All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) National List MP Ameer Ali, who pledged his support to Common Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena said today that removing former National List MP A.H.M. Azwar from Parliament was the biggest support extended to Muslims by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “Azwar was the one who acted as the government representative to protect the government when there were allegations of harassments against Muslims,” Mr. Ali said. Mr. Ali said he had been deceived for four years that he would be appointed as a National List MP, and said…
Read MoreDay: 25 December 2014
BBS pledges support to MR
BY Ruwan Laknath Jayakody The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) yesterday (24) pledged their direct, unconditional support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 8 January election. All organizational networks, affiliated to the BBS, will also back Rajapaksa, the BBS said, adding that no political organizations, including the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, were involved. “So called good governance, democracy and the rule of law, all slogans of non-governmental organizations, the World Bank and the United Nations are presently being bandied about by common candidate, Maithripala Sirisena,” Chief Executive Officer of the BBS, Dr.…
Read MoreMinister Wimal supporters attack UNP Office
by Zacki Jabbar A clash near UNP headquarters, Sirikotha, yesterday left more than 30 persons injured. Trouble began when a group of pro-government activists staged a protest demanding that the UNP reveal what they called the contents of a secret pact between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. Both sides accused each other of starting the clash. The UNP said that Engineering Services Minister Wimal Weerawansa had engineered mob attack on its headquarters Sirikotha while the party’s Education Trade Union Convention was on. Both the National Democratic Front (NDF)…
Read MoreUS surveys Tamil strongholds
by Shamindra Ferdinando The US embassy is examining the ground situation in former LTTE Vanni bastion in the run-up to Jan. 8, 2015 presidential election. Political Officer Sandeep Cross has met representatives of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as well Puthukudirippu based senior UPFA coordinator Kanagaratnam. Authoritative sources told The Island that Cross had met Opposition Leader of the Eastern Provincial Council Thandayudhapani (TNA) on Dec 22. There were several other meetings with Trincomalee based politicians. First Secretary (Political) Michael Ervinhadn’t accompanied the Political Officer due to extreme bad weather…
Read MoreThe Sri Lankan Nation And The End Of The Rajapaksa Regime
By Emil van der Poorten – Defeat is inevitable but surrender of power may not follow: The Sri Lankan nation and the end of the Rajapaksa Regime I will make no apology for the lengthy title of this piece because I think it is appropriate to the subject matter. (I will not, also, apologise for it because I believe it will provoke those village idiots parading as “commentators” to provide readers with the usual amusement that their outpourings do!) Also, if, in part, the content is somewhat repetitious, that is…
Read MoreMajority Of Sinhalese, Tamils And Muslims Are Likely To Deny Third Term To MR
By Veluppillai Thangavelu – The presidential election is only two weeks away. The propaganda war between the UPFA and the NDF (National Democratic Front) is heating up. There are accusations and counter accusations. There is also sporadic violence by the supporters of the ruling party. These are to be expected and they are common features in any election in Sri Lanka. It has become part of our political culture. When it comes to resources both man power and money power to fight an election, the opposition is no match to the governing party.…
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