Month: February 2019

By P.K.Balachandran/Daily Mirror With the advent of European power in Ceylon in the 16 th.Century, the Hindus of Jaffna began to face religious annihilation. The Portuguese and the Dutch were hell bent on converting them to Christianity – the Portuguese to Roman Catholicism and the Dutch to Protestatism. The British, with the help of American missionaries also tried, but in a different way, with education and job offers, not crude coercion. However, by the middle of the 19 th.Century, there was a Hindu revival which was spearheaded by a Hindu,…

Approval for TRC mechanism Navi Pillay blasts Govt

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay came strong on the current Sri Lankan Government for trying to seek Cabinet approval for a truth and reconciliation mechanism, when its leaders accepted to address justice and accountability in post-war Sri Lanka. ‘’I am disappointed to learn that on the eve of the interactive dialogue on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’(OHCHR) report on Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council, the Government of Sri Lanka is resorting to…

Foreign and Commonwealth Office has sought to intervene in the judicial process? – Siobhain McDonagh MP

Siobhain McDonagh MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA 020 7219 4678 (tel) mcdonaghs@parliament.uk Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH 26 February 2019 Dear Secretary of State, RE: Brigadier Priyanka Fernando I am writing regarding Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, the former Military Attaché of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London. As you will be aware, Brigadier Priyanka Fernando was last year filmed repeatedly running his finger across his throat in an attempt to intimidate members of the Tamil community.…

UK welcomes Sri Lanka’s decisions on reconciliation

The United Kingdom (UK) has welcomed the decision of the Sri Lankan Government to return more land to its rightful owners, and to establish an Office for Reparations to compensate war victims. Addressing the 40th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Monday (25), UK’s Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad also encouraged Sri Lanka to implement in full the commitments made to the UNHRC in order to ensure long-term reconciliation. “Finally, to end on a more positive note, we welcome the decision of the…

Sri Lanka terminates top financial crime buster

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s government Tuesday terminated the services of Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) chief Ravi Waidyalankara amid serious allegations of graft, official sources said. The cabinet of ministers at their meeting Tuesday discussed the future of Senior Deputy Inspector-General who is also suspected of passing sensitive information to two Singapore nationals implicated in the highly controversial MiG deal. President maithripala Sirisena as minister of Law and Order presented the cabinet paper terminating Waidyalankara with effect from February 22, a proposal that was unanimously approved, a ministerial source said.…

Harrow Sri Lankan Tamils want Harrow Mayor to resign

Campaigners have called on the Mayor of Harrow to resign after she was pictured with senior military figures during a visit to Sri Lanka, This is local London reported. Cllr Kareema Marikar visited the Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, Mahesh Senanayake, and Brigadier Priyanka Fernando during a trip last year. She posted pictures of her meetings – in which she is wearing the mayoral chain – on social media alongside messages praising the soldiers for their service. But members of the Tamil community in Harrow are upset at this…

The Politics of Demonizing Federalism and Depicting It as Separatism

In spite of the Aug 4 ruling by the Supreme court the anti-federalism camp continues to tar brush federalism as separatism. By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The year was 1985. Junius Richard Jayawardene was the Sri Lankan President while Rajiv Gandhi was Prime minister of India. The New Delhi facilitated talks between an official Sri Lankan Govt delegation and six entities representing the Sri Lankan Tamils were going on in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu during the months of July and August. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by President Jayewardene’s brother H.W.Jayawardene. The…

Mahinda or Ranil can never win Prez polls – Wimal

Abolishing the Executive Presidency – Mahinda Vs Gotha internal political heat-up. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been severely criticized by the leaders of the Joint Opposition consisted of the Sri Lanka Podujana Pemamuna (SLPP), as well as his family, for allegedly involving in abolishing the Executive Presidency by favouring the forthcoming of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution by developing a coalition with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, to secure his own political career, sources say. Leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF) Wimal Weerawansa has reportedly warned at an internal…

A Tale of Two Diplomats

Migrants are great goodwill ambassadors of their country of birth rather than diplomats Tale of Two Cities is a Charles Dickens fictional novel published in 1859 involving two cities, London and Paris during the period of the French Revolution. There is nothing fictional about the story involving two Sri Lankan Diplomats, one about to retire as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner (SLHC) to Australia, and concurrently accredited to Fiji, New Zealand, and Solomon Islands. Somasundaram Skandakumar was appointed in August 2015 and is getting ready to relinquish his post after serving…

Wiggy calls for setting up UN office in North

A UN office must be established in the North in order to probe wartime disappearances and human rights abuses, former Chief Minister of the Northern Province, CV Wigneswaran said, yesterday, after taking part in an event in Kilinochchi. The Sri Lankan government was challenging the Geneva Resolution and would thwart any war crimes probe, the former CM said, urging the UN not to grant Sri Lanka any more time to fulfil its Geneva commitments. “I fully support the protests carried out by the families of those who went missing during…

Abolishing the Executive Presidency – Mahinda Vs Gotha internal political heat-up.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been severely criticized by the leaders of the Joint Opposition consisted of the Sri Lanka Podujana Pemamuna (SLPP), as well as his family, for allegedly involving in abolishing the Executive Presidency by favouring the forthcoming of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution by developing a coalition with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, to secure his own political career, sources say. Leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF) Wimal Weerawansa has reportedly warned at an internal party meeting held last Friday (22) that the people will be…

Army soldier and that the murders were led by the drug kingpin ‘Makandure Madush’.

80 politicians linked to Madush Crimes prevention unit of Matara police division has today (25) raided the house of a suspect, who is in connection with the murder of an SLPP Pradeshiya Sabha member in Hakmana and a gem businessman in Kamburupitiya area. The police officers have recovered several army uniforms, 21 live ammunitions for T-56 rifles, a pair of handcuffs used by the army, several books containing illustrative tutorials on using firearms have been seized from the house in Meepavita area, Kamburupitiya. The suspect has engaged in the two…

Two army officers who attempted to extort money from businessman arrested

Officers of the Special Task Force of the Hambantota camp in a raid have arrested two army officers for attempting to extort money from a businessman. The two suspects have asked for money from a businessman to obtain the assistance of the high-ranking police officers including the STF commandant for the businessman to continue his sand business without interference. They had asked for extortion money from a sand businessman in the Ethiliwewa area in Thanamalwila. The two suspects have asked for Rs. 500,000 from the businessman and they were arrested…

Lord Naseby is Inundated With False and Misleading Claims and Provides an Incorrect Portrayal of the War.

Opinion Piece About Sri Lanka by British Politician Lord Naseby is Inundated With False and Misleading Claims and Provides an Incorrect Portrayal of the War. By Taylor Dibbert Sri Lanka’s civil war ended tragically in May 2009. Ten years on, the wounds of war remain unhealed. That has significant implications for the country’s future trajectory and ensures that, absent some big changes, a return to violence at some later date cannot be ruled out. Besides, victims and their family members deserve justice. Unfortunately, a recent opinion piece by Lord Naseby,…

JVP deserves a chance

However much and in whichever manner one shuffles the pack of cards in Sri Lankan politics, five jokers constantly appear right at the front: an incompetent Ranil Wickremasinghe (RW), a schizophrenic Maithripala Sirisena (MS) and sanctimonious Rajapaksas – Mahinda (MR), Gota (GR) and Basil (BR). These are the ones who are desperately on the run looking for some electoral configuration to win the forthcoming election race and capture the presidency and prime ministership. It appears that the country has no credible alternatives other than the above five, and a feeling…

Hindu Struggle Committee holds conference on India Sri Lanka friendship and geo politics

SriLankan Member of Parliament AS Yogeshwaran on Wednesday raised the issue of mutual cooperation between India and Sri Lanka and pressed for the operation of free Ship service for poor pilgrims of both countries. During his address on the topic India Sri Lanka Friendship and Geo-Politics, he said that the SriLankan government was eagerly waiting for the response of the Indian government to commence the services. SriLankan Member of Parliament AS Yogeshwaran on Wednesday raised the issue of mutual cooperation between India and Sri Lanka and pressed for the operation…

Names of eight politicians’ sons who use drugs: Ranjan

I will reveal eight names of sons of prominent politicians who were involved in drug smuggling and used drugs, State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake said yesterday. Speaking to Daily Mirror, he said the sons of current ministers, former ministers and those who left politics were included in the list. “I hope to submit the names in writing to the Speaker in the near future. Some names are already known to the people and legal actions have also been taken against them. However, there are more sons whom we do not think…

Who was behind the arrest of Makandure Madush?