28/04/2015 - News site for Tamils

NO difference between Mahinda and mugabe – Rajitha Senaratne

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

By Zahrah Imtiaz The debate on the bill of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution thus far has deepened the rift within the SLFP and the last two weeks in Parliament it was obvious that all was not well in the blue camp. As the President seeks to introduce reforms, many in his party strongly opposed it. Cabinet spokesperson and Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne said reforms would clean up the party and put it on the path envisioned by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. The question however is whether the clean-up would…

Release info on Tamil political detainees

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

BY M. SASIKUMAR Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) General Secretary, Parliamentarian Douglas Devananda, urged the government to release information regarding Tamil political detainees. Devananda pointed out that young men and women from the North and the East were directed to a negative path by Tamil Political Leaderships in the past. “Some Tamil politicians complain that there are secret detention camps. We sent a petition to the government to release information regarding political detainees and details about these secret detention camps,” he said. He further said when Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe…

Nine Foods That Prevent and Combat Diabetes

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

Can controlling your blood sugar levels and preventing Diabetes complications can be as simple as eating the right foods? The answer is yes. Certain foods are overflowing with nutritional substances that stabilize the blood sugar levels, protect out heart, and even save our vision from the harmful effects of Diabetes. The following 9 foods can give us all a great advantage in our war against Diabetes: 1. Apples At a long-term research in Finland, researchers found that men who ate the largest amount of apples had 20% less diabetes…

“No way Sharmini, this will get us both killed!” – if this article was published in 2007

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

By Sharmini Serasinghe – The following piece was written by me in 2007. This was a time, when the media in Sri Lanka was terrorized to such an extent, that Journalists and Writers needed to be armed with cold courage, to function. All those Editors I sent the following piece to, who never said “No” to any of my articles before and after, refused to publish it in their newspapers, and one warned, “No way Sharmini, this will get us both killed!” Senior journalist Keith Noyahr, who was then the…

Chief Michael Sunday Babatunde Adigun: Friend Of The Tamils

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

By S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole – I write celebrating the life of a Nigerian Yoruba Chief, Michael Sunday Babatunde Adigun, Balogun Bobajiro of Ibadanland and Commander of the Order of the Niger whom the Tamil people are indebted to. I heard only last week of his demise on August 29, 2014. I went to Nigeria in Oct. 1977, just turned 25 after my London M.Sc. The best offer I had in England was at GE at £250 a month but my classmate Felix Fidelis Udeagwu forced my attention on Nigeria.…

Exclusive: Attorney General’s Recommendations On Gota Arrest: Ranil Stopt it.

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

A leaked report from the Attorney General’s Department on the case against Avant Garde Maritime Services, confirms the Colombo Telegraph report which exposed the Attorney General’s recommendations on the possible arrest of Gotabaya Rajapaksa. According the report AG did recommend that the former Secretary to Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa and four others would be arrested for committing offences pertaining to the Unauthorized Importation of Fire Arms to Sri Lanka (Under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Fire Arms Ordinance), Possession of Fire Arms and Ammunition Without Valid Licenses (Under…

Third reading of 19-A also passed

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

The third reading of the 19th Amendment to the constitution was passed after some changes were made to the bill which was earlier approved by Parliament. The third reading was passed with 212 votes for and one against. The opposition made several recommendations to the 19th Amendment after initially voting for the bill during the second reading. Once the changes were included into the final document the bill was taken for a third vote and it was adopted. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the vote was historic…

Review on diaspora ban underway

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

The Government says the review process on the ban imposed on some diaspora groups is underway. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who had said in March that the ban imposed by the former Government on diaspora groups and individuals will be reviewed, today informed parliament that the process is underway. “I spoke that day about initiating a process to review the individuals and entities in the diaspora community who were listed under the Extraordinary Gazette 1854/41 of 21 March 2014. This process has already been initiated,” he said. The Minister also…

Sri Lanka parliament votes to curb president’s power

28/04/201528/04/2015 Karu

Sri Lanka’s parliament voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to curb the power of the presidency, restoring a two-term limit and reviving independent bodies to manage key institutions such as the police and the judiciary. Related Stories Sri Lanka to drop plans stripping president’s executive powers AFP Sri Lanka graft busters question Rajapakse brothers AFP Benin votes in test for President Boni Yayi AFP Sri Lanka ex-leader slams new regime over graft probe AFP Benin votes in key test for president’s controversial plans AFP A total of 215 out of the 225 lawmakers…