Day: 3 September 2018

The progress of ongoing criminal investigations into the grisly killing of several Tamil youths following a racket of abduction for ransom, spearheaded ‘allegedly’ (here, I use the term quite deliberately) by a Naval officer and others during 2008-2009 will be the crucible on which this Government and this Presidency’s commitment to promises made, will be tested most severely. Fair differences between then and now Unlike other instances of the killing of youths, such as what occurred in Trincomalee in 2006, ready excuses cannot be offered as to the chain of…

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Amidst speculations about a possible split of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), its leader R. Sampanthan has sought an immediate meeting with Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran on September 7 apparently to explore the possibility of patching up differences, it is learnt. There have been open confrontations between Mr. Wigneswaran and TNA MP for the Jaffna district M.A. Sumanthiran giving credence to speculation that the TNA might break up ahead of the elections to the Northern Provincial Council. Against the backdrop, Mr. Wigneswaran, at a meeting with the Tamil…

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The Sinhala-Muslim riots that occurred in 1915 had been repeated 103 years later and consideration needs to be given to whether the Police acted as impartially, as they had in 1915, during the present riots, Additional Solicitor General President’s Counsel (PC) Yasantha Kodagoda said yesterday (30). Kodagoda expressed these views at a book launch in Colombo for the 152nd anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police. He added that although the Police had successfully arrested and produced those responsible for the Kandy riots in Court, if there had been any inefficiency or…

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ECONOMYNEXT – Arrangements are in place for the long-awaited arrest of  Sri Lanka’s  senior-most military officer in connection with an extortion racket and the horrific murder of 11 young men, official sources said. The Colombo Fort magistrate on Wednesday ordered the arrest of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne after the CID said it had evidence of him shielding the main suspect, a navy intelligence officer. Despite the unprecedented order seeking the arrest of a military officer equivalent to the rank of a four-star general in the army, Wijegunaratne continued to receiving visiting…

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With the Joint Opposition and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna pledging to bring ‘a sea of people’ to Colombo for its demonstration this week, the Government has dismissed the mass rally as just another stunt by pro-Rajapaksa faction. The SLPP’s much-talked about ‘Jana Balaya Colambata’ – a play on the UNP’s highly successful Jana Bala Meheyuma in 2001, will be held on September 5, after it was postponed once since the date clashed with the advanced level examinations. JO frontliners are being tight-lipped about the final venue for the demonstration,…

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“If People are not Moved by the Struggles of Families of Disappeared Persons then Something is Wrong with our Country” Says Human Rights Commission Chair Dr.Deepika Udagama. Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama believes attitudes of the people must change for the country to move forward and adequately address the sufferings of families of disappeared persons. “We should not look at this through a political or racist perspective,” she said, and pointed out that some harbour negative feelings toward the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). She…

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By Leon Berenger A total of 62,338 Sri Lankans are currently on the country’s blacklist and are prevented from leaving the country, unless they obtain prior Court approval, senior State intelligence sources revealed yesterday. According to the sources, who cannot be named for obvious reasons, the figure includes close to a 30,000 security force personnel starting from the lowest ranks to senior most officers with some of them facing various charges in the country’s Courts. Most of the SF personnel are on the list for being Absent Without Leave (AWL) while…

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If Full Force of the Law is not Applied Due To Political Interference Against Superior Officers Allegedly Protecting Subordinates in Navy Abduction and Murder Racket it would Be the Last Nail in the “Yahapalanaya” Govt Coffin. By Kishali Pinto Jayawardene The progress of ongoing criminal investigations into the grisly killing of several Tamil youths following a racket of abduction for ransom, spearheaded ‘allegedly’ (here, I use the term quite deliberately) by a Naval officer and others during 2008-2009 will be the crucible on which this Government and this Presidency’s commitment to…

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It is reported that Attorney Asith Siriwardena is endeavoring to save retired Major and Attorney-at-Law Ajith Prasanna from the Supreme Court’s investigation with regard to appearing in the court for a case without a request of the defendants. (Asith Siriwardena is the lawyer who represented former Navy Spokesperson Commodore D.K.P. Dissanayake, who is an accused of the case of abducting and disappearing 11 youths during 2008-2009.) Attorney-at-Law and retired Major Ajith Prasanna had represented the defendants in the court twice with no request of the defendants. Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne…

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