Day: 28 March 2015

Exemplary Lee and Raja of Singapore!

Karu

By Manekshaw Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressing his views on the demise of his father and the founder of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew in a Channel News Asia television interview pointed out that when he entered politics, his father had told him that Singapore had prospered within a short period since it gained independence in 1965 due to the unity and integrity it maintained with the minorities in the country. Lee Kuan Yew who died at the age of 91 a few days ago on 23 March had…

Read More

Sri Lanka involved in arms sales to separatist rebel fighters in Ukraine

Karu

By Ranga Kalansooriya – Sunday Times in its last week edition carried somewhat a disturbing headline story that brought embarrassment to Sri Lanka mainly on international theatre. The story elaborated how Sri Lanka’s formerAmbassador to Russia had allegedly involved in arms sales to separatist rebel fighters in Ukraine. This episode evolved following a formal complaint by the Ukrainian government of Petro Poroshenko lodged a formal and detailed complaint with the Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the news story said. The accusation mainly deals with the sale of assault rifles…

Read More

Education essential for reconciliation – Rajiva Wijesinha

Karu

TAMILS SQUEEZED OUT OF HIGHER EDUCATION – 1971 BY Rathindra Kuruwita Many think of truth commissions, new laws and restitution when they think of reconciliation. But in a country like Sri Lanka where there is deep rooted prejudices and mistrust among ethnicities, education can play a key role in achieving true reconciliation. Ceylon Today speaks to former State Minister of Education and former Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) Rajiva Wijesinha to speak further on using Education as a tool, in reconciliation and ethnic harmony. Q:…

Read More

Sri Lanka to switch off today for Earth Hour

Karu

All Sri Lankans are requested to join hundreds of millions of people from around the world, by participating in the Earth Hour initiative and showing their commitment to preserving the planet. Today you will see homes, schools, businesses and iconic landmarks across the planet turn off their lights for the appointed one hour – Earth Hour; on Saturday 28 March 2015 at 8.30 p.m. This single act transcends all barriers of race, religion, culture, geography and society and will enable Sri Lankans to be a part of a global celebration…

Read More

Faced with UNHRC Deadline, SriLanka Government woos Tamils

Karu

COLOMBO: Faced with the challenge of showing  by September this year, concrete progress towards reconciliation with the Tamil minority,  the Sri Lankan government has taken several steps to take the reconciliation process forward. President Maithripala Sirisena set the ball rolling by announcing that he would give back to the Tamils of the Northern Province, 1000 acres of land and the hand back to the Tamils of the Eastern Province, more than 1000 acres. These fertile lands had been appropriated by the Lankan military and other government agencies making use of…

Read More

Lanka says EU LTTE ban to remain

Karu

The Government says it has managed to convince the European Union (EU) to maintain a ban on the LTTE despite an earlier EU court decision to lift some sanctions on the group. Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera said that efforts of the new Government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had ensured the rebels remain on the latest list of banned groups issued by the EU. Perera said that Wickremesinghe had communicated with the EU on the need to ensure the rebels are banned in the…

Read More