Month: February 2017

‘Spring-clean SLFP and get rid of the rotten to win polls’ Chandrika’s call for party reform echoes what masses want from all parties: ‘Break free from rogues and come clean’ Mother knows best! The Matriarch of the SLFP, the twice elected former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunge struck a blow for all right thinking members of the party her father SWRD founded when she declared last week that the SLFP must break free from joint opposition crooks and murderers and go it alone with a new set of above board faces.…

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indicated his interest in meeting representatives of the main two minority communities, sources said. Rajapaksa According to sources, Rajapaksa wants a platform to discuss the current political situation in the country with them, and a tentative meeting is scheduled for next month between the representatives of both communities, including leaders of political parties, and Rajapaksa, who has been largely unpopular in the face of both minority communities. Sources said that Rajapaksa is seeking their support in his efforts to further strengthen his position in the…

By Izeth Hussain – Izeth Hussain Many Sinhalese, possibly even a majority, seem favorable to the idea of solving the Tamil ethnic problem through devolution on the basis of 13th Amendment, though in a truncated form without land and police powers. Many Tamils, possibly even a majority, could be favorable to 13 A with some modifications of land and police powers. So a Sinhalese- Tamil consensus on a modified form of 13 A seems feasible. The consensus among the experts seems to be that appropriate Constitutional modifications to 13 A…

Many believe that Mahinda Rajapaksa was dislodged, after a decade in power without serious challenge, by his former health minister Maithripala Sirisena, only in a closely contested presidential race. Though the result evoked surprise and only reluctantly accepted by Mahinda, the writing on the wall was become evident in the course of the campaign. Desperate ruling alliance supporters became increasingly violent towards the end of the campaign. At the end, the common opposition comprising all sections of Lankan ethnic groups won over the ruling United Progressive Freedom Alliance by a margin…

By Jayantha de Almeida Guneratne, Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena and Gehan Gunatilleke – When multiethnic and multi-religious societies are confronted with challenges that test the limits of coexistence, governments may be tempted to resort to populism or political expediency. Sri Lanka’s relatively short post-independence history is unfortunately riddled with examples of such compromises. Minorities have been victimised throughout this country’s history. They have had nowhere to turn, except perhaps towards the only institution that is tasked with checking power: the judiciary. Sri Lanka’s judiciary has been called upon time and again to…

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has warned that ethnic violence against Tamils is an imminent danger until there is a political resolution to the conflict. TNA leader R. Sampanthan told Parliament today that ethnic violence was unleashed against the Tamil people when they made political demands that would enable them to live as equal citizens in the Country.  He said the armed conflict by Tamil youth emerged only after several decades of ethnic violence against the Tamil people. “The Conflict was also internationalized, and the issue has been in the…

The UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues Rita Izsák-Ndiaye says there is mounting frustration in Sri Lanka with the pace of progress in the accountability process. In a report on Sri Lanka submitted to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) ahead of its 34thsession in Geneva, Rita Izsák-Ndiaye said that to achieve peaceful coexistence after the long, devastating civil war, a comprehensive, well-planned and well-coordinated truth, reconciliation, healing and accountability process must take place, and it cannot be done overnight.  However, almost two years after the change of Government, the…

International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has exposed shocking details of sexual exploitation by the army against Tamil women in the former war torn areas. The report accused the Sri Lanka military for holding women as sex slaves in rape camps. Former President and Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa has condemned former President Chandrika Kumaratunga over her allegations that there was widespread sexual exploitation by the army against Tamil women in the former war torn areas. Rajapaksa Issuing a statement today Rajapaksa said: “the statement made by Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunga to foreign…

By R. Sampanthan – R. Sampanthan I would submit with respect that this is a Matter of urgent public importance, and that is the reason for raising this matter today in the House at Adjournment, to enable the whole country to be kept informed of the truth in regard to the processes and everything relating thereto. Hon. Speaker Parliament of Sri Lanka Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte. ADJOURNMENT MOTION Question relating to matter of Public importance to be raised on 22nd February 2017 at the conclusion of questions by Mr. R Sampanthan,…

In a dramatic turn of events the investigation into the abduction of Keith Noyahr, the Criminal Investigation Department has found that the abductors had made phone calls to Gotabaya Rajapaksa just after the abduction. Former secretary to the MOD – Gotabaya Using the newly imported equipment the CID has managed to trace the call log details of the abductors’ and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Keith Noyahr was abducted and mercilessly assaulted in 2008. He fled the country with his family and out of sheer fear did not even make a statement to the…