Athirady English News

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Probe reveals suspect in custody supplied explosives to Hashim’s brother

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

A suspect remanded in connection to the Easter Sunday attacks has revealed that he had supplied explosives to the brother of the ringleader of the attacks, Zahran Hashim. Police Spokesman, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ajith Rohana said Rasik Raza has been transferred to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) after new evidence had been uncovered. https://colombogazette.com/2021/04/30/probe-reveals-suspect-in-custody-supplied-explosives-to-hashims-brother/ Zahran was on Govt. payroll:… Continue reading "Probe reveals suspect in custody supplied explosives to Hashim’s brother"
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ComBank wins three awards from Business Tabloid Magazine, UK

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

Apr 30 (CP) Colombo- The Commercial Bank of Ceylon has won three prestigious awards — the ‘Best Private Bank’ in Sri Lanka in 2021,’ the ‘Best Digital Transformation in Banking’ and ‘Best Mobile Banking Application’ –from Business Tabloid Magazine, a leading business magazine of the UK. http://www.colombopage.com/archive_21A/Apr30_1619804027CH.php
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Stephen Karanja: Kenyan anti-vaccine doctor dies from Covid-19

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

BBC A Kenyan doctor who became a vociferous opponent of the Covid-19 vaccine has succumbed to the virus, weeks after saying the jab was “totally unnecessary”. Dr Stephen Karanja, chairman of the Kenya Catholic Doctors Association, advocated steam inhalation and hydroxychloroquine tablets. He clashed with the Catholic church over the safety of the Covid jabs. Health authorities and the World… Continue reading "Stephen Karanja: Kenyan anti-vaccine doctor dies from Covid-19"
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CHINA ENTERS INDIA EXITS Sri Lanka

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

By P.K.Balachandran A video conference of the Foreign Ministers of South Asian countries and China on the containment of the raging COVID-19 pandemic in the region was held on Tuesday. However, India and its allies, Bhutan and the Maldives, were conspicuously absent, perhaps due to the participation of China. New Delhi envisages no role for China in South Asia. Those… Continue reading "CHINA ENTERS INDIA EXITS Sri Lanka"
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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Tells Chinse Defence Minister Wei Fenghe tht Sri Lanka Firmly Supports China’s Positions on Issues Concerning Its Core Interests Reports Chinese State Media

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka has prioritised developing relations with China and “firmly supports” China’s positions on issues concerning its core interests, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defence Wei Fenghe, according to Chinese state media. The Sri Lankan President said his country “has been pursuing an independent foreign policy and will never bend to… Continue reading "President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Tells Chinse Defence Minister Wei Fenghe tht Sri Lanka Firmly Supports China’s Positions on Issues Concerning Its Core Interests Reports Chinese State Media"
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Racist Cardinal’s Candid Comments and and the Bathiudeen Brothers Brouhaha

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

By D.B.S.JEYARAJ All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and ex-Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is a prominent Sri Lankan politician who is very often in the news for the wrong reasons. The 48-year-old Bathiudeen hailing from Dharapuram in the Mannar District is an engineer by profession. Known widely as Rishad, he was first elected to Parliament from the Northern Wanni electoral… Continue reading "Racist Cardinal’s Candid Comments and and the Bathiudeen Brothers Brouhaha"
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Mad King Nandasena Arrests Man For “Organizing” Honking Protest At Chinese Defence Minister’s Motorcade

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

In another sign of President Nandasena Rajapaksa’s growing insecurity complex, the 31 year old identified as being the organizer of the honking protest during a road closure for a VVIP traffic movement on Tuesday (27) night has been arrested by the police. He was arrested on charges of unlawful assembly and obstructing the duties of police officers, Police Spokesman Ajith… Continue reading "Mad King Nandasena Arrests Man For “Organizing” Honking Protest At Chinese Defence Minister’s Motorcade"
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UNP reminds MR of vehicle horning incident in May 2019

By Edi tor on May 1, 2021

The United National Party (UNP) today reminded Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of an incident in May 2019 when motorists had objected to a road being closed for a VIP movement. The UNP said that Rajapaksa, who was then in the opposition, had defended the actions of the motorists. A motorist was arrested over allegations he obstructed the duties of the Police when… Continue reading "UNP reminds MR of vehicle horning incident in May 2019"
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Docs ask govt. to have enough oxygen stocks

By Edi tor on April 27, 2021

By Sirimantha Ratnasekera The powerful doctors’ union, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), yesterday urged the government to take immediate action to replenish oxygen stocks if it wanted to avoid a serious calamity similar to that in India, where hundreds of thousands of families and patients are pleading for oxygen outside hospitals and victims are dying unable to breathe without… Continue reading "Docs ask govt. to have enough oxygen stocks"
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With no agrément from Canada, former AF commander heads as Ambassador to Rome

By Edi tor on April 27, 2021

Retired Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sumangala Dias, who was first named as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada, will now go as Ambassador to Italy.His name was cleared by the High Post Committee (HPC) of Parliament to take up the posting in Rome. Dias’ name was approved last November to take up the top post at the Sri Lanka… Continue reading "With no agrément from Canada, former AF commander heads as Ambassador to Rome"
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A Tough Road Ahead For Military Regimes

By Edi tor on April 5, 2021

By Kumar David – Prof. Kumar David This may appear to be a bold title just two months after the 1 February a coup in Burma but it’s true. For starters the Burmese junta is in a tight spot – the army opened fire in 40 locations on Saturday; Rangoon saw dozens of deaths and killings were recorded from Kachin in the… Continue reading "A Tough Road Ahead For Military Regimes"
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The United States Paves Way For UNHRC To Enter Sri Lanka To Probe Alleged Human Rights Abuses

By Edi tor on April 5, 2021

By Daya Gamage – Biden administration’s decision last Friday – April 2 – to reverse previous Trump administration decision last year to prevent officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC) arriving in Washington to investigate U.S. alleged atrocities in Afghanistan could be signal to Sri Lanka that it could not prevent UNHRC team from arriving in Colombo to get a… Continue reading "The United States Paves Way For UNHRC To Enter Sri Lanka To Probe Alleged Human Rights Abuses"
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Washington Hard-Line On Sri Lanka Now In The Open

By Edi tor on April 5, 2021

By Daya Gamage – Daya Gamage It was a known fact that Gotabaya Rajapaksa got a speedy and unfettered renunciation of his US citizenship having known his role in the handling of the Eelam War as defense secretary which was exposed to global criticism. It is also a known fact that some of those who led the ground battle during the offensive against the… Continue reading "Washington Hard-Line On Sri Lanka Now In The Open"
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Are you wearing clothes, Cardinal asks former President Maithripala

By Edi tor on April 5, 2021

Launches stunning verbal attack on former President In a stunning verbal assault, Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday (4) called for action to be initiated against former President Maithripala Sirisena without further delay and asked whether the former President has no shame. “The question arises whether some politicians who have been named as being responsible for the… Continue reading "Are you wearing clothes, Cardinal asks former President Maithripala"
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EU court removes Tamil Tigers from terrorism blacklist

By Edi tor on April 5, 2021

LUXEMBOURG: The EU’s top court removed Sri Lankan separatist rebels from its terrorism blacklist on Wednesday.Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) — the top EU court — ruled that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of Sri Lanka, or the Tamil Tigers, should be removed from the EU’s terrorism list.The court said that EU had not produced… Continue reading "EU court removes Tamil Tigers from terrorism blacklist"
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Who’s Afraid Of Accountability? Accountability In 2009, 2015 & 2021

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

In 2009 in Geneva, not resorting to blanket denial and refusal to consider possible individual cases of violations through local mechanisms (while never countenancing unsubstantiated claims of war crimes) was one of the ways of convincing the UNHRC to support Sri Lanka’s position in the most difficult period, the immediate aftermath of the war. Even after the various reports of… Continue reading "Who’s Afraid Of Accountability? Accountability In 2009, 2015 & 2021"
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US says Sri Lanka’s prosperity depends on respect for human rights

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

The United States says the long-term security and prosperity of Sri Lanka depends on respecting human rights today and committing to peace and reconciliation for the future. The US State Department also called on Sri Lanka to safeguard the rights of ethnic and religious minorities.#
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‘Betrayed Tamils’, ‘Strategic move’: Mixed reactions after

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

While the Indian government was under pressure from politica .. Read more at:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/81669529.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
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What does UN human rights resolution mean for Sri Lanka?

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

(Reuters) – U.N. human rights boss Michelle Bachelet received a mandate on Tuesday to collect evidence of crimes during Sri Lanka’s long civil war, which ended in 2009 with the defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers and an upsurge of civilian deaths. [L8N2LL3PG] Rights groups said the decision was a critical step in gaining justice for victims of war crimes,… Continue reading "What does UN human rights resolution mean for Sri Lanka?"
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Sri Lanka: Landmark UN resolution marks crucial turning point on justice and accountability

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

A new UN resolution on Sri Lanka is an important step forward and offers renewed hope of long-awaited justice for victims of the country’s 30-year civil conflict, said Amnesty International, following its adoption by the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) today. The resolution not only ramps up international monitoring and scrutiny of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, but also mandates the UN human rights office to collect, consolidate and preserve evidence for future prosecutions and make recommendations to the international community on… Continue reading "Sri Lanka: Landmark UN resolution marks crucial turning point on justice and accountability"
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India’s Sri Lanka dilemma

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

New Delhi remains caught between an insensitive Colombo and an angry Chennai. India’s classic dilemma on Sri Lanka is playing out again The Tamil question in Sri Lanka has posed an almost intractable dilemma for Indian foreign policy for decades. During the three-decade long civil war between Colombo and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), New Delhi moved from… Continue reading "India’s Sri Lanka dilemma"
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Will Sri Lanka human rights report change Swiss asylum policy?

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

The UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday passed a resolution expressing serious concern about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and giving a UN mandate to collect evidence of war crimes. This follows a damning report stressing not only impunity for serious crimes during the civil war but a deteriorating human rights situation since the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa… Continue reading "Will Sri Lanka human rights report change Swiss asylum policy?"
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Sri Lanka’s opposition parties hit out at govt for UNHRC “failure”

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s opposition parties have hit out at the government for its handling of the resolution passed at the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva yesterday. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) said the outcome was the direct result of “major failures” on the part of the present government, while the Janatha… Continue reading "Sri Lanka’s opposition parties hit out at govt for UNHRC “failure”"
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UNHRC resolution sets stage for international jurisdiction of rights violations in SL

By Edi tor on March 25, 2021

Rajapaksa administration faces humiliating defeat Resolution adopted by 22 votes for, 11 against, 14 abstentions India, Japan among key abstentions Amnesty International hails “landmark” resolution; says it signals shifting approach of international community Despite hefty lobbying, Govt. secures lowest support ever to defeat UNHRC resolution Central database of evidence of rights violations in SL to cost $ 2.8 m Mechanism… Continue reading "UNHRC resolution sets stage for international jurisdiction of rights violations in SL"
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As the military seeks to consolidate power, it is increasingly targeting journalists with lawsuits and violence in order to stop them from reporting the truth about what’s happening in Myanmar.

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

By FRONTIER “Don’t be afraid of them,” The Hakha Times CEO Ya Lalawmpuia, also known as Pa Pui, advised his newsroom on March 3. “If we are afraid, we will not be able to reveal the truth about what they [police and soldiers] are doing.” Less than a week earlier, on February 27, Pa Pui, 50, had been arrested in… Continue reading "As the military seeks to consolidate power, it is increasingly targeting journalists with lawsuits and violence in order to stop them from reporting the truth about what’s happening in Myanmar."
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“Journalist Tortured Himself”: CCD Arrests Sujeewa Gamage For Faking His Own Attack

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

As Colombo Telegraph predicted, the Colombo Crimes Division has placed assaulted journalist Sujeewa Gamage under arrest for fabricating a complaint about his abduction and assault and inflicting injuries on himself. In lightning quick time the Police said it has transformed its investigation to focus on why the journalist allegedly “fabricated” the events.
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Secret US document reveals Lanka’s ‘Indo-Pacific’ role?

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

The new Secretariat will focus on the current maritime security environment in the region and, among other things “discuss new areas of cooperation in the fields of maritime security and threats A secret 2018 national security document titled ‘US Strategic Framework for the Indo Pacific,’ declassified on January 5 – with the Trump administration on its way out – describes… Continue reading "Secret US document reveals Lanka’s ‘Indo-Pacific’ role?"
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Sri Lanka group seeks probe of reporter’s alleged kidnapping

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

A Sri Lankan media rights group is urging the police to expedite a probe into the alleged abduction and torture of a journalistBy BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI Associated Press18 March 2021, 13:27• 2 min read COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan media rights group on Thursday urged police to expedite a probe into the alleged abduction and torture of a journalist, calling the… Continue reading "Sri Lanka group seeks probe of reporter’s alleged kidnapping"
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Resolution on SL to be taken up at UNHRC on March 22

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

The resolution on Sri Lanka will be taken up at the United Nations Human Rights Council next Monday with a vote expected the same day or the following day, Daily Mirror learns. Tuesday was the deadline for the incorporation of any amendment to the resolution to be moved by the core group of countries led by the United Kingdom. The… Continue reading "Resolution on SL to be taken up at UNHRC on March 22"
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UNHRC needs to ensure that human rights and accountability developments in Sri Lanka firmly remain on the international agenda

By Edi tor on March 19, 2021

UNHRC needs to ensure that human rights and accountability developments in Sri Lanka firmly remain on the international agenda The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) welcomes the new resolution A/HRC/46/L.1/Rev.1 (Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka) tabled on March 16th to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) by the core group of countries that include Canada, Germany,… Continue reading "UNHRC needs to ensure that human rights and accountability developments in Sri Lanka firmly remain on the international agenda"
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For Sri Lankan reporters, the ghosts of violence and intimidation loom again

By Edi tor on March 7, 2021

When Wickrematunge was killed, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was defence secretary. As brother of the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa wielded unparalleled military influence, earning a reputation as the country’s most feared bureaucrat. When Wickrematunge exposed a corrupt arms deal Rajapaksa had signed off, he broke the silence in the press about the activities of the defence secretary. Years later, Sri Lankan criminal investigators… Continue reading "For Sri Lankan reporters, the ghosts of violence and intimidation loom again"
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By Edi tor on March 7, 2021

The High Commissioner, Michelle Bachelet, is a former president ofChile. She and her family were jailed under the dictatorial rule of Pinochet. Her father was killed by its jailors, and she was abused in prison. Could her background and character be factors behind her report? My speculation is that must be the case. No matter what our work is, our… Continue reading ""