Day: 15 July 2015

Karuna upset as he is Dumped by Mahinda

Karu

By Anuradha Herath The leaders of the UPFA promised Vinayagamoorthy Muralidharan a.k.a. Karuna Amman that he will be given a National List seat, Muralidharan said. “Both Susil Premajayantha and Anura Priyadharshana Yapa confirmed that I would be given an … opportunity to enter Parliament via the national list, but in the end the non inclusion of my name is something most regrettable,” Karuna Amman pointed out. Under these circumstances, he must take a decision in this regard, Karuna Amman told Ceylon Today. During the crucial phase of the war, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and…

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TNA and EPDP battle on their own

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By Zahrah Imtiaz In the North, the battle for supremacy is between the two Tamil parties: the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which constitutes Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi(ITAK), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization(TELO) and People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam(PLOTE) are the main contenders and their main opposition is the Eelam People’s Democratic Party of Douglas Devananda. Both parties promise a more equal and democratic future for the Tamil people and the much awaited political solution. Statistics over the years however, have shown that the TNA…

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”Forcibly taking the party leadership and ousting the President” Mahinda Group after Sri Lanka president’s bombshell

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ECONOMYNEXT – Loyalists of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa staged an emergency meeting at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headquarters Wednesday despite President Maithripala Sirisena vetoing it. The SLFP-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)  defied Sirisena and held an “excited committee” meeting of those shaken by the President’s  vituperative invective on Tuesday evening. Even before Rajapaksa’s prime ministerial campaign could be launched on Friday, Sirisena made it clear that the once defeated Rajapaksa will not be considered as a prime minister candidate even in the unlikely event of a UPFA…

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Mervyn Quits as Kelaniya Organizer Slams Rajapaksa orchestrated conspiracy

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By Skandha Gunasekara Former Minister Mervyn Silva quit yesterday as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Kelaniya electorate Organizer and has been replaced by former SLFP Puttalam electorate Organizer Thilak Waragoda. In a letter addressed to President Maithripala Sirisena, Silva yesterday (15) said the SLFP had become the victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and parties associated with him, and therefore could be saved only by SLFP Chairman Sirisena and dedicated Party members. He added that there was no reason for him to have been denied nomination…

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Rajapaksa fascistic movement must end

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By Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne Parliamentary elections are slated to be held at a time when the people are faced with very serious problems. The previous government’s bogus development programmes took place under conditions of utterly servile exploitation by the transnational corporations under the hegemony of the Superpowers. The Rajapaksa Government regarded the proposals of the IMF, World Bank and the WTO as gospel. Given the combined opposition to such proposals, launched by the working people, the democratic and environmental forces, the future Ranil Wickremesinghe Government may take steps to change. The…

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Top politicos recruiting gangs

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By Niranjala Ariyawansha Senior DIG Gamini Navaratne said Police had discovered plans by several powerful politicians contesting the forthcoming parliamentary elections to deploy underworld gangs to ensure their election victories. “I am unwilling at this particular moment to name the political parties and their politicos who are now recruiting members of these underworld gangs for this purpose, he said. While investigations are continuing, he added that these suspects would be arrested, and would be shown no leniency by the law, should there be finite evidence against them. Navaratne told Ceylon…

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Legal aid denied to Tamils is justice derailed

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Hapless clients could be left in the lurch as donor funding to run Legal Aid Commission centres in the north dries up The work of the Legal Aid Commission (LAC) in the North hangs in the balance as donor funding for many of its centres runs out next month. Contracted lawyers in four out of eight centres — two in Jaffna and one each in Vavuniya and Mannar –have been asked to work for an allowance until Government funds can be diverted to hire them permanently. They have not been…

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Who changed Maithri’s mind?

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Who changed Maithri’s mind? Indian Premier Narendra Modi visited Sri Lanka after Maithripala Sirisena assumed the Presidency. He met Mahinda Rajapaksa too during that brief visit. Following that meeting, Mahinda displayed to his followers that he had received some blessings from Modi and this information reached New Delhi. After Modi returned to India the truth of what Modi told Mahinda was revealed. Modi had told Mahinda that the latter had ruled Sri Lanka for two terms and was time for him to retire from politics to be at leisure. This…

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36 monks contesting election

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The first Buddhist monk to enter Parliament, Ven Baddegama Samitha Thera, is contesting from the UPFA. Meanwhile General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera is contesting from the Bodu Jana Peramuna (BJP) with 15 other monks. Leader of the Jana Setha Peramuna (JSP) Ven. Battaramulle Seelarathana Thera is also contesting with 16 monks. Meanwhile Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera and Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera are both in the United National Front for Good Governance national list. … and the other was published on 26 April. The…

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Refusing nominations to a few FRAUDS won’t eradicate drugs

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Southern Provincial Councillor Geetha Kumarasinghe said today the drug menace in the country could not be eliminated by refusing nominations to a few MPs charged with involvement in drug trafficking. She said there was no doubt that the drug menace should be eradicated from Sri Lanka’s soil and safeguard the younger generation suffering directly or indirectly because of drug addiction. “Anyone can make allegations but they have to be proved in courts. We cannot eradicate the drug menace by refusing nominations to a few individuals,” Ms. Kumarasinghe said. She said…

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Campaigner Against “Genocide” Challenges Rajapaksa in Kurunegala

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COLOMBO: M.K.Sivajilingam, a leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), a member of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), and the prime mover of the February 10, 2015 NPC resolution condemning “genocide” of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, is contesting the August 17 Lankan parliamentary elections against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kurunegala District. Sivajilinagm told Express on Tuesday that he is not contesting as TELO or as part of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), but as an Independent. He has put up a list of candidates as an “Independent…

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LTTE-TNA nexus and emergence of GTF et al

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Global Tamil Forum (GTF) Director for Strategic Initiatives and spokesperson, Suren Surendiran, recently fired a broadside at war – winning former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the then Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. UK – based Surendiran declared that the Rajapaksas should be hauled up before, both local and international courts, for gross human rights violations during Eelam War IV. Commenting on the former President, contesting the forthcoming parliamentary polls, Surendiran asserted: “… the only people who may campaign and vote for his return are the ones who have a lot to…

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People want us to contest independently – EPDP

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People want us to contest independently – Thavarasa ? Why did the EPDP decide to contest the election independently this year when you have contested with the UPFA all along? A. People have been telling us, continuously, to go for the election independently. The first time we stood for elections, we did contest on our own, both local and parliamentary elections. This time, we thought we would do the same and listen to the people. We are still part of the UPFA even though we are contesting independently in our…

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Duminda, Sajin, Mervin, Sarana; A False Token Gesture

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By Helasingha Bandara – The denial of nominations to Duminda Silva, Sajin Vass, Mervin Silva and Sarana Gunawardene is a false token gesture. The assurance of nominations for all other rogue elements means that Mahinda Rajapaksadoes not intend to make his reentry into the parliament as a reformed man but with the intention to continue with his corrupt governance with the same circle of colleagues of ill-repute. Mervin Silva Mervin had already refrained from supporting Rajapaksha at the previous Presidential election and had gone to the extent of complaining against…

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UNP creates broad front while UPFA leads a retreat to the past

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As nominations closed earlier this week, the contours of the battle lines for the general election to Parliament became clear. The two major political formations in the country, the UNP and the UPFA are vying for a parliamentary majority and with it effective control of the next government. The UNP spent an useful weekend, creating a broad political front, styled the United National Front for Good Governance, (UNFGG) which will contest the elections under the UNP’s elephant symbol and be registered as a party after the elections. The UNFGG is…

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