Day: 7 June 2014

Sri Lanka’s curse is rulers

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There hasn’t been any country in the world other than Sri Lanka that has belittled Visual & Performing Arts. A politician in Sri Lanka had asked what can a person do with Visual & Performing Arts and had said it cannot even be eaten. This is how they see it. Children do not have a world of their own. What exists for them is a world of robots and their lives are ruled by such robots. Bridges and Expressways could be constructed in this country but a man who can…

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GTF challenges GoSL to face UN probe

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GTF challenges GoSL to face UN probe

The UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) said yesterday that the proposed UN probe would give an opportunity to establish the circumstances under which the war was brought to an end on the Vanni east front five years ago. GTF spokesman Suren Surendiran told The Island that the government shouldn’t shun the investigation. Instead, the government should participate and facilitate the process. In an exclusive statement, Surendiran said that as President Rajapaksa always maintained that his government had nothing to hide, there was no reason for the GoSL not to cooperate…

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Government tells different stories to different Parties including to India and the Sri Lankan public. PSC is only a waste of time.

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Communist Party Leader, D.E.W. Gunasekera, said he has decided not to participate in future proceedings of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), appointed by the government to find a solution to the ethnic problem, as there was nothing more to discuss among ministers.  However, he said he would participate only if the TNA and SLMC became involved in the discussions. Gunasekera also invited all Opposition political parties to participate in the discussions. They are duty bound to find a solution to this cancer, which has caused immense damage to this country during…

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13A and separation of Temple from State

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13A and separation of Temple from State

The sacred constitutional principle of the separation between the Church and the State (or the Temple and the State to that effect) refers to the distance in the relationship between the State and the organized religion. The wall of separation between the Church and the State, as Thomas Jefferson called it, evolved after centuries of temporal intervention into the affairs of the State and vice versa in Ancient Greece, Medieval Europe and pre-revolutionary France. Such a relationship resulted in the Church wielding enormous power over the State and indulging in…

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Cracks within UPFA widen as Pillay finalises probe team

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By Our Political Editor President tells SLFP ministers to consult him before attending functions after Ven. Rathana Thera launches movement for Pure Tomorrow A mixed bag of political developments this week forced the UPFA leadership to go into high gear. After the weekly ministerial meeting last Thursday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to stay behind. He had some strong words of caution. He said Ministers in the SLFP should first check for themselves before taking part in events organised by other partners of the…

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Navi Pillay’s appoints dangerous investigation panel: Dayan Jayathilaka

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Jordan’s Prince Zeid to replace Pillay The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, following consultations with the Chairmen of the regional groups of Member States, has informed the General Assembly of his intention to appoint Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan as the new United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. If approved, he will replace the current United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay who’s term ends in August.Prince Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein is currently Jordan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, a post he held previously…

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Lord Naseby has misled the Lords over Sri Lanka. He must withdraw his allegations

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Lord Naseby has misled the Lords over Sri Lanka. He must withdraw his allegations

By Peter Oborne Peter Oborne is the Daily Telegraph’s chief political commentator. Veteran political correspondents like me recall Michael Morris, Deputy Speaker of the Commons from 1992-97, with a great deal of affection. He carried off the role with plenty of brio and style. Michael Morris has since been deservedly elevated to the House of Lords, where he has taken the name of Lord Naseby. As sometimes happens, he has gone sharply downhill since entering the upper house. Most troublingly he has become an apologist for the Sri Lankan government. There is…

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New UN Human Rights High Commissioner expected to be tougher than Pillay

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 Reports suggest UNHRC commissioner to name investigation panel on SriLanka on June 10. Contrary to expectations, Jordan’s Prince Zeid al Hussein is most likely to be a much tougher opponent than his predecessor, Navi Pillay, the outgoing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Prince Hussein’s appointment couldn’t have come at a worse time for Sri Lanka, well informed sources told The Sunday Island yesterday. The longtime diplomat would give up his post as Jordanian Permanent Representative to the UN in New York to take up the Geneva posting, they said.…

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SL to skip sexual violence in conflicts Summit

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SL to skip sexual violence in conflicts Summit

The Sri Lankan government has declined a British invitation to attend a global summit meant to end sexual violence in conflict following a spat with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) over a controversial precondition that participation was strictly subject to all participants endorsing a declaration of commitment to end sexual violence in conflict. The four-day conference attended by over 1,000 delegates from well over 100 countries is scheduled to begin in London on June 10. The event is jointly hosted by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and the Special…

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Govt. to implement 13-A without police powers, rejects TNA demand

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The government said yesterday that it did not have an issue with implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution with the exception of police powers. The constitution of the country since  14 November 1987 says it should give powers to provincial councils but racist Sri Lankan government has NOT implemented the constitution since 1987 but had been saying it has no problem in implementing it. Asked during the weekly Cabinet Press briefing in Colombo if land and other provisions of 13A with the exception of police powers would be implemented, Media…

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