Opposition Activists Attacked In Hambanthota Election Violence Election monitors have accused local government politicians of being behind some of the most serious incidents of election violence, while police have also confirmed at least 10 Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) members are under arrest and more are being sought for incidents of election violence since the handing over of nominations on December 10. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday (20) stated that local government politicians are the people who engage in most cases related to election violence.…
Read MoreDay: 21 December 2014
Defence Ministry clearance required for foreign observers visiting North: Spokesman
International Observers (IO) visiting the country to monitor the presidential election will require a ‘special clearance’ along with a recommendation from the Elections Commissioner, to visit the Northern Province for monitoring purposes, Military spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasuriya said yesterday. “We have not lifted the restrictions on travel to the North. Foreign nationals will not be allowed to visit the North under ‘blanket approval’ without obtaining necessary clearance from the Defence ministry,” he said. He said there has been no official request to date, from the Elections Commissioner to the Defence…
Read MorePresident Mahinda Rajapaksa leading with 57.62%
The NGO One Text has conducted a survey on the upcoming presidential election. According to the survey, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is said to be leading with 57.62% of the vote while common candidate of the opposition Maithripala Sirisena is said to be trailing with 40% of the votes. Members of One Text include people from different political parties. It is headed by Mangala Munasinghe.
Read MoreSri Lanka’s president ruled out giving Tamils greater political power
Sri Lanka’s president ruled out giving Tamils greater political power, appearing to back away from his long-stalled promise (13+ Amendment) to empower the ethnic minority as part of the country’s reconciliation process following a bloody quarter-century civil war. President Mahinda Rajapaksa made his about-face despite growing international pressure to compromise with the minority and to investigate allegations of war crimes. Local and foreign rights groups say despite the end of the war local Tamils are under constant surveillance in a region where the military still maintains a high presence. The pressure…
Read MoreBuddhist monk among victims, man stripped naked: Allegation of police assault in Batticaloa
Police attack on a group of civilians lead by Ampitiya Sumana Ratana Thero , in B’loa who were proceeding to hand over a petition to the President. A group of civilians including Buddhist priests led by Rev Ampitiye SumanaratnaThero yesterday alleged they were attacked by the police at around 6.30 p.m. on Friday in front of the Batticaloa Police Station. “The Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) received a complaint from Rev Ampitiye Sumanaratna Thero alleging that a group of civilians protesting that their voting rights should be ensured were…
Read MoreParents, Teachers Summoned To Schools For Mahinda Campaigns
In yet another devious act of state resource exploitation parents, teachers and students have been summoned to schools by the Education Ministry to participate in various abruptly organised ‘openings’ despite the schools remaining closed for December holidays, to promote President Rajapaksa‘s election campaign. Teacher unions have expressed their concern over these meetings and ‘openings’ that have been organised out-of-the-blue soon, pointing out they are a clear violation of election law flouting which the authorities have failed to prevent. “Since the end of the 2014 O/L examination on December 17 until…
Read MoreSumanthiran makes challenges to shield political bankruptcy
[TamilNet, Friday, 19 December 2014, 23:35 GMT] Colombo-based parliamentarian of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), M.A. Sumanthiran, who visited Batticaloa on Thursday challenged the SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa to release the purported ‘secret agreement’, signed between the common opposition candidate Maithiripala Srisena and the TNA. Responding, the grassroots activists from Aalaiyadi-vempu who met Mr Sumanthiran told TamilNet Friday that the TNA had failed to come out with a people-centric political move challenging the real perpetrators of the plight faced by Tamils and instead comes out with empty challenges to shield its…
Read MoreMass Murder Committed By Karuna
Mass Murder Committed By Karuna The Sunday Leader of 9th January 2014 published an article on the first page under the caption IPKF Head Slams Karuna. The former IPKF Intelligence Corp. head Col. R.Hariharan had made serious allegations against Deputy Minister Karuna, alias Col karuna. The Col alleges that Karen and his Deputy Pillian, former Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council were responsible for the Murder of about 300 Muslims, 600 people including hundreds of Policemen. With regard to the killing of policemen I may elaborate more on this…
Read MoreTGTE Ready For Conditional Talks – Rudra – V. Rudrakumaran
The Tamil diapora has been widely discussed by the government during its election campaign. One of the concerns raised by the government is an alleged attempt by the pro-LTTE diaspora to divide the country and revive the LTTE. V. Rudrakumaran, the head of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), who is among those listed in Sri Lanka for terrorism related activities, admits that the push for an Eelam state has not been abandoned. Excerpts of the interview: By Easwaran Rutnam Q: The Government says diaspora is still attempting to…
Read MoreThe Opposition Manifesto is a serious challenge to President
by Rajan Philips The second week after nominations saw stark contrasts developing in the campaigns of the incumbent President and the common opposition candidate. President Rajapaksa, the acclaimed populist of the ordinary people, took to wooing the business community in Colombo that has traditionally been the bulwark and money baggers for the UNP. Last Wednesday, in what was a show and tell Momentum Forum, a so called “synchronized President” addressed a captive audience of 2,000 business leaders assembled in four hotels. The joint opposition response came on Friday in the…
Read MoreRifts within both alliances as campaigning hots up
Bathiuddin, Sri Ranga in fisticuffs at Temple Trees; Hakeem faces dilemma, but SLMC’s stance matters little to Muslims; Rajapaksa manifesto tomorrow Sirisena manifesto attempts to please all major partners in constitutional changes, but questions over how he will do it within 100 days At the end of a hectic schedule addressing election rallies in the South, President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to ‘Temple Trees’ last Monday evening. There he sat down to a discussion with Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam and Central Provincial Councillor Senthil Thondaman. The Ceylon Workers Congress duo was…
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