Day: 2 May 2022

The Socialist Equality Party (Britain) attended a rally on May Day in London’s Parliament Square, held in solidarity with strikers and protesters in Sri Lanka. Around 3,000 people protested, carrying homemade placards with slogans including, “The power of the people is stronger than the people in power”, “No medicine! No food! People are suffering!”, “Rajapakse, return our stolen wealth!”, “Free Sri Lanka from violence, corruption, racism and Rajapakses”, “Restore democracy”, “Journalists under threat in Sri Lanka”, “Let us live with dignity”, “Listen to the masses, respect democracy” and “Make basic…

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The general secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) Jeewan Thondaman says that the party’s 15-year relationship with the Rajapaksas ends today. The former state minister made this statement while addressing the CWC’s May Day rally today (01). He said that there is no need for him to hold office in the present government which has caused so much suffering to the people. The MP further stated that the Ceylon Workers’ Congress has decided to withdraw its support to the government due to this. He added: “When any government comes…

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Several political parties, trade unions and labour organisations had organised May Day rallies and meeting in Colombo on Sunday (May 01) to mark International Workers’ Day. (Pic By – Shan Fernando) http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?mode=head&nid=4175

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By Dayan Jayatilleka – Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka Though Trotsky was by far the better writer, next to Marx and Engels, Lenin had the most unforgettable political terminology. One of his terms was ‘Parliamentary cretinism’. It popped into my mind recently. The main Opposition has taken a sharp turn in the wrong direction recently, opting for the slogan of the abolition of the executive presidency instead of reforming it so as to ensure a separation of powers and checks-and-balances, which was its earlier position. Today there is Opposition unity among the main tendencies…

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By Arun Janardhanan The Tamil Nadu Assembly’s move to pass a resolution Friday urging the Centre to allow the state Government to send humanitarian aid to the people of Sri Lanka came in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central Government not responding to its similar requests made earlier. The resolution was brought by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led Government in the midst of its escalating tussle with Governor R.N. Navi over various issues. After moving the resolution, which was passed unanimously by the House with the support…

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Over 1500 Sri Lankans from all communities travelled from various parts of the United Kingdom to gather at Parliament Square in the shadow of the British House of Parliament in Westminster to demand the immediate resignation of all Rajapakses from Sri Lankan politics. One corner of the Square was declared a mini Gota Go Gama in solidarity with the Gota Go Gama in Galle Face Sri Lanka. Speaking to the Daily Mirror Nirmala Rajasingham said until the 13th of May there will be a Gota Go Gama at Parliament Square…

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Says he was offered the premiership of an interim government No Confidence motion and the Impeachment motion to be handed over on Wednesday some are offering money bags to woo MPs to an interim government By Yohan Perera    Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa yesterday said he will give up politics if any one inflicts influence on him to become an ally of an interim government.   “If any one tries to influence me to participate in the interim government, I will reveal their names and go home,” Premadasa said.   “We…

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Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka today said he had lodged a complaint with party Leader Sajith Premadasa against MP Harin Fernando who was engaged in a confrontation with him at the party’s May Day rally on Sunday. “I have lodged a complaint against MP Fernando with the party leader and I hope he takes some action,” Field Marshal Fonseka told journalists. “Mr. Fernando should know what to say and what not to say in front of the public. The argument which I had with him was…

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Articulating that interim government or all party government will not be the solution to the political instability in the country as the people are not ready to accept the President and the government, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today that the only solution to this instability is to go for a general election to establish a new government. Addressing the May Day Rally organised by the National People’s Power (NPP) in Colombo Fort, he said there were instances in the past where there were political instability in the country,…

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PRESS STATEMENT 05 May 2022, London GTF deeply appreciates the humanitarian aid offered by the Tamil Nadu Government to all the peoples of Sri Lanka         The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) expresses its deep appreciation to Chief Minister Honourable M. K. Stalin for his consistent effort to provide humanitarian aid from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka. Last month Chief Minister Stalin had engagements with Honourable Prime Minister Modi and Honourable Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar on this issue, and now the State Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution urging “the…

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Govt. that cannot provide solutions must go home Mismanagement and ill-advised policies caused crisis Transparent, people-centric governance system needed Better utilisation of existing social safety network needed This year can be a turning point in Sri Lankan history Reform process should be ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ Everyone invited to join island wide hartal on Friday By Asiri Fernando As Sri Lankans mark another Labour Day, there is a marked difference in the streets. Today, the worsening economic and political crisis has spurred the urban youth and middle class to take to…

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MR says President has not asked and will not ask him to quit, but Sirisena tells different story Talks on new govt. distract public attention from public revolt and soaring cost of living Even if President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is yet to tell Sri Lankans how he will provide uninterrupted supplies of electricity, fuel, cooking gas and medical needs of the people once the supplies provided by India’s generosity end in the coming weeks and months, he found the time this week to discuss the formation of “an all-party government.” This…

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Hundreds of Buddhist monks yesterday called on the President and the Government to immediately implement the Mahanayaka Theras’ proposals to resolve the prevailing economic crisis. The monks who gathered at Independence Square warned that if the proposals were not implemented, the Mahanayaka Theras would issue a Sangha Convention edict calling on monks to shun politicians. The monks called on Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to resign forthwith to make way for the appointment of an interim government comprising parties represented in Parliament. The people had high hopes that the Government would…

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Main Opposition SJB says that the international rating agencies have downgraded the country, banks and financial institutions in April as a defaulter and watch negative status. As a result the country has been plunged into a dangerous financial crisis from political and economic crises where it cannot face the international community for any financial transactions. Addressing a press conference held at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo on Thursdya, SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne said that no country offers loans to Sri Lanka as a result of downgrading by the rating…

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NCMs against President and Govt. to Parliament on same day UNP concerned about NCM against Govt.  By Our Political Editor No Confidence Motions (NCMs) against the President and the Government are to be submitted to Parliament this week, it is learnt. The NCM against the President was drafted by a team of legal experts led by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran PC while the NCM against the Government is being moved by the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). MP Sumanthiran told The Sunday Morning that the NCM against the…

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The Government will increase income tax, withholding tax, pay-as-you-earn tax and value added tax to levels before the 2019 controversial tax cuts which reduced fiscal revenue to a paltry 8.6 percent of gross domestic product when it should be between 13 and 14 percent. The first to be hiked will be income and PAYE taxes, Finance Minister Ali Sabry told the Sunday Times. “VAT is the last thing I want to raise because that will have a direct impact on consumer pricing,” he said. “All these taxes need to be revisited…

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Sri Lanka can use its potential, come back to stability: Israel envoyRead more At:https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/sri-lanka-can-use-its-potential-come-back-to-stability-israel-envoy20220501003543/

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By Shamindra Ferdinando Having issued an ultimatum on Saturday (30) at the Independence Square to the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to quit the Cabinet forthwith or face the consequences, senior members of the Maha Sangha asked political parties to support their initiative. The meeting took place at the Sri Lanka Foundation (SLF) on the joint invitation of Most Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Nayaka Thera and Rt. Rev. Dr. Anthony Jayakody, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Colombo. Among those MPs present were Ranjith Madduma…

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By Gomi Senadhira During the last few weeks, as thousands of people gathered, all over the country denouncing the President and the Parliament, for mismanagement of the economy, in general and corruption, in particular, inside the hallowed chamber of Parliament most of the MPs were wasting the limited time allocated to them on meaningless debates. Only very few of them tried to find solutions, ones that would, at least, partly address the concerns of the protesters. If you visit Gotago Gama, you will observe that one of the main demands…

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In a piece of clever wordplay, the editor of The Island on Friday wrote that the president is talking, the prime minister is waiting and the opposition leader is walking. Sarcasm apart, all this is happening while the people of the country have no clue where we are headed. No solutions to the problems they are confronting and the immense burdens they are carrying have been offered. There’s no light whatever at the end of a dark tunnel with everything in a state of flux. The oft repeated “things will get worse…

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