Day: 25 May 2015

GTF holds talks with South Africa on Lanka

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The Global Tamil Forum (GTF), an influential diaspora group based in London, had talks today with the South African Government on Sri Lanka. The GTF said that on an invitation from the Deputy Minister of Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa, Ms. Nomaindiya C Mfeketo MP, a GTF delegation lead by Father S J Emmanuel met at the South African High Commission, South Africa House at Trafalgar Square in London today. This meeting lasted for two full hours where various matters on Sri Lanka, particularly in…

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No Room For Separatism And Violence, Says Cannes Star Anthonythasan

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Sri Lanka welcomes Cannes award for refugee movie COLOMBO, May 25, 2015 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government on Monday hailed the awarding of Cannes’ top prize to a film highlighting the plight of the Tamil minority during the island’s civil war, saying authorities were working to redress past injustices. “Dheepan”, a French movie about a former Sri Lankan soldier’s struggles in a French ghetto after fleeing the separatist war, captured the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or prize on Sunday…………   read all  No Room For Separatism And Violence, Says Cannes…

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Wickremabahu defends Ranil against his erstwhile comrade

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By Cyril Wimalasurendre KANDY – What MP Vasudewa Nanayakkara said of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament last Thursday was unparliamentary, the Nawa Sama Samaja Party Leader said in Kandy. Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne said that the dignity of parliament should not be affronted by such foul language. He made the remarks addressing a meeting organised by the Citizens Assembly (Purawesi Haula) on Saturday (23). Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe was earlier taunted as ‘Wedaberi Tazan’ but his detractors have had to accept that he a capable political leader. Some politicians involved in corruption…

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Cannot allow Army to rule the Province says Tamil Chief Minister

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Chief Minister, Northern Provincial Council (NPC) C. V. Wigneswaran said he cannot accept to allow the Army which had committed war crimes to rule in the province. “No one requested the Army to provide security for us. If somebody did so, he or she must be some collaborator or one who is afraid of the Army or a spy of the Government”, he added. C.M. Wigneswaran further said the Security Forces should get out from the North. Resources in the North are being robbed and smuggled to other provinces. “The…

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Residents prevent an arrest of a suspect in Palai

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Sri Lanka police probe death of U.S. pilot COLOMBO, May 25 (Xinhua) — Sri Lankan police have launched a probe into the death of a U.S. Air Force pilot whose body was discovered from a hotel room in the capital Colombo last week, an official said. Police Media Spokesperson ASP Ruwan Gunesekare told Xinhua that the victim’s body was discovered on Thursday night from a room of a five star hotel where he had checked in a day earlier………….. READ ALL Residents prevent an arrest of a suspect in Palai…

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Dean Law Faculty says he was unjustly vilified

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Jaffna Seeks Justice For Vithiya Incidents of rape have become alarmingly high in post-war Jaffna and many young women have become the victims of ruthless rapists who seem to walk away scot-free. With reference to many such incidents, people question the law enforcement authorities for their prolonged inability to bring the culprits to justice………………   read all Jaffna: Dancing On A Razors’ Edge The Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C. Wigneswaran is a former Supreme Court judge and he was quick to condemn the attacks upon the Police…

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Britain a very tolerant, open society says Newly elected British MP Ranil

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By Zahrah Imtiaz Ranil Jayawardena, the British MP from North East Hampshire came into the limelight in Sri Lanka when he won the recent British Parliamentary Election with a total of 35,573 votes. Jayawardena has a background in financial services and has served his local council previously but the island nation knows very little of the man who bears the names of two of its prominent leaders. His official website stated, “In his spare time, Ranil likes watching cricket and tennis. He also has a real interest in local history…

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Movie on Sri Lanka wins top prize in France

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 CLICK TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS  French director Jacques Audiard’s film Dheepan has won the top prize at Cannes, the Palme d’Or. The gritty drama tells the story of refugees fleeing post-civil war Sri Lanka for a life in France. The choice made by the jury led by American filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen was a surprise. Holocaust drama Son of Saul took the Grand Prix. Vincent Lindon won Best Actor while Rooney Mara and Emmanuelle Bercot shared Best Actress. Dheepan tells of a former Tamil Tiger fighter who links up…

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UK visa applicant from Jaffna nabbed

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A 30-year old man from the Jaffna area was arrested for using deception in his UK visit visa application, the British High Commission in Colombo said today. The visa applicant was found to have previously applied under a different identity. The visa applicant was referred by UK Visas and Immigration to the Fraud Investigations Bureau police in Colombo. He had previously been refused a UK visa when using the same name, but with a different date of birth and family details. As well as receiving a visa refusal the applicant has…

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Sri Lanka will engage with the diaspora

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The Sri Lankan Government has reiterated that it will engage with the diaspora and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs intends to take the lead in organizing a diaspora festival where persons of Sri Lankan origin from around the world in all possible fields could participate and explore means to work closely with Sri Lanka including in reconciliation and development efforts. This was stated by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera who just concluded a visit to Germany which was was focused on renewing relations with Germany, Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner in Europe,…

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Cannes winner stars Sri Lankan former child soldier

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Cannes (France) (AFP) – A Sri Lankan novelist and former child soldier stars in “Dheepan”, a French thriller which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. In the picture by acclaimed director Jacques Audiard (who made 2009’s “A Prophet”), Anthonythasan Jesuthasan plays a former Tamil Tiger fighter fleeing the mayhem of his war-ravaged homeland. He and two strangers — a young woman and a nine-year-old girl — pretend to be a family to make it to France on fake passports. Once they arrive in a rough…

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Several powerful politicians and public officials of the previous regime to face direct indictment

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Financial crimes suspects to face direct indictment Suspects to be arrested after being produced before court New development comes in wake of stay order issued by SC Rasika Jayakody Several powerful politicians and public officials of the previous regime under investigation by the FCID are likely to face direct indictments in the High Court. Up to now, the suspects were arrested by the police FCID after inquiries and were produced before court. With the new move, the suspects will only be arrested after being produced before court, highly placed sources…

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‘Most projects undertaken during the past regime entertained as unsolicited proposals’

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by Lalin Fernandopulle Although many construction projects were undertaken during the past regime there has been no transfer of new technology to the country, a construction industry expert and past CEO and Secretary General of the Chamber of Construction Industry, Daksitha Thalagodapitiya said. He said while many of the projects were executed by foreign contractors, local construction companies were provided little opportunity to undertake projects in an environment where there was no level playing field. Most projects were entertained on the basis of unsolicited proposals. “While there is a visible…

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TNA suspects hidden hand in Jaffna violence

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The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today raised suspicion of a hidden hand in the violence which erupted in Jaffna last week. TNA MP S. Sritharan said that the violence took place despite the strong presence of the military and the police. He also said that individuals with links to military intelligence officers were seen taking part in the protest and resulting violence. The protest over the rape and murder of a Tamil girl turned violent in Jaffna last week with the mob throwing stones towards the Jaffna court as well as…

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Girl could have been saved if the Police have acted professionally: Action will be taken against cops if found guilty – John

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Minister of Public Order and Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga, has called for a report from the IGP on the conduct of police over the gang-rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl, which led to the biggest public demonstration recorded in Jaffna after the end of LTTE in May 2009. The police were congratulated for acting swiftly to arrest the culprits AFTER the complain of the girls death, but was contempt for NOT taking action immediately the previous day when the parents made the complain. If the police had acted professionally…

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Criminal acts started after end of LTTE!

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Suspects involved in criminal acts since 2010 by P. Krishnaswamy and Dhaneshi Yatawara The spate of protest demonstrations, hartals and also incidents of violence in the entire Northern province and some areas of the Eastern province that sparked off following the abduction, gang-rape and murder of a teenage school girl Sivaloganathan Vidhya on May 13 in Punguduthivu, a Northern offshore island near Jaffna, is abating but many shocking revelations are now unfolding in relation to this horrendous incident and the consequent protests, reports say. Student in Jaffna protest against the…

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