Day: 9 September 2015

a lasting solution – Opposition Leader Sampanthan confident of

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BY S.Gurunathan Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would endorse a lasting political solution to the Tamil issue that would be accepted by the Tamil community, declared R.Sampanthan, Leader of TNA and the Leader of the Opposition Member of Parliament representing the Trincomalee District. He further stated the TNA would not act against the wishes of the Tamil people and the people should not get the wrong impression that by accepting the position of the Leader of the Opposition political solution has been found to the Tamil question. “We would conduct our…

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President, PM willing to work with EPDP, CWC

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by Zacki Jabbar President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have agreed to work with the EPDP and CWC, but not given any assurances with regard to portfolios. Leader of the EPDP Douglas Devananda told The Island yesterday that he had met both the President and Prime Minister recently and expressed a willingness to be part of the National Government. “They welcomed my offer and said that they would work with me and the EPDP, but did not make any commitment to giving me a ministerial post.” Asked if…

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EU to lift ban on SL fish exports soon

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Ridma Dissanayake A high ranking delegation from the European Union is slated to arrive in Sri Lanka during October on an inspection tour of the country’s fisheries sector. Following this visit, the EU is likely to revoke their ban on Sri Lankan fish exports as authorities have already implemented a number of recommendations proposed by the EU in 2014. This was revealed by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera after assuming duties in his new portfolio yesterday. He said the delegation will be in Sri Lanka from October…

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Australia remains out of reach for Sri Lanka’s fleeing Tamils

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By Anthony David, dpa Colombo (dpa) – Thirty-six-year old Vithiyalingam Lingarajan from former war-torn northern Sri Lanka always dreamt of living in Australia with his wife and four children. A fisherman by profession, Lingarajan approached an agent who claimed that he could get him to Australia by sea, but needed to pay 1.3 million rupees (10,000 US dollars) for the passage. He borrowed part of the money and pawned his wife’s jewellery to raise funds, but still short of money he agreed to pay the balance in installments. In July…

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South African Tamil groups congratulate Sampanthan

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The South African Tamil Federation (SATF) has congratulated TNA leader R. Sampanthan on being recognised as the Opposition Leader. A spokesperson for SATF said that they had several meetings with Sampanthan in South Africa and found him to be very involved at an early stage with the politics. The spokesperson said: “Whilst our meetings with Sampanthan and his delegation was robust and sometimes very candid, we can safely say he is a matured intelligent politician who can get some resolution on the National Question for the Tamil speaking people.” “Sampanthan…

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Several MAHINDA Supporters Receive Ministerial Portfolios

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Forty MPs took oaths as State Ministers and Deputy Ministers today (09) at the Presidential Secretariat Accordingly, 19 State Ministers and 21 Deputy Ministers accepted ministerial portfolios in front of President Miathripala Sirisena.   Interestingly, several staunch supporters of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa were also given ministerial portfolios in the national government. They include former western provincial councilor Nimal Lanza, former parliamentarians Sumedha G. Jayasena, Nishantha Muthuhettigama and Arundika Fernando. Nimal Lanza who was earlier appointed as the organizer of Wattala electorate, was appointed as the Deputy Minister of Tourism Promotion…

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NPM urges govt not to fall prey to int’l conspirators out to destroy Military Intelligence

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By Harischandra Gunaratna National Patriotic Movement (NPM) Secretary, Wasantha Bandara yesterday said that the government should take precautions when investigating the killing of journalist Pradeep Ekneligoda as there was a conspiracy against the military intelligence personnel. Claiming the on-going government action was a betrayal of the army intelligence officers , Bandara said exposing the identities of the intelligence personnel was part of the strategy of the foreign-backed conspirators. He said something similar had been done way back in 2002 when an army safe-house was raided at Athurugiriya. Addressing the media…

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LOOKING AHEAD AT UNHRC SESSIONS – EDITORIAL

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We are done with elections. We are done with crossovers and the securing of a majority that enables a relatively smoother functioning of the Government. We are almost done with ministerial appointments.  There were a lot of hiccups and a lot of umbrage from certain quarters over how the particular outcomes were obtained, but by and large there’s general acceptance. It is unlikely that there will be riots on account of what some would argue are un-yahapaalanaya-like manipulations.  Those in power, distracted by political intrigue for many months, can now…

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US stand on Sri Lanka perverts international justice – JS Tissainayagam

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The resolution is said to ask for a domestic process of accountability with ‘international technical assistance,’ which essentially means Sri Lanka will investigate itself. On a visit to Sri Lanka with colleague Tom Malinowski, Assistant Secretary Nisha Biswal said, “We fundamentally support efforts to create a credible domestic process for accountability and reconciliation.” Washington’s enthusiastic embrace of Colombo is a replay of its fervent support of Naypyidaw as soon as Burma (Myanmar) announced moves to restore democracy and human rights following the 2010 elections. Today the U.S. is criticised for…

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A facade to cover up crimes committed against the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan state

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Relay race for genocide sanctified as ‘Good Governance’ by USA: Jude Lal The SLFP/UPFA, UNP, JHU and the JVP have all claimed their share in the genocidal ‘military victory’ against the Tamils. The Sinhala liberal intelligentsia describes the trend as a ‘relay race’, where each Sinhala political leader had taken turns in contributing to the victory, says Professor Jude Lal of Trinity College, Dublin, in an interview to TamilNet on Tuesday. “There is an inherent racism within the so-called project of good governance, which is based on a victor’s mentality.…

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Indian men waiting for female Viagra’s arrival

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BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Our Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, September 4: Ever since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved flibanserin, the ‘female libido enhancer” dubbed by the media as ‘female Viagra’ a fortnight ago, Indian sexologists’ phones have not stopped ringing. The callers are not women wanting to know when the magic pink pill will hit the Indian drug stores. Actually, it is men who are bombarding the doctors with phone calls, wanting to know when the pill will be available in India. “Evidently, more men are interested…

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A teary-eyed SF lashes out at the Rajapaksas … claims National Cricketer tried to bribe him before Jan. polls

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By Shamindra Ferdinando Democratic Party Leader Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has alleged that a national cricketer had requested him to switch his allegiance to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run-up to the January presidential election. In a live political programme aired over Hiru on Monday night, Fonseka claimed that he had been offered a range of things, including 100 acres of land to quit the UNP-led alliance which backed common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. The war winning commander declared that he wouldn’t have abandoned his struggle against the Rajapaksas under any…

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TNA delegation to Geneva

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A delegation from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is expected to leave for Geneva this month to hold discussions with UN Human Rights officials and the international community to gather their support for an international war crimes probe, reports said today. The visit will take place ahead of the release of the report on Sri Lanka by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights during the 30th session of the UNHRC in Geneva. The report is expected to be critical towards the LTTE and the former Government who…

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Armed gang making their escape following smash-and-grab robbery in Kingsbury

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Video: Watch footage of moped rider being chased and caught by traders following smash-and-grab robbery in Kingsbury A bag containing jewellery was found near the moped (Pic credit: Hannah Marshall) A group of angry traders chasing and catching a moped rider suspected of carrying out a robbery in Kingsbury this afternoon has been captured on video. The shocking footage also shows the man being arrested by officers after he is pulled off the bike by the furious mob following a smash-and-grab robbery on a jeweller in Kingsbury Road. A group…

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