Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran says the newly formed Tamil front is not an alternative Tamil political party. It was earlier reported that the front which was formed last week will be an alternative to the Tamil National Alliance. However Wigneswaran today denied those claims. Wigneswaran was last week appointed as the head of a new organisation comprising Tamil politicians and civil society members, which will work on Tamil rights. The ‘Tamil People’s Conference’ met in Jaffna and discussed its future goals and also decided to form sub-committees which will handle…
Read MoreDay: 21 December 2015
US official examines future role of army
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for South and Southeast Asia Dr Amy Searight, who just concluded a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, examined the future role Sri Lankan security forces could play in humanitarian assistance, responding to natural disasters, and increased participation in overseas peacekeeping operations, the US Embassy in Colombo said today. DASD Searight met with Defence Secretary Engineer Karunasena Hettiarachchi as well as Foreign Secretary Chitranganee Wagiswara to discuss the Sri Lankan government’s efforts on security sector reform, as well as training and vetting personnel for United…
Read MoreTougher punishments proposed for drivers who use mobile phones at the wheel
Motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving are set to face tougher punishments. Under new Government proposals drivers breaking the law will receive four penalty points rather than three, and fines will also rise by 50 per cent to £150. Under the measures, drivers of larger vehicles such as HGVs would receive six points for being caught on a hand-held phone – up from three – because the consequences of an accident can be much more severe. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “Using a mobile phone at the wheel…
Read MoreWitness In Thajudeen Murder Missing?
by Kasun Pussawela A witness in the Wasim Thadjudeen murder trial, who had expressed willingness to testify on behalf of the Thadjudeen family, had reportedly disappeared and had vacated the premises that he was residing in as well, The Sunday Leader reliably learns. According to information received, the witness is said to be a close associate of the Rajapaksa family and was facing several charges against him over large scale fraud. He was a person who had fled the country and went into hiding in London. However, he had allegedly…
Read MoreAbolish Missing Persons Comm – Dulitzky
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan Professor Ariel Dulitzky, a member of the UN Working Group on Missing Persons, as recommended to the GOSL, urged the Presidential Commission on Missing Persons to be abolished and all files, records and evidence transferred to the proposed new Office of Missing Persons. Dulitzky, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of Human Rights Clinic told Ceylon Today that the UN Working Group has made a very clear recommendation to the Government of Sri Lanka that the Commission be abolished. He was commenting on news that the…
Read MoreUK supports Sri Lanka to combat bribery and corruption
Dec 19, Colombo: The British government is committed to support the Sri Lankan government in its determination to combat bribery and corruption, UK�s Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Laura Davies, said in a recent blog post. Over the next three years, the British Government is committed to spending over Rs. 15 million for continued capacity building and training for all the professional branches involved in anti-corruption work, Davies said. She said that when the new Sri Lankan Government asked the international community for assistance in tackling…
Read MoreNorth CM heads new organisation on Tamil rights
Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran has been appointed as the head of a new organisation comprising Tamil politicians and civil society members, which will work on Tamil rights. The ‘Tamil People’s Conference’ met last evening in Jaffna and discussed its future goals and also decided to form sub-committees which will handle various tasks. The main committee in the ‘Tamil People’s Conference’ includes Tamil National Alliance members Dharmalingham Sidharthan and Suresh Premachandran and Tamil National People’s Front leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. The sub-committees appointed by the ‘Tamil People’s Conference’ have been given…
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