Day: 15 November 2014

Those joining Foreign Service should know karate – UNP

Karu

UNP Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday lambasted the government for what he called rapid deterioration of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service which, he said, had hit the rock bottom. MP Kiriella was participating in the committee stage debate on Budget 2015 under the expenditure heads of the Ministry of External Affairs. He alleged that political interference had ruined the Foreign Service which had once received accolades from the international community for its efficiency and professionalism. Referring to a recent incident involving Sri Lanka’s former High Commissioner in the UK Dr…

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Landslide victims not provided promised housing

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In the wake of the recent Koslanda landslide, a plantation trade union has written to President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying that those who were affected by a similar landslide at Matale two years ago, had not been provided alternative housing by the authorities, though promised. A number of people affected by the landslides that took place at the Nickoloya, Pitakanda and Bandarapola estates, in the Matale District, in December, 2012 have not been provided with alternative housing, said Joint Plantation Trade Union Centre (JPTUC) Secretary General S. Ramanathan in the letter,…

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The Federal Solution?

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Delivering a memorial oration in India recently, Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran has sought the support of India to secure a federal system in Sri Lanka. In his speech, he has said that they want a true devolution and even an improvement of the 13th Amendment would not do. According to him, the constitution should be changed to replace the unitary system by a federal system which should include the Tamils’ right to self-determination. Speaking to The Sunday Leader, several politicians expressed mixed views regarding the matter.    India Linked…

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A Father’s Fight For Justice

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By Easwaran Rutnam January 2, 2006 is a day which will continue to haunt Dr Kasippillai Manoharan. On that day, his son Ragihar was among the five youth killed under controversial circumstances in Trincomalee. Eight years on Dr Kasippillai Manoharan is still seeking justice over his son’s death and he has vowed to continue to fight till justice is served. Dr Manoharan said he had taken a firm decision to challenge the authorities, no matter what, and was the first to give evidence in his son’s case in Sri Lanka.…

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Sivan Arul Illam (UK) was going to donate 500 cows with the help of the Hindu temples in UK but had to stop at 23 cows!

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 By Rajendra Vinasithamby For the kind attention of all those who are involved with the diaspora temples This news should be brought to the attention of all the temples,as they have failed to  do any similar project other than 23 cows  donated by Sivanarullillam. Sivan Arul Illam (UK) Chaiman Dr Jayandran Namasivayam had a project to donate 500 cows to the low income families in Jaffna with the help of the Hindu Temples in UK but had to stop at donating only 23 cows as there were no support offered from the temples…

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Moves to abolish executive presidency Muslim groups join nationalist forces

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By Latheef Farook Numerous Muslim political and civil society groups have joined mainstream national political forces in their campaign to abolish or reform the dictatorial executive presidency, replace it with a presidency accountable to parliament and reintroduce democracy. Growing feeling within the Muslim community, especially during the past three to four years, has been that the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress, SLMC, though a constituent member of the government, has miserably failed to effectively deal with burning issues facing   Muslims.   As a result the general feeling within the community, as…

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Documented eye witness evidence of war crimes : How Gota gave orders to Shavendra to kill those appearing with white flags

Karu

How Gota gave orders to Shavendra to kill those appearing with white flags (Lanka-e-News- 12.Nov.2014, 3.30PM) Lanka e news is in receipt of a copy of documented evidence of an eye witness testifying to the alleged war crimes and gross human rights violations committed in Sri Lanka (SL) . This evidence has been forwarded by a war reporter (whose name cannot be disclosed) to the Geneva international investigation into war crimes. The reporter was in the front line during the war period and has furnished an eye witness account pertaining…

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Over 400,000 persons might lose opportunity to vote

Karu

It is learnt that over 400,000 persons island wide could lose the opportunity to lose their chance to exercise their franchise at the next national election. The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) says that there are hundreds of thousands of people island wide without a valid ID. CaFFE Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon said people could therefore lose the chance to vote at the next national election.  He observed that a mobile programme will be held on the 29th of this month to issue national ID cards to people…

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Enemies Of The President’s Promise

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Enemies Of The President’s Promise – Chapter II – Happy Part – IIII By Rajiva Wijesinha – The failure of politicians in the North who were close to government to command any respect led in turn to the forces having to play a more dominant role, for they were the most efficient representatives of government in the area. Had they instead taken leading citizens into partnership, and indeed given them the leading role, the situation would have been very different. The contrast with what might have been was apparent in the Islands,…

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“T-shirt Thugs in 2 White Vans and 1 Red Benz came to World Trade Centre to Assault me During Hiru TV Debate”-Ranjan Ramanayake M.P.

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By Anura Bandara Rajaguru  United National Party MP Ranjan Ramanayake, in an interview with our sister paper Mawbima said, there was a plot to assault him at the Hiru TV debate and he left in order to avoid an unpleasant incident.  Following are excerpts: Q: What actually happened at that television debate? What happened behind the scene? A: I must thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about what happened. There was a scheme behind the incident. Our intelligence sources scented it. I was aware that my telephone conversations were…

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Mannar bishop condemns the killing of former LTTE carder

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Bishop of the Mannar district Irayappu Joseph strongly condemns the death of former LTTE carder at the Wellankulam, Mannar. Former LTTE carder Naguleswaran, supporter of the Tamil National Alliance was shot dead in Mannar yesterday.Group of armed personals willing to re-create tense situation in the Northern Province.Justice defeated in this island. Criminal activities rule this country. International community should take necessary steps to control violence in SriLanka . They need to grant justice and freedom to Tamils in SriLanka. Naguleswaran, father of two was shot dead by group of unidentified…

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa – China would be supportive of pursuing a narrow political agenda in Sri Lanka?

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By Saman Indrajith TNA yesterday in Parliament asked whether the government was distancing itself from India and closing ranks with China so as to shirk the responsibility for honouring its pledges to India. TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan participating in the committee stage debate under the expenditure heads of the Ministry of External Affairs said that the total assistance extended by China to Sri Lanka during the period 1971 to 2012, around 41 years, was USD 5,056 billion of which USD 4,761 billion, approximately 94 per cent, was extended…

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Nandana quits SLFP, pledges support to Opp prez candidate

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Alleging that the government was corrupt, Gunathilake said that he didn’t want to continue with the Rajapaksa regime. by Dasun Edirisinghe One-time JVP heavyweight and presidential candidate Nandana Gunathilake yesterday pledged his support for the on-going Opposition campaign to abolish the executive presidency. Gunathilake made the announcement at a hurriedly arranged media briefing at Solis Hall, Pitakotte, in the morning after having resigned from the post of Chairman of the UPFA-run Panadura Urban Council. Gunathilake said that he had also given up SLFP membership and the post of Kalutara District…

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More corrupt deals revealed

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COPE recommends removal of State Printing and National Paper Company chiefs Rs 391 m squandered at Colombo port Sri Lanka Cricket transaction questioned Taj Samudra refurbishment questioned Inadequacies at Oluvil harbour highlighted By Saman Indrajith The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), the National Paper Company Limited (NPCL) and SriLankan Airlines Limited had suffered a loss of Rs. 40 billion last year, according to the Second Interim Report released to Parliament by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) yesterday. The CPC loss amounted to Rs. 7,732,818,000 while the NPCL and Sri Lankan…

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British HC Nonis should have complained to Police.

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Nonis should have complained to NYPD: Kiriella United National Party (UNP) MP Lakshman Kiriella, who commented on the assault on Dr. Chris Nonis, the former Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, said a complaint should have been lodged with New York Police Department instead of waiting for redress from the Sri Lankan authorities. Mr. Kiriella made these remarks during the committee stage of the budget debate on the vote of the External Affairs Ministry. Dr. Nonis was assaulted at the New York residence of a SriLankan Airlines Director based in…

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Sri Lanka MP’s for Sale – Crossovers in the offing

Karu

It has been predicted that as soon as President Mahinda Rajapaksa officially announces the holding of a Presidential Election, several members of various political parties will crossover to the other side. While the government has declared… …that many UNPers as well as members of other Opposition Parties have decided to join the government soon, the Opposition too has announced that many government members lay in wait to crossover to their side. Jathika Hela Urumaya President, Athuruliye Rathana Thera on 12 November, at a meeting titled ‘Cleaner Tomorrow’, claimed that 15…

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From despair to devastation in landslide-hit Uva

Karu

They say tea exports bring high revenue to our country. For generations we have been slogging in these tea estates day after day, but our lives have not changed in the last 100 years.” “This is where the land slipped,” said Kiruba, a school teacher, pointing to a huge area of reddish soil that a bulldozer was trying to iron out. “All this soil must have slid from there,” he deduced, gazing at an empty patch that stands out from the surrounding green hills. Massive boulders rest where homes of…

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Govt. is afraid of the truth – Ranjan Ramanayake

Karu

By Anura Bandara Rajaguru United National Party MP Ranjan Ramanayake, in an interview with our sister paper Mawbima said, there was a plot to assault him at the Hiru TV debate and he left in order to avoid an unpleasant incident.Following are excerpts: Q: What actually happened at that television debate? What happened behind the scene? A: I must thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about what happened. There was a scheme behind the incident. Our intelligence sources scented it. I was aware that my telephone conversations…

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Sri Lankan Foreign Policy: Seeking Friends In Low Places

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By Ananda Perera – Sri Lanka plays host to Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz today and is signing two bilateral agreements on “establishing a joint commission on cooperation and an agreement on political bilateral consultation. Sri Lanka established formal diplomatic relations with Mauritania on Dec. 21, 2012, following a Cabinet decision in 2012 to establish diplomatic relations with 15 African countries[1]” Abdel Aziz, a former military officer was elected president in 2009. He has previously been part of a military coup in 2005 and leading a military coup in…

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