajagiriya yesterday by UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on behalf of Sirisena.

There was earlier speculation that Sirisena would have a different symbol, but finally it had been decided that he, too, should contest under the banner of NDF.

Former army commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka, too, contested under NDF banner unsuccessfully against President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January 2010 presidential election.

Continue reading ‘Election Deposit Paid for Maithripala Sirisena who will Contest Under New Democratic Front Symbol of Swan like Sarath Fonseka in 2010.’ »

(Text of Press Communique released by European Union – Press and Information Section)

Colombo, 2 December 2014 – The Council of the European Union has decided to appeal the Judgment of the General Court in Joined Cases T-208/11 and T-508/11 (LTTE v. Council) of 16 October 2014.

The Judgement of the General Court of the European Union annulled measures taken by the Council of the European Union against the LTTE, namely the designation of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the freezingof LTTE funds.

It is important to remember that this legal ruling was clearly based on procedural grounds and it did not imply any assessment by the Court of the substantive issues of designating the LTTE or of freezing LTTE funds.

Continue reading ‘Council of the European Union appeals the Judgment of the General Court Annulling Measures Against the LTTE’ »

By

Vishwamithra 1984

“I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”
~Harriet Tubman

Maithripala Sirisena’s landmark crossover to the Opposition just weeks before the nomination day of the Presidential Elections captured the imagination of the country. However, Maithree’s crossover does not stand alone in the realm of political crossovers in the last fifty years. But it clearly signifies a real problem Mahinda Rajapaksa has. That is, those who fall out with the President are not in just ‘also-ran’ category or second-tier or third-tier personalities.

In the 2010 Presidential Elections it was his Army Commander who had earlier delivered the country from the throes of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam. This time it’s his own party’s (Sri Lanka Freedom Party) General Secretary. What is this aversion that the President shows to his de facto second-in-command?

On the military front, General Sarath Fonseka was his second-in-command and on the political front it was Maithripala Sirisena who was his second-in-command. The only answer, whichever way one looks, is that President cannot but look to his immediate family and nowhere else. The typical mentality of those who are intoxicated with power and driven by its irrational parodies seems to have seized the psyche of the Rajapaksas.

Continue reading ‘Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Champika Ranawaka Must Play in Common Opposition Team to Defeat Rajapaksa Eleven!’ »

By

Lakna Paranamanna

JVP Leader and parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake predicts the upcoming polls will be the most violent Presidential elections ever to be held in the history of Sri Lanka. Despite admitting it would be a tight battle for power, the JVP has refused to pledge their support to any of the factions that have formed around the candidates due to run for Presidency. Their message to the voters however is clear – topple the Rajapaksa regime and rally to re-establish democracy. In an interview with Dailymirror Mr. Dissanayake spoke on the JVP’s position on the upcoming polls and why Sri Lanka needs a change in leadership. . .

Q:The JVP has asked the voters to support any candidate but Mahinda Rajapaksa. Is there any change in this stance?

No, there is absolutely no change because there is no need to further strengthen the continuation of the Rajapaksa regime. Their (the Rajapaksas) actions so far have indicated aspirations of establishing a dictatorship as evidenced by the weakening judicial system and parliament, rampant corruption and bribery and absence of rule of law. The continuation of Rajapaksa governance will only further deteriorate this situation.

So this regime must change; there is no doubt about it and to that end, a democratic front should be established. The JVP therefore, calls for the Rajapaksa regime to be ousted and for the common man to rally to protect democracy.

Continue reading ‘Bodu Bala Sena Supporting Govt is like Gota Declaring Support for Mahinda – Anura Kumara Dissanayake’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

If the Indian Ocean has to contribute to the prosperity of different nations, it is necessary that it remains a zone of peace, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said on Monday.

He was delivering the keynote address at the ‘Galle Dialogue’, held in Sri Lanka’s southern coastal town of Galle. Evoking a 1971 UNGA resolution, on the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace,

Mr. Doval said it was important to revisit the resolution mooted by Sri Lanka then “calling upon great powers not to allow escalation and expansion of military presence in the Indian Ocean.”

Continue reading ‘India Wants to Re-visit Proposal Made by Former Sri Lanka Premier Sirima Bandaranaike Decades ago to Maintain the Indian Ocean as a Peace Zone’ »

BY

S VENKAT NARAYAN

NEW DELHI, December 1: Tamil Nadu opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (DMK) President Muthuvel Karunanidhi and MDMK General Secretary Vaiko have slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for wishing Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa success in the January 8 presidential election.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu DMK and MDMK Leaders Karunanidhi and Vaiko Angry with Indian PM Modi for Wishing Mahinda Success at Polls.’ »

By
Shamindra Ferdinando　

The Catholic Church yesterday strongly denied Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga’s claim that Pope Francis’s visit to Sri Lanka wouldn’t take place in January as scheduled.

Spokesman for the Church Information and Media Secretariat, Rev. Father Cyril Gamini Fernando told The Island that Gampaha District MP Amaratunga had declared at a public rally at Wattala on Sunday that the visit wouldn’t take place.

Continue reading ‘Catholic Church Denies Claim by Chief Opposition whip John Amaratunga that Pope Francis Visit to Sri Lanka Wont take Place in January.’ »

By

Ranil Dharmasena

General Secretary of the UPFA Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha made a deposit at the Election Secretariat yesterday on behalf of the government’s presidential candidate incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the forthcoming Presidential Election scheduled to be held in January 8 next year.

Five parties have deposited money so far for the presidential election. The parties are Janasetha Peramuna, United Socialist Party, Okkoma Vasiyo Okkoma Rajavaru Party, Socialist Alliance and the UPFA.

Continue reading ‘UPFA Gen-Secy Susil Premajayantha Makes Deposit on Behalf of Presidential Candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa at Elections Secretariat.’ »

By

Shamindra Ferdinando

Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Teheran M.M. Zuhair, PC has pledged his support to Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

After having signed the ‘Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance’ at Vihara Maha Devi park yesterday, Zuhair told The Island that he recently formed a new political outfit-National United Front (NUF) to promote the interests of all communities.

Zuhair served as a PA National List MP (1994-2000) during Chandrika Kumaratunga’s tenure as the President. Subsequently, he served as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Iran during the conflict.

Zuhair played a significant role in arranging an Iranian credit line that helped Sri Lanka to obtain fuel supplies on concessionary terms at a critical stage of the war against the LTTE.

Continue reading ‘National United Front Formed by MM Zuhair to Promote the Interests of all Communities in Sri Lanka.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena yesterday formally pledged to abolish the executive presidential system by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with major opposition parties across the ideological spectrum to lock in their support for his election bid.

pic via: facebook.com/chandrika.bk.12

‘The Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance’ was signed by Sirisena and the common opposition movement led by the United National Party at a colourful event held at the Viharamahadevi Open Air theatre in Colombo last morning.

“I pledge to protect the trust the people have placed in me. I promise to fulfill this commitment,” Sirisena said, after he placed his signature on the document.

Fundamental aspects of the agreement include constitutional reform within a 100-day period following Sirisena’s election, which will end the executive presidential system and replace it with a parliamentary model of governance.

The parties have also pledged to repeal the 18th Amendment and restore independent commissions to depoliticise and oversee elections, police, judicial services and the public service in the country.

Continue reading ‘36 Parties and Groups Come Together Under Slogan “Ekwemu”(Let’s Unite) and Sign Memorandum at Viharamahadevi Theatre in Colombo.’ »

A Common People’s Agenda for Just, Democratic and People-friendly Governance

As Sri Lankans we face several grave challenges. The country, which was once seen as a model of democracy, has degenerated in recent years into a place where its citizens cannot live with dignity and in safety. Among the manifestations of this situation are:

• the total breakdown of the Rule of Law,
• the erosion of democratic institutions essential for governance,
• an unprecedented widening of social disparities and social injustices,
• severe strains on co-existence between different ethnic and religious communities and increasing disharmony and distrust.

In this situation, the following program is presented so as to re-establish democracy, good governance, social justice and the rule of law. Accordingly, it is proposed that the present authoritarian and corrupt regime be defeated by fielding a common candidate acceptable to all those in agreement with the programme. The immediate tasks will be implemented within a hundred days, including abolition of the current executive presidency and the re-establishment of a parliamentary form of government. Through a new Parliament the rest of the programme will be fulfilled.

To fulfill the immediate tasks and objectives given below, an All-Party Government will be formed for a period of not less than two years.

Immediate Tasks

1. The present executive presidential system will be abolished within a hundred days and replaced by a Parliamentary form accountable to the people. Under the Parliamentary system, the President will symbolize national unity and have duties and powers appropriate to the position.

2. The Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution will be repealed and the independence of institutions essential for democratic governance, such as the judiciary, police, public service, election authorities, Attorney-General, Auditor-General and independent Commissions re-established and further strengthened.

3. The current preferential voting system will be abolished. The new electoral system will provide for the just representation of all communities and political opinions and will be a mix of the first-past-the-post system, which ensures that every electorate has its own Member of Parliament, and proportional representation.

4. The oppressive burden of the cost of living of the people will be reduced through granting of a commensurate increase in salaries of the public service and the private sector; strengthen the industrial, agricultural, plantations, fisheries and small industries components of the economy and guarantee a fair price for local produce; develop an effective social safety net for marginalized groups and the poor and, in particular, for women and children, the elderly, pensioners and disabled persons.

In addition, measures will be initiated in the first hundred days to:

• immediately prevent, through greater transparency and accountability, the present unprecedented large scale fraud, corruption, bribery and earning of commissions as well as the wastage of public funds; take action according to law to deal with abuses that have been committed

• guarantee the primacy of the Rule of Law, restore democracy on a sustainable foundation of good governance, secure and advance fundamental rights and freedoms, strengthen the right to freedom of expression inclusive of media freedom and the Right to Information, and ensure the right to live in human dignity

• further develop the right to live in human dignity through re-establishment of the welfare state, and in particular guarantee the right to high quality free education and health services

• empower youth to successfully meet the challenges of the rapidly changing world, in particular through providing essential technical knowledge and skills and training required for high level employment

• guarantee dignity and equal opportunity for all citizens in the social, cultural, economic and political spheres

• create a civilized and moral society and in particular reform the political culture of the country that has sunk to unprecedented depths.

The political parties, groups and citizen’s organizations that are committed to this People’s Agenda shall dedicate themselves towards achieving its objectives.

Maithripala Sirisena

Maithripala Sirisena, the man who is set to challenge incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January poll, once spent more than 18 months in jail over suspected links with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)– a link that was later proved, he did not have.

He has avoided grooming his children or family members to follow in his political footsteps.
Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena was Falsely Implicated as having JVP Links and was Imprisoned for 18 Months.’ »

By

Nadia Fazlulhaq

“Api Mahindata” (We are for Mahinda), “Ape Janapati” (Our President), “Api Hambantota” (We are Hambantota) – the thousands of banners and life-sized cutouts of President Mahinda Rajapaksa across villages, cities and expressways will soon be joined by thousands more, just by public demand, the Government says.

pic courtesy of: twitter.com/Rathgamaya

There are almost 1800 election cutouts of the President in Greater Colombo alone, some cemented to the ground, Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) Director Keethi Tennakoon said.

Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya says he is unable to remove the banners and cutouts. He can only act after December 8, when nominations for the presidential election must be handed in.

Continue reading ‘“MAHINDA EPIDEMIC” Spreads Across Country as Banners,Posters and Life sized Cut-outs of President Rajapaksa Proliferate in Public Spaces.’ »

The Master of Ceremonies for the papal visit to Sri Lanka will arrive in the country on Wednesday as the Catholic Church yesterday expressed confidence that the visit would take place despite an intensive campaign for the Presidential election.

pic via: twitter.com/ucanews

The Master of Ceremonies will meet Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, bishops and other members of the organising committees. Arrangements are due to be finalised by him.Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini, director of the Media and Information Centre for the Pope’s vist, said the Church was confident the visit would take place as scheduled.

“We have always said the papal visit will take place as planned despite the election and we stand by that. All the preparations are being made as planned,” he said.
Continue reading ‘Pope Francis Visit will take place as Scheduled Despite his Image Being Used in Posters for Mahinda’s Poll Campaign.’ »

By Francis Lam

In the atlas of “Little” neighborhoods — the Little Italys, Little Tokyos, Little Indias of the world — New York’s Little Sri Lanka may be the littlest.

Chicken Kottu Roti Credit Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Pamela Duncan Silver.

It’s just one and a half blocks, and its groceries and restaurants share the Staten Island North Shore streetscape with bodegas and an Albanian pizzeria. But around here is where you’ll find one of the largest Sri Lankan communities in the United States — roughly 5,000 people, many of whom came to escape their homeland’s decades-long civil war, starting in 1983.
Continue reading ‘Taste of Sri Lanka in Staten Island, NY via Kottu Rotti Making Couple’ »

With under two months for the Presidential election, violence is widespread islandwide. The most brutal of these cases is reported from Maggona, where a United National Party (UNP) supporter was shot and critically injured. The victim was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Colombo National Hospital and remains in a critical condition.

Police say they have identified the car used for the shooting and investigations are under way to arrest those involved.

Police spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana admitted that in the recent election related violence nobody has been arrested, but they have taken sufficient security measures to ensure a violence free election.

Meanwhile, raising concerns to the Election Commissioner, UNP Leadership Council Chairman, Karu Jayasuriya said this week that more UNP supporters and members are being targeted in these election violence.

Continue reading ‘Violent Acts Against Opposition UNP Increase but Police Refuse to take Action Despite Information Being Given.’ »

By

Shamindra Ferdinando

A UN investigation team has obtained a comprehensive analysis of Sri Lanka’s accountability with regard to war crimes from the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR).

Among the high profile investigations undertaken by ECCHR is one on the conduct of the British army in Iraq as well as the accountability on the part of political leadership. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague recently reopened preliminary investigations into the liability of British military officials for the torture of detainees in Iraq.

Sandra Beidas, formerly of the Amnesty International is coordinating the investigation into Sri Lanka’s war under the supervision of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

Continue reading ‘ECCHR Provides Detailed Report on War Crimes by Sri Lankan Govt and Armed Forces to the Probe Conducted by UN Human Rights Commissioner.’ »

By
Rohana R. Wasala

The Maithripala Sirisena affair reminded me of a silly character in a Sinhalese teledrama I watched some years ago. It was a good-natured simpleton who was being looked after by his brother. In one episode this man is shown husking coconuts in a well-to-do neighbour’s compound, and he is heard saying to an inmate of that house standing nearby: “If you have any more coconuts to husk, bring them to me. Today I came here to escape from my brother. If I stayed at home he’d make me work”.

Something that seems to have slipped the mind of many who talk about the Maithripala defection drama is the fact that had it not been for Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa he would have been more of a nonentity than he is today vis-à-vis both those whom he has betrayed and those whom he has buddied up with. In fact, the government’s staying power is mostly due to the popularity of the president.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena was a Nobody who Became a Somebody Because of Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

The actor-politician says the party worked for a unified India without resorting to “colour” or “caste.”

Ms. Kushboo

Setting herself firmly against ‘saffronisation,’ actor-politician Kushboo said she definitely joined the Congress for her “sensibilities” and for a secular country.

In her “homecoming” speech at the TNCC headquarters here on Saturday, the actor said only the Congress worked for a unified India without resorting to “colour” or “caste.”
Continue reading ‘“Congress is Against Terror Outfit like LTTE but friendy Towards Sri Lankan Tamils”-Actress Khushboo’ »

By

Sumanasiri Liyanage

Power and tradition destroy good people. In Sri Lankan standard, Maithripala Sirisena (MS) is a good politician. Resigning from the post of the General Secretary of the SLFP and announcing that he would stand against President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) at the forthcoming presidential election would appear as a very courageous decision. Nonetheless, the events as unfolded may also give the impression that MS has become a secondary actor moved by other powerful political forces.

In the political arena we have seen in the last ten years two parallel conflicts. Dynastic politics is not uncommon in this part of the world. Since Independence we have witnessed many a political conflict between leading dynasties, Senanayaka- Bandaranaike, Bandaranaike-Wijewardena after the decline of Senanayakas in the late 1960s. Since 2005, we have seen the emergence of a rural small dynasty that was ‘nobody’ and did not go beyond its power of influence from remote Giruwa Pattu as a leading political dynasty in Sri Lanka.

Continue reading ‘Traditional Chandrika and Ranil Dynasties have set up “Commoner”Maithripala as Candidate to Combat “Nouveau” Rajapaksa Dynasty.’ »

by

Sandun A Jayaekera

Presenting an interesting political theory, Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday said voters must not topple this government as chances are minimum for corruption among UPFA members as they may have amassed ill lucre enough by now and if the UNP came to power, they would start afresh to make a killing.

Responding to a journalist at yesterday’s media briefing at the SLFP head office, Minister Amaraweera admitted that there may be corruption and irregularities in the UPFA government but the voters must not make it a reason to topple this regime.

Continue reading ‘Disaster Minister Mahinda Amaraweera Admits Openly that UPFA Ministers Have Amassed so much of Money that there is no room for more Corruption in the Govt’ »

By

Danushka Godakumbura

“In my Cabinet there are no Ministers who can be bought with dollars or pounds. The West is keen to see that the country is run by a spineless leader who is ready to dance to their tune. Certain countries want to create a puppet regime here. But, I must say that our people are not ready to elect such a person as their leader to run the affairs of this country.”

PIC: facebook.com/PresidentRajapaksa

“I will win this Presidential election. No one is a challenge to me and I am confident of winning, no matter who comes from the Opposition,said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President was speaking at a well attended meeting to felicitate Investment Promotion Minister Lakhsman Yapa Abeywardene who completes 25 years in politics. The Rajatha Mahima Felicitation ceremony to fete Minister Lakhsman Yapa Abeywardene was held at the Sanath Jayasuriya Sports Esplanade in Matara yesterday.
Continue reading ‘“I will win this Presidential Election; No one is a Challenge to me” – Mahinda Rajapaksa at Matara Rally’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

The political week looked poised to get off to a dramatic start with Minister and Nuwara Eliya District MP Navin Dissanayake quitting his portfolio and announcing his support for common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Navin Dissanayake, who is the son of late UNP Leader Gamini Dissanayake, will rejoin the United National Party at its Sirikotha headquarters in Pita Kotte today.

“I have resigned from all my positions in the Government. Hope to join the movement for democracy tomorrow. The country must be free from family corruption and nepotism,” the former Minister of Public Management Reforms tweeted yesterday, announcing his resignation.
Continue reading ‘Navin Dissanayake – Son of Gamini D and Son in Law of Karu J – Resigns as Minister and Crosses Over from Govt.’ »

By

SHALIKA WIMALASENA

M. K. D. S. Gunawardena

Former Deputy Minister of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs M. K. D. S. Gunawardena says that Twenty-three government MPs were to cross over with us. But they had to reconsider their decision after they saw the threats we faced.

Q:
Do you feel happy now that you quit the government?

A: Frankly, I am happy

Q:
Who was it that first suggested this quitting?

A: Well, I was planning it over the last two years.

Q:
Why? Was the situation getting that bad?

A: The UNPers who engaged in the murders of the likes of Nalanda Ellawala the relation of former Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike and the killers of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra were absorbed into the government ranks. Some were let loose to attack even the SLFPers after amending the judgments to attack. They are really disgusting.

Continue reading ‘“23 Govt MP’s were to Cross Over but Postponed Decision After Seeing Threats Against us”-KDS Gunawardena.’ »

By Skandha Gunasekara and Lankesh Gooneratne

Satellite communication is a method of communicating around the globe via a satellite. A satellite sent to space for the purpose of telecommunication, receives and retransmits the signals sent from a satellite phone, back to Earth. The ground area that receives the retransmission is called a satellite footprint.

In Sri Lanka, for an individual to own and use a mobile satellite phone, requires a licence. Therefore, although it is legal to use and operate a satellite phone, mobile or otherwise, the device must first be registered with the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).

Hence, when government defector, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, declared that their breakaway faction coordinated through satellite mobile phones, the question arose how they avoided the detection of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Used Satellite Phones to Avoid Detection by Govt Intelligence while Planning Defection Moves.’ »

By

Don Manu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Last Wednesday, November 19, India sent a signal to the world’s drug mafia that they could patently use Indians, posing as Tamil Nadu fishermen, to smuggle drugs into Lanka confidently without fearing any reprisals. If their couriers were caught, convicted and jailed, even sentenced to death, India would stand as guarantor to get them off scot free. A little bit of arm twisting followed by a presidential pardon were all there was to it.

Out of eight Tamils, five of them Indians and three Sri Lankans, convicted and sentenced to death by a Lankan High Court on October 30 for smuggling heroin into Lanka, the five Indian Tamils walked free after India stooped to deploying street smart thuggish tactics of a new India under her much acclaimed street savvy prime minister, to force the hand of the Lankan president to issue a presidential pardon effecting their immediate release.

As the Lankan President said in an interview this Wednesday with the Hindu newspaper when asked whether he pardoned the five fishermen because he thought they were innocent. “Absolutely not. I was absolutely sure that they were guilty, as our courts had convicted them. But I felt that our friendship with India was more important.”

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi Humiliates Mahinda Rajapaksa by Forcing him to Pardon and Release Five Convicted Narcotics Smugglers.’ »

By

Rasika Jayakody

A week into the presidential campaign, the common opposition, led by candidate Maithripala Sirisena, has shown progress on some fronts while experiencing certain setbacks internally.

The major progress on the part of the common opposition during the first week of the campaign is taking an early lead in the propaganda war – which plays an important role when determining the final result of the election. At this stage, the opposition is making headlines in the mainstream media every single day, putting the government and its propaganda mechanism on the backfoot. That was one reason why the common opposition did not want the SLFP defectors to cross over en masse to the opposition, along with Maithripala Sirsena and Rajitha Senaratne.

In the face of headline-making developments in the opposition camp occurring almost on a daily basis, the propaganda mechanism of the government has gone into a “lull” of some sort – so to speak. This underscores the fact that the government’s propaganda machination should bounce back fast where the mainstream media is concerned – without confining itself to Facebook pages and several gossip websites that have been started afresh, ahead of the presidential election.

Continue reading ‘Chandrika, Mangala, Ranil, Rathana Thera-Who was Really Responsible for Maithripala Sirisena’s Defection?’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Last Thursday, at the UNP executive-committee meeting held at Sirikotha in Kotte to welcome the common candidate of the opposition, Tissa Attanayake made a brief speech that probably catapulted him from being merely the party general secretary to being a national leader of the UNP in his own right.

The most thunderous applause and shouts of approval at that meeting were reserved for Tissa. In the presence of Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa, Ravi Karunanayake, Karu Jayasuriya, Maithripala Sirisena, Rajitha Senaratne, and Mangala Samaraweera, who were all present on stage, Tissa said:

“People criticised and even vilified me in the recent past, but I will always say what has to be said. If someone thinks that we can go on this journey forgetting the UNPers, I have to say that cannot be done. (loud cheers and applause) If anyone says we can go on this journey without the green colour then I say, forget this journey. It is only with the UNP, the green colour and the elephant symbol and our support that this journey can be successful. I got calls from our organisers who said that unless the green colour comes to the fore, it will be difficult to mobilise grassroots support…. Sajith Premadasa called me this morning and spoke to me about my pain of mind. I told him that the only pain of mind that I have is whether justice will be done to UNPers. That is the only pain of mind I have (loud applause) For the past six months the websites have been attacking me because I worked indefatigably to get Sajith his rightful place which I did with the concurrence of the party leader. I repeat, with the concurrence of the party leader. (thunderous applause) The UNP will be strengthened only if the leader and Sajith Premadasa go forward together.“(applause)

Continue reading ‘Tissa Attanayake Reflects UNP Discontent at Grassroot Level Over the “Common Candidate Sirisena” Project.’ »

Even without a name and symbol being chosen, the main Opposition candidate Sirisena will launch his polls campaign today(Nov 30) with a public rally in Polonnaruwa, his constituency. He is expecting to swing the significant farmer vote against the Rajapaksa regime.

In the paddy fields during Rice Harvest. Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka-pic by/courtesy of: Gwenael Piaser

This is while the UPFA launches the second phase of its campaign with public rallies countrywide. A schedule is now being prepared by the Elections Committee of the Alliance. The first phase came when large groups from different parts of the country were to travel to ‘Temple Trees’ for a meal and an address by President Rajapaksa.

Maithripala Sirisena

There is little doubt that the UPFA ranks have been jolted by the entry of Maithripala Sirisena as the main presidential rival to Rajapaksa. Voter enthusiasm on all sides of the political spectrum appears to be gathering momentum even before nominations on December 8.
Continue reading ‘UPFA Ranks Jolted by Entry of Maithripala Sirisena who Launches Campaign with Aim of Swinging Farmer Votes Against Rajapaksa Regime.’ »

Adding to the squabbles last Thursday were reported remarks by Mangala Samaraweera at a news conference that the abolition of the executive presidency after Sirisena’s victory would not see Ranil Wickremesinghe as an “executive Prime Minister.” The remarks were to cause concern at the highest levels of the UNP leadership.

Raising issue with Samaraweera was Wickremesinghe confidant Malik Samarawickrema who is calling the shots on behalf of the UNP. He was to note that the UNP leader was not happy with the way the remarks had been reported. Samaraweera was later compelled to clarify his remarks.

This is what he said: “In a Parliamentary democracy executive powers are vested in Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers. The Prime Minister is, as the term implies the ‘first among equals’.

Continue reading ‘UNP Raises Concerns About Reports of Mangala Samaraweera Saying Ranil Wickremesinghe wont be an Executive Prime Minister.’ »

Opposition political groupings backing Maithripala Sirisena as the presidential candidate against Mahinda Rajapaksa are still in search of an identity.Names of different political fronts and even going it alone as an independent candidate are not being ruled out as the squabble continues.

The hot favourite appears to be the Apey Jathika Peramuna (AJP) or Our National Front (ONF) with the telephone as its symbol. The search by opposition leaders in consultation with groups of lawyers has been a laborious process with careful scrutiny of the polls laws in force.

Continue reading ‘Divided Opposition Unable Still to Unite Over Name of Front and Election Symbol for Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena’ »

By

Arthur Wamanan

The highly anticipated stance of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on the upcoming Presidential polls and the Common Candidate of the Opposition will only be revealed after the main candidates publish their respective manifestos.

The TNA has been quiet ever since the announcement of the common candidate and had not expressed its opinions publicly. It had, however, has stated that it would back a candidate who was agreeable to their demands and conditions, which means that there are possibilities that they would back Sirisena in the elections. This would also mean that there are possibilities of discussions between the TNA and Sirisena in the near future.

Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance Adopts “Watch and Wait” Policy on 2015 Presidential Poll to Avoid 2010 Election Fiasco.’ »

by

Nishthar Idroos

The deference an iconic brand elicits from its loyal customers is simply mind boggling. The near stampede witnessed to acquire the brand while queuing at eerie hours expending precious energy and paying big bucks may sound crazy for some, but not for hardcore loyalists. Living in Toronto the writer knows firsthand how brave hearts defy frigid weather just to lay their hands on the newest contraption. It’s a eureka moment for diehards. The next minute they’re on social media flaunting with a mission accomplished pose “we’ve got it and we were the first” – The iPhone 6 Bigger than bigger.

Apple as a brand is indelibly etched in the minds of most people. A company with a vision to be radically disruptive. A blue-chip American Corporation once led by the inimitable Steve Jobs who famously said “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”. Its dominance attributed to Indispensability – you cannot leave home without it. User friendly – remarkable design. Simplicity – the only unique all in one. Experiential Marketing – great customer service and in-store experiences. Leadership – reinvent, relax, and rejoice. Futuristic- Be ahead of the competition. These core competencies difficult to copy or imitate.

Continue reading ‘Branding of Mahinda and Maithripala for Political Advantage on the rise as Presidential Elections Gather Momentum.’ »

Nearly one week after the presidential election was announced, Asian Mirror can now reveal that two more Cabinet Ministers have already pledged support to the common opposition and will cross over at any time.

With them, two highly popular female Provincial Councilors of the ruling party will also extend their support to the common candidate, highly placed political sources said last night.

Continue reading ‘Two more Cabinet Ministers and Two Woman Provincial Councillors Ready to Cross Over from Govt Next?’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Opposition presidential challenger Maithripala Sirisena will stand against an international investigation into allegations of war crimes committed during the final phase of the war.

His Government would act according to the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), Sirisena said.
Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Announces he would not Allow President Rajapaksa or the Security Forces to be Hauled up Before an International War Crimes Court”’ »

United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) national list parliamentarian A.H.M. Azwer has resigned from Parliament today. His resignation was confirmed by Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake.

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has decided to appoint All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) Eastern Provincial Councillor Amir Ali to parliament through the national list to fill the vacancy created by A.H.M. Azwer’s resignation.

Continue reading ‘AHM Azwer Resigns as UPFA National List MP to Enable ACPC Eastern Provincial Councillor Ameer Ali to become a Parliamentarian.’ »

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Having ruled out talks with the SLFP to settle a dispute over far-reaching constitutional reforms to reduce presidential powers, JHU parliamentary group leader Ven. Athureliye Rathana Thera on Thursday morning met senior Opposition representatives at Sirikotha.

Chairman of the UNP Leadership Council and MP Karu Jayasuriya were among those present.

Ven. Rathana Thera visited Sirikotha several hours before the JHU at a hurriedly arranged meeting at New Town Hall declared its readiness to back common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena, MP pending agreement on JHU’s constitutional reforms.

On behalf of the JHU, its General Secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka, MP said they would support any candidate who would agree to basically three major conditions—stripping the executive presidency of its draconian powers, establishing commissions for good governance and electoral reforms.

Continue reading ‘Will Jathika Hela Urumaya Sign the Memorandum of Understanding of the Joint Opposition Front?’ »

By

Shalika Wimalasena

Udaya Gammanpila

Deputy Secretary of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Udaya Gammanpila, in an interview with Ceylon Today, says the JHU will give the government another chance.

Excerpts:

Q:
Can you outline the JHU’s present stand?

A: We always take the side of the people. We gave up positions in the government to ensure the people’s success. We don’t have any hatred towards the government.

Q:
Did the government ill-treat the JHU?

A: No. We were treated well. This is not a move taken due to disappointment over treatment.

Continue reading ‘Jathika Hela Urumaya Ready to give Government Another Chance says Udaya Gammanpila.’ »

by
Stewart Bell

TORONTO — Canada’s public safety minister said Thursday he was “shocked and appalled” after a New Democratic Party MP rose in the House of Commons to commemorate Tamil Heroes Day, which honours fallen Tamil Tigers rebels.

NDP MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan giving her statement in support of commemorating Tamil Heroes Day, Nov. 27, 2014.

Steven Blaney urged Rathika Sitsabaiesan, a Sri Lankan-born rookie MP, to apologize “to veterans and all Canadians” for her statement that called the day “an important event” and likened it to Remembrance Day.

Rathika Sitsabaiesan’s statement
Continue reading ‘Canadian Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney Wants Scarborough-Rouge River MP Rathika Sitsabaiesan to Apologise to all Veterans and all Canadians for Equating Remembrance Day with LTTE Great Heroes Day’ »

By

Taylor Dibbert

sketch by Hasantha Wijenayake

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa has just announced that the country will hold a presidential election two years early. The move had been expected for some time. The election will be held on January 8, 2015. In light of this development, there are other issues that merit attention.

As mentioned in the New York Times, “Rajapaksa’s second term officially ends in November 2016, but he can legally seek re-election after completing four years in office, a marker his office said he passed on Nov. 19.” Essentially, he couldn’t have called the election any earlier than he has.
Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa the Man who Won the War and Lost the Peace with Weakening Grip on Power.’ »

Please release the following clarification to the media as the reporting of the press conference held by me on 27/11/14 was unclear and somewhat misleading in some newspapers.

In a Parliamentary democracy executive powers are vested in Parliament and the Cabinet of Ministers. The Prime Minister is, as the term implies the ‘first among equals’.
Continue reading ‘Mangala Samaraweera Clarifies-Ranil Wickremesinghe will be head of All Party “National Unity” Cabinet.’ »

Thousands of plantation workers from several tea estates in Sri Lanka’s central highlands Nuwareliya district have held strikes and demonstrations over the landslide at Koslanda that killed about 200 workers and family members on October 29.

Demanding housing in secure locations, workers have rallied in a number of towns, including Bogawanthalawa, Maskeliya and Hatton. They raised slogans condemning President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government, plantation managements and trade unions for leaving them exposed to landslide disasters for years.

The landslide was the biggest disaster in Sri Lanka since the 2004 tsunami. It destroyed a kilometre-wide strip of land where about 150 plantation workers’ families lived in Meeriyabedda estate. Seven “lines”—long buildings divided into 20 small living quarters or “line rooms”—were flattened. A dozen bodies have been recovered, with many more still missing, buried under mud and earth.
It poured with rain in the area during the weeks before the landslide but the estate management and government authorities took no action to evacuate the people.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Plantation Workers Denounce UPFA Govt Over Koslande Landslide Tragedy’ »

“AN INVINCIBLE personality, a blessed man, he will win a big victory.” In the opinion of Sumanadasa Abeygunawardena, issued from his swish astrological headquarters in the southern port of Galle, the prospects for Sri Lanka’s president are unambiguously bright. Percy Mahinda Rajapaksa has called an election two years early, to seek an unprecedented third term. Why not? Polling will happen on January 8th, and eight is a lucky number.

For Mr Rajapaksa, a Virgo, the stars are benign. Some see the president as the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy, the reincarnation of a great southern king (who also had combed-back hair and a lush moustache). He is destined to make Sri Lanka prosper, says the astrologer, and will be the best friend of Buddhism, its main religion: “There is no temple he has not visited.”

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Expected an Easy Coronation but now Faces a Tricky Election: Is there a Fault in his Stars?’ »

By

Tamara Kunanayakam

The surprise announcement that Maithripala Sirisena will be the common Presidential candidate who will face the current incumbent at the forthcoming elections and his promise to abolish the Executive Presidency within one hundred days has raised hopes that an alternative is finally in the air.

Although there are a lot of ‘ifs’ on the way, including the need for a 2/3 majority in the legislature for constitutional change, of concern is Sirisena’s announcement of UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe as Prime Minister before holding General Elections.

By adopting a “Sirisena-Ranil” ticket approach, the architects of the Common Candidate – the UNP and sections of the SLFP – are effectively giving the voter a single election choice for the office of President and Prime Minister, trapping the people into a Ranil premiership in a most unprecedented and undemocratic manner.

Continue reading ‘“Sirisena-Ranil” Ticket Approach will Make People Believe they are Voting for Sirisena but will be voting for Ranil’ »

Many an eyebrow has been raised over former Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva staying at ‘Navy House’ at Kankesanthurai high security zone.

The Defence Ministry last night said that the former Chief Justice had been accompanied by head of anti-doping agency Prof. Arjuna de Silva.

Continue reading ‘Ex-Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva gets to Stay at Exclusive “Navy House” at Kankesanthurai in the High Security Zone.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

It all began with the stars. It was apt therefore that less than 24 hours after President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared he would be seeking a third term in office two years ahead of schedule, certain celestial bodies began to wreak all manner of mischief inside his ruling party.

Believers in astrology put last week’s political dramas down to the influence of the planet Saturn, the ‘Great Malefic’ of the astrological firmament. There was a major movement of the planet on 2 November 2014, which astrologers say could result in sudden deaths, bad luck and punishing circumstances. The planet is known to be the great obstructer, moving slowly during transition, slowing momentum and making courage falter in the physical realm. Saturn is the punishing father, the grim reaper and the consummate mischief-maker, creator of controversy and abrupt change in the mortal realm.

Continue reading ‘How Maithripala Sirisena Became Common Opposition Candidate Without Mahinda Rajapaksa Knowing.’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

The UNP yesterday declared that the joint Opposition would retain the executive presidency sans what it called dictatorial powers currently exercised by incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Maithripala Sirisena would remain the President, it said.

The announcement was made by top UNP spokesman Mangala Samaraweera, MP, at a media briefing held at UNP headquarters, Sirikotha. The UNPer emphasised that the process of transferring power to the Cabinet of Ministers would be done in accordance with the Constitution.

The former minister dismissed the notion that Sirisena’s victory would pave the way for UNP National Leader to receive the post of executive Prime Minister. “There is no such thing. The Prime Minister is the head of Cabinet of Ministers.”

Continue reading ‘No “Executive Prime Minister” Post for Ranil; Maithripala will Remain President Without Dictatorial Powers – UNP’ »

By

Liyanage Amarakeerthi

Rumour had it for many years that our president contained the dissent of his colleagues by manipulating a set of ‘files.’ President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently heard saying something like this, “Reverend Sir, I have files of those who left me. But I don’t want to use them.” It is important to note who, the addressee is here: he was directly addressing the Buddhist monks. We just happened to overhear it. What the president was saying must be true primarily because he would not tell a lie to the Maha Sangha whose blessings he often invokes and on whose blessings he has thrived. Yes, the president must be having the files and that was why many other politicos decided to stay back and sing for supper.

So, there must be files. Then, it is the president who must be held responsible for not ‘using’ those files. His statement was directed at those ministers who are still with him rather than those had already left. What is in a file? That is the question. The concept of files needs to be revisited.

Continue reading ‘How to Contain Dissent, Prevent Defections and Punish Defectors by Maintaining “FILES” Systematically.’ »

By
Dharisha Bastians

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s first campaign manager in 2005 was breathing fire against nine years of his rule yesterday, promising major constitutional reform and insisting that the January 2015 election will really be a contest between democracy and dictatorship.

UNP Communications Director and Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera issued a strong critique of the ruling Rajapaksa administration during a press briefing yesterday, saying the Government was abusing power to thwart the electoral process.

“Orders have gone out from the Law and Order Ministry Secretary that massive cut outs of President Rajapaksa, due to be unveiled shortly and produced at the cost of millions of rupees, are to be given 24-hour security,” Samaraweera charged at Sirikotha yesterday.

The MP said the main opposition party had made a sacrificial decision to back a common candidate to create what he called a “constitutional revolution” 100 days after the new President takes office.

Continue reading ‘“Constitutional Revolution” will Take Place 100 days After the new President takes Office says Mangala Samaraweera.’ »

By
Dharisha Bastians

The Jathika Hela Urumaya, a key constituent of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance has vowed to defeat President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January presidential election, but remains undecided on whether it will support the common opposition candidate.

The party maintained it would reach a decision after discussing its proposals for constitutional reform and good governance with the Opposition candidate, Maithripala Sirisena.

After quitting their positions in the Government only early last week, JHU leaders who convened at New Town Hall in Colombo yesterday, made speeches that were dripping with contempt for President Rajapaksa’s administration.

Continue reading ‘Jathika Hela Urumaya Vows to Defeat Mahinda Rajapaksa at January Presidential Election’ »

By

Suhasini Haidar

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday said he would credit Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “foreign policy” for Mr. Rajapaksa’s decision to release five convicted Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Speaking to The Hindu in an exclusive interaction after he met PM Modi in Kathmandu, President Rajapaksa said, “Since he has come to power PM Modi has opened out to the relationship with Sri Lanka. It is his foreign policy and his outreach that led to my decision.”

When asked if he had decided to free the fishermen, rather than transferring them as sentenced prisoners to India, because he believed the fishermen were innocent, as the Indian government has maintained, Mr. Rajapaksa told The Hindu, “Absolutely not. I was absolutely sure that they were guilty, as our courts had convicted them. But I felt that our friendship with India was more important.”
Continue reading ‘Mahinda says Convicted Indian Narcotics Smugglers were Guilty but he Released them Because Friendship with India was more Important.’ »

by

N Sathiya Moorthy.

By orchestrating a Delhi visit by the five Tamil Nadu fishermen pardoned from death sentence in neighbouring Sri Lanka before they returned home, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre might have bitten more than it could chew in ‘Dravidian’ Tamil Nadu.

Having claimed all the credit for the release of the five fishermen for and on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — if it was the latter’s intention and done with his knowledge — state BJP leaders, including Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and state party president Tamizhisai Soundararajan, are already at a loss for words when the Dravidian polity is targeting neighbouring Karnataka for planning two check-dams on the Cauvery at Mekedatu, purportedly to meet drinking water needs.

The state BJP leaders’ silence on the two river water disputes is as deafening as their voices were loud on the fishermen issue.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu State BJP Trying to Politicise Release of Five Convicted Narcotics Smugglers by Sri Lanka may be Counterproductive.’ »

(Statement by Ms. Rathika Sitsabaiesan MP for Scarborough—Rouge River, NDP in the Canadian Parliament on Nov 25th 2014)

pic via-facebook/rathikaspage

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians of Tamil heritage, in November, we commemorate two important events: Remembrance Day and Tamil Heroes Day.
Continue reading ‘“Canadians of Tamil Heritage Commemorate Remembrance day and Tamil Heroes Day in November”-Rathika Sitsabaiesan M.P.’ »

BY

DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

Two cheers then for Maithripala Sirisena whose act of resistance and rebellion is truly heroic. Why cheer at all? And why two cheers instead of three? Hearty cheers are entirely warranted because Maithripala Sirisena has produced a Black Swan event; a real game changer.

Having argued in the print and electronic media for years that Ranil Wickremesinghe should not be the Opposition’s presidential candidate, that a viable Opposition candidate must be one whose profile would cut into the incumbent’s monopoly of populist-patriotism, and as someone who has commended Maithripala Sirisena on many of my fortnightly TV shows, I am delighted at his candidacy. However, I am unconvinced about his electoral prospects and platform.

Maithripala Sirisena has rendered the Presidential election a real race instead of the walkover it would have been with Ranil Wickremesinghe as Mahinda’s opponent.

More importantly he has reintroduced competition and balance into a hitherto unipolar system.

Even if he loses the Presidential election, he would hopefully have founded a dissident SLFP; a centrist alternative to the populist neo-conservatism of the Rajapaksa regime.

Thereby he would have made feasible the prospect of defeating the government at the parliamentary election or at a referendum.

Continue reading ‘Why Should Anyone Vote For Maithripala if he wont be President after 100 days and Ranil will be Prime Minister?’ »

(Text of Statement Issued by the United National Party on November 27th 2014)

It was long foretold, not in the stars but in the minds of all righteous and just citizens of this country that the 2015 presidential election would be a historic and decisive contest.

pic via: facebook.com/UNPofficialpage

Presidential contests have traditionally been battles between the two main parties, each of which fields its own candidate in the race. After nine years of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rule, it was incumbent that the battle lines were redefined in order to effectively challenge the current morass of political leadership in Sri Lanka. The election before us therefore is not merely about choosing the next president. There is a much greater choice that faces the voter in January 2015.

This presidential race is a battle between democracy and autocracy. Between corruption and good governance. Between the rule of law and impunity. It will decide whether Sri Lankans will enjoy peace with dignity and equality or peace of the conquered and oppressed.

Continue reading ‘Common Opposition Led by UNP and SLFP Stalwarts Seeks Restoration of Democratic Space and Systemic Change.’ »

By

Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P.

Undoubtedly the most bizarre of the characters who influenced the President in the period after the election of 2010 was Sajin Vas Gunawardena. He was not a relation, and he did not have the professional or academic credentials of the other characters discussed here. Indeed he had hardly any qualifications but, ever since Mahinda Rajapaksa became President, he occupied positions of trust and responsibility.

It was claimed that the reason for the confidence the President reposed in him was because, while a clerk in the Middle East, he had helped the President with the technology during a presentation that might otherwise have been a disaster. But it is also likely that, after they thus became acquainted, he was able to serve the President in a variety of ways that commanded his affection and his confidence.

The first escapade in which he was involved under a Rajapaksa Presidency was the setting up of a budget airline. Called Mihin Air, in honour of Mahinda, it rapidly lost a lot of money, though Sajin himself became very wealthy during his tenure in office. Before long Mihin Lanka was handed over to Sri Lankan Airlines to be managed, and the losses of both together – the Board of the latter chaired by the President’s brother-in-law Nishantha Wickremesinghe – continued a drain on public funds for many years.
I first came across Sajin when I was appointed to head the Peace Secretariat, and was told that he was the point of liaison between the Secretariat and the President’s Office. In fact he had no interest in or understanding of our work, and I liaised mainly through the President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunge, though in those days I generally had immediate access to the President if this was needed.

Continue reading ‘Sajin Vas Gunawardena was the most Bizarre Character who Influenced President Rajapaksa After the 2010 Polls.’ »

by

Upul Joseph Fernando

Maithri changed after he went to Harvard, says Mahinda, to everyone these days. So Mahinda is trying to indicate that the United States is behind Maithri’s pole vault. In June 2013, the Harvard School of Public Health recognized Maithtri as ‘2013 Harvard Health Leader’ and gave him an award. But now only Mahinda says that Maithri changed after that visit.

However, somewhere in 2011, Maithri met a diplomat in charge of political affairs when Patricia Butenis was the US Ambassador in Colombo. What that diplomat told Maithri about Sri Lanka was conveyed to Mahinda by Maithri and Mahinda viewed that as an interference in internal affairs. That was reported in The Island in the following manner; “The UPFA alleges the US Embassy is increasingly interfering in domestic political issues, thereby undermining the government.

Continue reading ‘Was Sirisena made Common Candidate According to a Game Plan Devised by the USA After Maithripala Went to Harvard in 2013?’ »

BY

DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

Like the majority of my fellow citizens I am an undecided voter. My father Mervyn de Silva used to characterize me slightly critically, as “a Romantic”, and the romantic in me would like to vote for change. But right now, I cannot make that decision because the Realist in me raises a fundamental question: “who rules?” Or rather, who would rule, if Mr. Sirisena wins? Sadly, the answer to that question is not “Mr. Sirisena, would, of course”.

That is because Mr. Sirisena has told us categorically that he would abolish the executive presidency within one hundred days. He has also told us that he would appoint Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister, when he could have said instead that the Prime Ministership would be given to the UNP (the party, not the person). In addition, as Maithripala’s media conference and more tellingly his homage at the Bandaranaike Samadhi tells us, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga would be a key player in the bloc that succeeds Mahinda Rajapaksa.

So the question—and it is the most basic question of politics– remains: who will rule? We know who will not rule, namely Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa. Is that good enough? Is that enough to make a decision to vote for Maithripala? Not for me, and I daresay, not for the majority of our citizens. That may have been enough if the President were quite as unpopular as President Jayewardene in his last few years in office. But that is not the case with Mahinda. Furthermore, even in the case of JRJ, the voter was fastidious about whom we would replace him with—Sirima Bandaranaike or Ranasinghe Premadasa? In short, would we go back to the bad old days of ’70-’77, or forward to a socially fairer future?

Continue reading ‘Who will Really Rule Sri Lanka if Mahinda Loses and Maithripala Wins the election?’ »

By

Sruthisagar Yamunan

Actor Kushboo Sundar, who made a surprise entry into the Congress on Wednesday, said her priority would be to clear the misunderstanding about the party’s role in the Sri Lankan Tamils’ issue.

Kushboo Sundar

Speaking to The Hindu on the phone from New Delhi after she joined the grand old party in the presence of party president Sonia Gandhi, Ms. Kushboo said choosing the Congress was not a sudden decision. “The talks have been on for a long time. It was a baseless rumour that I wanted to join the BJP. I think the Congress, with its focus on inclusiveness, is the right party to lead the country,” she said.

Continue reading ‘Actress Kushboo Sundar Joins Congress Party and will Clear Misundertanding About Party’s Role in the Sri Lankan Tamil Issue’ »

MDMK chief Vaiko, an ally of the ruling NDA at the Centre, and pro-Tamil outfits on Wednesday celebrated the 60th birth anniversary of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran.While Vaiko celebrated the birth anniversary of Prabakaran at a village in Tirupur District, Nam Tamilar Katchi chief and film director Seeman cut a cake in the city.

Vaiko cut a cake in Erode at 7.30 p.m.,coinciding with the time of birth of Prabakaran, partymen said.Vocal pro—Tamil leader Pazha Nedumaran observed the anniversary of Prabakaran, whose outfit is banned in the country, by planting a sapling at Thanjavur.Other pro-Tamil leaders like Kolathur Mani have issued greetings and messages on the occasion.

Continue reading ‘LTTE Leader Prabhakaran’s 60th Birthday Observed in Tamil Nadu by Pro-Tiger Activists like Vaiko, Seemaan, Nedumaran and Kolathur Mani’ »

by

Dasun Edirisinghe

Opposition Common Presidential Candidate Maithripala Sirisena received a rousing welcome when he arrived at the UNP headquarters, Sirikotha, yesterday.

Sirisena, flanked by UNP national leader Ranil Wickremeisnghe, Chairman of the Leadership Council Karu Jayasuriya, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, Assistant Leader Ravi Karunanayake and several other MPs, addressed a gathering there for the first time.

Sirisena also opened an election operation office at Sirikotha to handle the Opposition’s presidential election campaign.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Receives Rousing Welcome at UNP Headquarters and Opens Election Operation Office in “Sirikotha”.’ »

By

Ifham Nizam

At yesterday’s ceremony in UNP headquarters, Sirikotha to welcome Opposition Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena took an unexpected turn with UNP General Tissa Attanayake striking a discordant note. He said if one thought the party could make any headway without its colour or symbol or candidate at an election, one was sadly mistaken.

A visibly resentful Attanayake said the real UNPers had been shortchanged at all levels of the party and he, too, had not been spared.

He was ready to give up the post of General Secretary any time he declared, stressing that the interests of UNPers had to take precedence over everyone else’s. He told Sirisena that the UNP should not be taken lightly.

Attanayake is one of the UNP seniors who wanted to field a UNP presidential candidate.

Continue reading ‘Warning Maithripala Sirisena not to take the UNP Lightly,Tissa Attanayake says he is Ready to Resign as General-Secretary.’ »

All Ceylon Peoples Congress Parliamentarian from the Wanni District Hunais Farook who was elected on the UPFA symbol Betel in the 2010 hustings has crossed over from the Government and joined the United National Party.

Hunais Farook regarded as the right hand man of ACPC leader and cabinet minister Rishard Badhiyutheen participated in a UNP meeting at Sirikotha that was also attended by common candidate of the opposition Maithripala Sirisena and UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Continue reading ‘UPFA Wanni District MP from Rishad Badhiutheen’s All Ceylon Peoples Congress Hunais Farook Crosses Over to the UNP’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

The Sri Lankan military had fought a relatively a clean war against the LTTE, when compared with others engaged in such operations, UPFA National List MP Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha told a special live Al-Jazeera programme ‘inside story: clinging to power in Sri Lanka’ anchored by Jane Dutton late last week.

Liberal Party Leader Prof. Wijesinha was responding to allegations made by Global Tamil Forum (GTF) spokesman Suren Surendiran that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the final phase of the offensive on the Vanni east front in early 2009.

The one-time head of the Sri Lanka Peace Secretariat asserted that President Rajapaksa earned the appreciation of the vast majority of the people for eradicating LTTE terrorism.

However, Prof. Wijesinha faulted President Rajapaksa for not consulting others when launching post-war projects in war-torn areas. Prof. Wijesinha went onto assert that there had been a lot of development since the conclusion of the conflict.

The military brought the Vanni offensive to a successful conclusion in May 2009. The Diaspora set up the GTF soon after the conclusion of the war.

Continue reading ‘Rajiva Wijesinha Tells Global Tamil Forum not to Interfere in Presidential Poll as it would be Advantageous to Rajapaksa Regime.’ »

President Mahinda Rajapaksa says defeating LTTE militarily five years ago has paved way for a new security environment in the SAARC region.

pic via: facebook.com/PresidentRajapaksa

Addressing the 18th SAARC summit in Kathmandu yesterday (November 26), the President said terrorism still remained a fundamental security challenge both regionally and internationally and Sri Lanka could not remain complacent in maintaining safeguards against its possible resurgence.”

“We owe it to ourselves and our peoples to ensure that the radical views of a few and misplaced agendas of some others do not undermine the security and well-being of the large majority of peace loving people, firstly, in the member states and then, in the region as a whole.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Addressing 18th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu says Terrorism Remains a Fundamental Security Challenge’ »

by

Anupama Mohan

Professor Chelva Kanaganayakam, 1952-2014

I have known Professor Chelva Kanaganaykam since August 2004 when I joined the PhD programme in English at the University of Toronto and he became my Departmental mentor. In the five years that followed, Chelva, as he urged all his students to call him, was exemplary as a mentor, teacher, and guide, and he shaped the trajectory of my dissertation as well as the directions in which my interests within Postcolonial Studies grew.

I realized very early in my association with Chelva that he has been for many students like me a role model: not only has he been a successful academic (his long list of publications at very reputed presses makes this manifest), but he has also been an influential public intellectual representing the very best in cross-cultural exchange. At U of Toronto, Chelva taught courses in Sri Lankan literatures and South Asian Studies (I have myself taken and audited many) that provided multiple perspectives on the histories and cultural traditions of a region that has far too often made headlines in the Western world over reports of conflict and violence.

In the course of completing my dissertation, Chelva also encouraged me to make a research trip to Sri Lanka (whose literatures formed a substantial part of my dissertation), wrote letters of support for me that helped me garner the requisite funding for such a trip, and over the years, he shaped my thought and perspectives as I wrote my dissertation.

Continue reading ‘Prof. Chelva Kanaganayagam: Demise of an Exemplary Mentor, Teacher and Guide.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Presidential challenger Maithripala Sirisena hit back against the Government yesterday, saying his removal as General Secretary of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) was unlawful.

“I am still the legal General Secretary of the SLFP,” Sirisena said, as he addressed media personnel following a visit to the Bandaranaike Memorial in Horagolla.

Due process had not been followed in the stripping of his SLFP membership and his position in the party, the Opposition candidate explained.

Continue reading ‘“Opposition also has “Files”on the Activities of the Rajapaksas”-Chandrika Hits Back!’ »

UNP National List lawmaker Eran Wickremaratne slammed the Government’s 2015 Budget, saying it was not worth the paper it was written on, after the UPFA moved drastic amendments to the numbers within 10 days of its presentation.

Wickremaratne said the Budget had been presented on 24 October and the Government had moved amendments on 5 November, increasing expenditure by 356 billion rupees.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Family Accounts for 56% of Govt Expenditure- Eran Wickremaratne’ »

BY
DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA

“The correctness or incorrectness of the political line decides everything”– Mao (1971)

As a former student of Mao Ze Dong thought, the genial Maithripala Sirisena may recall Mao’s point that “the correctness or incorrectness of the political line decides everything”. He must also hope that Mao was wrong, because the Sirisena campaign has so far, not got its political line correct, to put it mildly. This may sound like the quibble of a political scientist from the Marxian traition, but it isn’t. The incorrectness of Mr. Sirisena’s political line or rather, the political line drawn up for Mr. Sirisena which he has adopted, can provide a dangerous opening for the Establishment –‘The Brotherhood’—to launch a counterreformation which can choke off the valuable political space which has opened up with Maithripala’s courageous rebellion, and roll-back its potential.

The most strategically serious of the errors of the Opposition candidate’s political line is the promise of the fast track abolition of the executive presidency. There are two ways to reform or abolish a constitution. One is the constitutional way and the other is extra-constitutional. Maithripala’s hundred day project is outside the framework of the Constitutional process for constitutional change. It is extra-constitutional; indeed unconstitutional. The constitutional path for the abolition of the executive presidency requires a two thirds majority in the legislature, the consent of the Supreme Court and a Referendum.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena’s Somersault in the air without a Trapeze Partner at the other end and a safety net beneath.’ »

By

Vishwamithra 1984

“Fantastic tyrant of the amorous heart. How hard thy yoke, how cruel thy dart. Those escape your anger who refuse your sway, and those are punished most, who most obey.”
~Matthew Prior

There is no escape. Not for anyone who continues to be part and parcel of this administration. The story begins way back in 2009. No. I’m not talking about the war. Over the last thirty years, of course, many hands have been stained with blood; blood of our countrymen and women. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam and their bedfellows of the Tamil ilk on the one hand and Sri Lankan security forces, the Police, Rohana Wijeweera-led Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in the nineteen eighties were all embroiled in an orgy of violence and killing and a massacre of the members of the Maha Sangha is not being spoken about even as a footnote to this macabre carnages.

The people got so immune to the flood of violence and became accustomed to random assassinations as just another ‘killing incident’.The list is endless. From Lasantha Wickrematunga’s daytime assassination to the assault on Poddala Jayantha and Upali Tennekoon from amongst media men and women, the killing of Roshana Chanaka and wounding of more than 500 workers in the Free Trade Zone at Katunayake and the Rathupaswela incident where three persons died due to being shot at by the Army while 33 others sustained injuries, also due to shooting by the Army all carry stains of blood of innocent men and women of Sri Lanka. Lasantha Wickrematunga of the Sunday Leader and freelancer Prageeth Ekneligoda stand out as two vanished monuments to the freedom of expression. Whose hands have been dirtied with their blood?

The list of those who were subjected to torture and mayhem at the hands of the Government’s ‘security forces’ is too long to catalogue in one column. Whether these so-called ‘security forces’ came from official or private sources, nobody seems to know for sure. While the cries and screams of those who perished have gone unheard and unheeded, most of those who suffered physical injuries and warnings have fled the country in search of safer shelters. The self-censorship that has been imposed upon themselves by our journalists for the last few years is claiming its victims, candid and honest reporting being one of many.

Continue reading ‘There is no Escape for Anyone who Continues to be Part and Parcel of this Administration’ »

By

Nadira Gunatilleke

President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the opening ceremony if an Exhibition in Ampara, Mar 23, 2013

When all international challenges, the LTTE threat and the threat of separatism ends, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will himself declare that he is the last Executive President of Sri Lanka, SLFP Treasurer and Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told the Daily News yesterday.

Minister Alahapperuma said the day President Rajapaksa announces an end to the Executive Presidency will come definitely before 2020 (2015-2020). Till then “Sri Lanka will go forward and thrive with the Executive Presidency and defeat all existing challenges in the next few years,” he said. The minister said there is a major difference between unity and “organising things as a gang.”

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa will Himself End the Executive Presidency Before 2020 says Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa, MP, has said that he still dreamt of a president from the UNP.

pic courtesy of: facebook.com/sajithpremadasa

Reminiscing of his father, Ranasinghe Premadasa’s commitment to securing a commanding five-sixth majority in Parliament for the then JRJ’s government, MP Premadasa said that the party always dreamt of electing a UNPer as the president. “Even today our dream is the same,” Premadasa said, adding that it was his personal opinion.

The Deputy Leader was addressing Kurunegala District UNP Bala Mandalaya on Sunday (Nov 23).

Commenting on UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe giving up his candidature at the presidential election scheduled for January 8, 2015 to accommodate SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate, MP Premadasa stressed that decision had been unanimously endorsed by the Working Committee.

Continue reading ‘UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa Says Dream of the Party Even Today is to Elect a UNP’er as President”’ »

by

Dr Upul Wijayawardhana

pic: facebook.com/UNPofficialpage

Maithripala Sirisena, the ex-minister of Health, announcing that he is the ‘long-awaited’ common opposition Presidential candidate is the “Et tu, Brute” moment of our time, some may argue, perhaps with good justification. Others may say he tried to portray himself as righteous (Dharmishta), justifying his actions by quoting from The Dhammapada. He started with AppamadoAmathapadam – pamadomaccunopadam, Appamattanamiyanti – ye pamattayathamata, which, according to the translation by Venerable Narada reads: ‘Heedfulness is the path to the deathless, heedlessness is the path to death. The heedful do not die; the heedless are like unto the dead.’ Though not entirely appropriate, may be, he used this to highlight the urgency for abolition of the Presidency, which he is prepared to do, if elected President!

He catalogued many instances where President Rajapaksa prevented him from doing the right thing and gave the impression that he lumbered along. It would have been credible had he the guts to resign on any one of these issues, giving up all the frills and perks of office, rather than enjoying them till the last moment; when his conscience had a reawakening with the kind offer made by Ranil and Chandrika!

Continue reading ‘Electing Sirisena as President will Serve no Purpose Except Bringing Ranil back to Power Through the Back door.’ »

by Rohana R. Wasala

pic courtesy of: facebook.com/BBCSinhala

“It is a royal thing to be ill spoken of for good deeds.”
– Greek philosopher Antisthenes (445-365 BCE) commenting on the kingly prerogative, quoted with approval by Roman Emperor, Stoic philosopher and soldier Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) in his philosophical work ‘Meditations’

Until Maithripala Sirisena and his followers from the SLFP joined them recently, the opponents of Mahinda Rajapaksa seemed to hold it more important for the remainder of the comprehensive development programmes launched under his stewardship to be open to the danger of being scuttled, for the country to be ruled by someone willing to pander to Western whims which usually run counter to our national interest, for the zombie of dead separatist terrorism to continue to stalk the streets of the north indefinitely poisoning the minds of innocent Tamil youth, for the political and military leaders who rid the country of terrorism and ushered in steady economic growth to be hauled before an international war crimes tribunal for offences not committed, for the country to be plunged into political instability and for every other imaginable destabilizing mischance to befall the nation than that their bête noire should be elected to a third term by the popular vote.

But they don’t clearly spell out cogent enough reasons that justify their call for the ouster of a president who performs satisfactorily well under difficult conditions or for the abolition of the executive presidency which has proved useful in governance, and harmless when not abused. I don’t deny that there may be problems concerning both the office and the office-bearer. But why this helter-skelter hurry, by a motley group of politicians enjoying little public support for all their vehemence, to do away with the presidency and to send the president home, when more pressing problems vitally important for the very survival of the state remain to be tackled?

Continue reading ‘It is difficult to believe that Mr Sirisena made his move for the sake of the country as he claims’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

Two organisations of Buddhist monks, affiliated to the UNP, yesterday pledged their support for Maithripala Sirisena as the common presidential candidate, though both seemed confused about his post-presidential election role.

The Eksath Bhikku Peramuna and the Eksath Jathika Bhikku Peramuna vowed to bring an end to what they called the authoritarian Rajapaksa regime by installing Sirisena as president. Responding to a query, Ven. Thalpotha Dhammajothi Thera said that contrary to media reports, Sirisena, would continue as President with the executive presidency stripped of the current draconian features.

However, Ven. Bopitiye Dhammissara Thera said that Maithripala Sirisena would remain only a titular president.

The monks briefed the media after meeting MP Maithripala Sirisena yesterday in Colombo.

Continue reading ‘Two Buddhist Monk Organizations Affiliated to UNP Endorse Maithripala Herath as Common Opposition Candidate.’ »

By

Somapala Gunadheera

Today’s burning issue is the struggle to find a common candidate to contest at the oncoming presidential election. That choice will affect only the next election. But the highest national priority is undoubtedly to save the country from the shackles of autocracy imposed on it by Constitutional amendments made by successive self-seeking rulers. If the inroads made into the people’s freedoms are allowed to continue unabated and widen themselves further, this land is bound to end up in a banana republic, sooner than later.

The tide of despoliation can be set back only through an apposite amendment of the Constitution. Such an amendment necessarily calls for a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Just now there is such a majority, regardless of the subterfuges under which it was engineered. In the background of the ongoing political turmoil, the chances are that the lineup in Parliament would change breaking up its composition. In that process, the two-thirds majority would be lost forever or for a long, long time. In that scenario it would be prudent for all Parties in Parliament to come together to promulgate a new Constitution.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Must Use the 2/3 Majority he now has in Parliament and Introduce a New Constitution’ »

By

Shihara Maduwage

Last week, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) stalwart and its General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to cross over to the opposition and his nomination as the common opposition candidate shocked the country. In an interview with Daily Mirror Jaathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary and the leading figure of the Pivithuru Hetak (Clean Tomorrow) National Council Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera revealed that he had played an instrumental role in this political twist.

Q: As a party has the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) reached a decision on whether to support Mr. Maithripala Sirisena as the common candidate?

I don’t think there will be any issues with regard to the JHU’s support. But the JHU has to reach an agreement on common principles with Mr. Sirisena. Even on Sunday, the party’s Central Committee held discussions. Without reaching an agreement on these principles, JHU won’t extend their support. In other words, the party’s support would be conditional.

Continue reading ‘“JHU Wants to Strip Some Powers of Executive Presidency and not Abolish it”–Athuraliye Rathana Thera’ »

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha

Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P.

One of the reasons I still continued to have hopes about Mahinda Rajapaksa was that his instincts have always been sound. This was exemplified when I called him to complain about what the Bodhu Bala Sena had been up to in Aluthgama. Instead of attempting to defend them, as I had feared, he promptly declared that they were involved in a conspiracy to bring his government into disrepute. He claimed that they were funded by the Americans and the Norwegians, and that they were determined to alienate him from the Muslims.

The story seemed to me implausible, even though I knew there was some basis for his allegations. What had been the precursor of the BBS had received funds from the Norwegians, and though I believe the Norwegian government as represented by its regular diplomats in Colombo acts in good faith, I have no similar confidence in Mr Solheim and his acolytes. One of them, who once boasted to me of his acquaintance with Mr Solheim, was Arne Fjiatoff, who had been the godfather of, if not the BBS, its principal lay spokesman Dilantha Withanage.

I have little doubt, given that he has also recently been fishing in troubled waters in Burma, that he had a shrewd inkling of what they were up to.

With regard to the Americans, we have long known that they will recruit anyone to bring down what they are most worried about at any point, with no concern for possible consequences.
Continue reading ‘Sajin Vaas Gunawardena Turned the President Against Chris Nonis by Using the “Portugese -Catholic” Card’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

President Mahinda Rajapaksa changed after the war ended and peace was achieved, his main opposition challenger, Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday.

“The executive presidency ruins people and misdirects them. It is a problem with the system, irrespective of individuals,” Sirisena told journalists in Kandy yesterday.

He said the SLFP had been agitating against the executive presidency since 1978.

“As far as I know, the Sri Lankan executive presidency has no parallel in the world for the enormous amount of power it affords the holder of office,” Sirisena explained.

The Opposition candidate explained that there had been discussions about the problems with the executive presidential system within the Government while he served. “All the ministers and MPs talked about it, whatever they might say in defence of the system today,” he revealed.

Sirisena said if elected, he would towards restoring democracy and rule of law in the country.
Since announcing his candidacy and deciding to leave the Government, Sirisena said he felt relieved.

Continue reading ‘Maithripala Sirisena Obtains Blessings of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Mahanayakes’ »

By

Ashwin Hemmathagama

President and Finance Minister Mahinda Raja-paksa’s 2015 Budget was comfortably passed in Parliament yesterday, with no crossover dramas to mar the process to allocate monies to meet recurrent, capital and other State expenses next year.

At 5:30 p.m. yesterday, the vote on the Third Reading of the Budget was taken by name and was passed with a majority of 95 votes.

The Government, which was beleaguered by defections late last week, received total 152 votes in favour.
There were 57 votes against from the UNP, TNA and NDP and 15 MPs were absent. In a noteworthy development, the seven MPs from the UPFA who defected to the Opposition were not in Parliament during the Third Reading of the Budget yesterday.President Rajapaksa’s former Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena, who declared himself the common Opposition challenger in the 2015 presidential race last Friday, was not present in the House since he was travelling in Kandy and Anuradhapura..

Much-anticipated crossover dramas did not ensue, with both Government and Opposition members rumoured to be planning to pole-vault telling the House that the speculation was false.

Budget 2015 happens to be the 69th Budget of independent Sri Lanka and the 10th Budget of the United People’s Freedom Alliance Government. The Budget process for 2015 was initiated on 24 October, with the presentation of Appropriation Bill 2015 to Parliament. This was followed by the Budget Speech delivered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 24 October.

The Budget has since moved into committee and debate stage, in order to meet the Legislative requirements to ensure the Government allocations are passed constitutionally in the House. The Committee Stage Debate commenced on 3 November to debate and discuss the respective estimates of heads of expenditure listed under each Ministry.

The Ministry of Finance and Planning, which happens to be the last of the ministries in this list, had a full-day debate prior to the vote-taking last evening in Parliament with the participation of all members.

Opening the debate, Opposition lawmaker Dr. Harsha de Silva charged that the Government was increasing debt and burdening the public.

Continue reading ‘2015 Budget Passed with 152 Votes for and 57 Against Without Crossovers from Govt or Opposition’ »

by

Reeza Hameed

At last, the Supreme Court’s opinion on the President’s reference has seen the light of day, albeit unofficially, and it makes for miserable reading.

The feature that stands out in the opinion is not only the unctuous tone which the Court has adopted in responding to the President’s request for an opinion, but also the sanctimonious view it has taken of the importance of its own opinion given in an advisory capacity, and the un-judicial language with which it has chosen to castigate those who have taken a view contrary to its own. The engagement of the Court in this manner on a controversial issue at the request of a person who sought its opinion on his capacity to stand for re-election at a poll that he was about to announce is bound to affect its own dignity and standing in the eyes of the public both at home and abroad.

The defining characteristic of the Court’s jurisdiction under Art 129 is that the question that is referred to it by the President must be one of public importance. The recent reference related to the qualification of the incumbent President in his individual capacity and nobody else. He did not even pose the question as to the qualification of any other person who has been previously elected for two terms. Naturally, the public had an interest in knowing the Court’s opinion on the questions but that does not make it a question of public importance.

Continue reading ‘Supreme Court’s opinion on the President’s Reference uses Unjudicial Language to Castigate Contrary Views’ »

By

Saman Indrajith

If the Opposition could steal a copy of the full report of the Supreme Court opinion on the incumbent President contesting a third term that indicates its resourcefulness and talent, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said in Parliament yesterday.

Speaker Rajapaksa said so after Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga claimed to have in his possession the full report of the Supreme Court opinion on the incumbent President contesting a third term and requested the Speaker to include it in the Hansard once it was tabled for public to know what was in it.

Continue reading ‘Speaker Commends Resourcefulness of the Opposition in “Stealing” a Supreme Court Opinion while Azwer makes an ass of himself.’ »

Ranil Wickremesinghe | Leader of the United National Party and the Opposition

UNP National Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has urged UNPers to ensure Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena’s victory at the forthcoming presidential election so as to form a UNP government before Sinhala New Year next year.

Wickremesinghe called for the abolition of the executive presidency to save the country from what he called the dictatorial Rajapaksa regime. The UNP leader was addressing Galigamuwa UNP Balamandalaya yesterday in support of Sirisena.

Maithripala Sirisena has assured the UNP that Wickremesinghe will be made the executive Premier no sooner he assumed the presidency.

Continue reading ‘“Ensure Maithripala Sirisena’s Victory to Enable UNP Govt being Formed Before Sinhala New Year”-Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

By

Lakna Paranamanna

Former Fisheries Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne has always cut a rebellious figure in the local political arena and this image was further boosted when he left the government on Friday to join the common opposition movement that has fielded SLFP stalwart Maithripala Sirisena as the much anticipated common candidate to contest against President Rajapaksa at the upcoming presidential polls. From believing President Rajapaksa was fit to win the Nobel Prize, what prompted Dr. Senaratne to abandon the government and pledge his support to a candidate competing against President Rajapaksa at the upcoming elections?

In a candid interview with “Daily Mirror”, Dr. Senaratne spoke of his controversial decision and the changes he envisions for the future of Sri Lanka under a new leadership.

Q What prompted you to make this controversial move?

Continue reading ‘“We will Convert Parliament into a Constituent Assembly and Abolish Executive Presidency without 2/3 Majority” –Rajitha Senaratne’ »

By

Shamindra Ferdinando

Following Polonnaruwa District MP and SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming presidential election, the latter yesterday addressed all elected UPFA representatives in the Polonnaruwa District.

President Rajapaksa received an assurance from UPFA representatives they would stand by the SLFP leader.

UPFA parliamentarians and Pradeshiya Sabha members representing the Polonnaruwa District as well as Polonnaruwa District members of the UPFA-run North Central Provincial Council were quoted as having told the President there was no one else who could match his leadership.

They called upon the country to rally around President.

The meeting was held at the Central Bank holiday bungalow near the Somawathie Temple.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Secures the Support of all UPFA Elected Representatives in Polonnaruwa District’ »

By

Ranga Jayasuriya

pic: UKInSriLanka

It was indeed a pleasant surprise! Last week’s political developments tell us that democracy in Sri Lanka is regenerating its own, even after much of its attributes were dismantled by the current regime.

That unique ability is a special property of democracy, but it is a pleasant surprise to find it in our system, after it came under a sustained attack by a familial autocracy. But, make no mistakes, this is Asia’s oldest democracy, no matter it had ups and down in its chequered independent history.

The unassuming Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary and a bunch of ruling party defectors have now proved that even in its weakest moment, Sri Lankan politics can withstand a sustained beating and re-emerge pretty much intact. They may also be trying to prove that not all politicians are spineless sycophants. That also is reassuring.

Continue reading ‘Revolt by Maithripala Against Despotic Regime Proving the Resilience of sri Lankan Democracy’ »