Day: 8 May 2015

Mangala: Four countries helping trace USD 18 bn stashed away overseas

Karu

by Shamindra Ferdinando Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told the media yesterday at Sirikotha that the governmnet had been working closely with four foreign governments to trace ill-gotten funds amounting USD 18 billion stashed away overseas by the Rajapaksas. Responding to a query, the Foreign Minister said funds amounting to USD 2 billion allegedly stashed away in Dubai had been found and the investigations were continuing. The government has claimed that the US, India, the World Bank, the UN etc. are helping it track ill-gotten wealth stashed away by the members…

Read More

GTF News Update – 08th May 2015

Karu

THE HINDU **COMMENTS CAN BE POSTED** ‘War crimes panel to be in place soon’ < http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/war-crimes-panel-to-be-in-place-soon-sri-lanka-foreign-minister/article7183079.ece   >   THE HINDU **COMMENTS CAN BE POSTED** Lanka promises to meet deadline for probe into war crimes < http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/lanka-promises-to-meet-deadline-for-probe-into-war-crimes-115050700780_1.html   >   THE ISLAND Alleged killing of 40,000 civilians on Vanni front: Mangala, too, wants truth established < http://island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=124289   >   THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS **COMMENTS CAN BE POSTED** Further Sirisena-Rajapaksa Talks Doubtful < http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Further-Sirisena-Rajapaksa-Talks-Doubtful/2015/05/07/article2802142.ece   >   BLOOMBERG China Gets Spurned in Sri Lanka < http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-07/in-sri-lanka-china-s-foreign-policy-meets-rare-setback   >   GROUND VIEWS **COMMENTS CAN BE POSTED** The Right To Information Act:…

Read More

Alleged killing of 40,000 civilians on Vanni front: Mangala, too, wants truth established

Karu

by Shamindra Ferdinando Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday blamed the previous government for not having a credible investigative mechanism to disprove unsubstantiated allegation that 40,000 civilian had been killed during the last phase of offensive action on the Vanni east front. Minister Samaraweera was responding to a query by The Island whether the new government would make an effort to establish the truth in the wake of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe strongly disputing much touted figure of 40,000 civilian deaths. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe recently told H.A. Hariharan of Tamil Nadu’s famous…

Read More

Why did The Australian’s Greg Sheridan fail to investigate the war crimes of former Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa?

Karu

Why did The Australian’s Greg Sheridan fail to investigate the war crimes of former Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa? When prominent journalists choose a path of cosy promotion rather than rigorous investigation, we are all in trouble, writes Trevor Grant. WHEN A government is engaged in the grubby business of trying to launder the blood-drenched image of an accused war criminal and people smuggler as well as an accused child murderer who became an alleged gun-runner for Islamist terrorists, it’s always handy to have a national newspaper to assist with the…

Read More

Rajapaksas Siphon Off 18 Billion Dollars: Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera

Karu

“According to some of the people we’ve been working with, they feel that the assets that have been siphoned off from this country by the Rajapaksa family at large may amount to 18 billion dollars” says the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera. “In fact, we have done a little better than the Libyans and the others because at least we know where 2 billion is, but it is not an easy task and we are getting help and support to negotiate and get access to these funds.” Samaraweera further…

Read More

BBS invites gota to join party

Karu

BY Rashini Mendis The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) invited former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to join their new political party. National Organizer of the BBS Ven. Witharandeniye Nanda Thera said that while Rajapaksa had expressed his desire to enter politics, he has yet to make a final decision. The Thera added that the BBS was having talks with several persons regarding the party, adding that they had discussed registration of the party and other associated matter with Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya. The party would most probably be fielding candidates at…

Read More

Ranil Jayawardena becomes UK MP

Karu

www.uktamilnews.com team congradulates Mr Ranil Jayawardena a hard working man and wishes him great success in his duty as the Member of Parliament for North East Hampshire. Ranil Jayawardena of Sri Lankan origin romped to victory in North East Hampshire constituency, taking a near-30,000 vote majority over the Liberal Democrats, the Get Hampshire said. Conservative candidate Mr. Jayawardena will take the reins from James Arbuthnot, who bowed out after nearly 30 years as MP for North East Hampshire. During Thursday’s vote (May 7), Mr Jayawardena took 35,573 votes in total, a…

Read More

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been summoned to appear at the Police

Karu

Ada Derana reliably learns that former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been summoned to appear at the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) on May 1.  It is also understood that Rajapaksa has been asked to visit the FCID for questioning regarding the controversial MiG deal and a share issuance by Lanka Hospitals.  A complaint had been filed recently alleging financial fraud at the Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC under the chairmanship of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa between 2009 and 2014.  Mr. Rajapaksa was appointed as the Lanka Hospitals Chairman after…

Read More

when Rajapaksa threatened to walk out of the talks, Sirisena said he could walk out if he wanted to.

Karu

STOP INVESTIGATION ON MY BROTHERS OR ELSE I WILL WALK OUT. Presently Rajapaksa’s brother and former Minister  Basil Rajapaksa is in remand, albeit in a hospital bed.  Rajapaksa’s other brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and his Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga, are also under investigation. The CID is investigating Rajapaksa himself. COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who met here on Wednesday to iron out differences between them, are unlikely to meet again because the differences are too wide to be bridged, an informed source in the Sirisena camp told Express.…

Read More

No more MS-MR meets.. President will go on with FCID probes..

Karu

By Rathindra Kuruwita It is unlikely that there would be a repeat meeting between President Maithripala Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa for further discussions, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera said. He also denied statements by MPs who took part in Wednesday’s (6) discussions, representing Rajapaksa, that the Gazette Notification on Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) will be rescinded. “President Sirisena will not agree to anything of that nature. Investigating the corrupt individuals and punishing them is one of the main promises Maithripala Sirisena made during the election campaign.…

Read More

COURT ORDER defied… Dullas, 18MPs, top monks in Court today

Karu

By Ishara Rathnakara Former Minister Dulles Alahapperuma and 18 Members of Parliament and 9 Buddhist monks, including Venerable Muruttetuwe Ananda Thera, have been ordered to be present in Court …today (8) by Chief Magistrate of Colombo Gihan Pilapitiya. They were ordered to be present in Court for engaging in a protest in violation of a Court Order issued on the occasion when former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa reported at the Bribery Commission offices to give a statement. All 27 defendants are ordered to be present in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s…

Read More

Wimal’s house sales probe… Court calls full report

Karu

By Ishara Rathnakara Additional Magistrate of Colombo Nishantha Peiris ordered the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) yesterday (7) to conduct an extensive investigation into former Minister of Housing, Engineering Services and Common Amenities, Wimal Weerawansa illegally selling houses of the Haritha Kedella Housing Schemes in Mattegoda and Kahatuduwa worth more than Rs 10 million each to five of his close relatives. The Police informed the Court that in allocating houses to his closest relations, in the Mattegoda and Kahatuduwa Housing Schemes, former minister Wimal Weerawansa has illegally sold a house…

Read More

Sri Lankan aircraft with Pak horses makes emergency landing in Pune

Karu

Engine of the C-130 military transport flight developed a snag mid-air around midnight. A special aircraft, belonging to the Sri Lanka defence forces, carrying eight horses from Pakistan to Sri Lanka made an emergency landing at the Pune International Airport on Thursday due to a technical snag. Intelligence agencies and police swung into action within minutes and the horses and their Pakistani handlers were stationed at the Pune Race Course. As per the information given by sources from the Pune airport’s security division, the eight horses were being sent to…

Read More

Gotabaya seeks Rs 1 billion in damages from Watagala

Karu

Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has sent a letter of demand to JVP Western Provincial Councillor Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala, seeking Rs 1 billion in damages over alleged malicious and defamatory remarks made by the latter against him. Rajapaksa has sent the letter of demand to Watagala, through his attorney Sanath Wijewardane. In the letter Wijewardane states that his client, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, had served as the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development and that he had provided decisive assistance to military operations carried out to defeat LTTE terrorism…

Read More