Month: September 2019

By Kelum Bandara Throwing a challenge at presidential hopefuls who commit to abolish executive presidency following the forthcoming election, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran urged them to act in favour of passing the 20th Amendment in Parliament before the poll. He said any candidate would be duty-bound to make 20A operational after ascension to office.  He told Daily Mirror that a… Continue reading "Sumanthiran challenges prez hopefuls: Pass 20A prior to poll"

…the elevation of Mr Rajapaksa to the presidency is likely to have a damaging impact on social stability… With a rise in Sinhalese nationalism, there is likely to be a further increase in anti-minority sentiment across the country… Combined with the weakening of press freedoms and civil liberties that we would expect under a Gotabaya presidency, this is likely to… Continue reading "Gotabaya-wave by terrifying the minorities into not voting, and persuading enough Sinhalese that only a Hitler-like saviour can protect them."

Basil Rajapaksa insisted on Pohottuwa symbol and ruled out Chair Speaker Karu Jayasuriya may not contest Hurried moves to abolish executive presidency – President and PM pass the ball Sri Lanka People’s Alliance (SLPA) will be set up on October 5 In what seemed revealing by itself, President Maithripala Sirisena, began an emergency Cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon with the… Continue reading "SLPP to go it alone: No partnership with the SLFP"

The announcement of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the Presidential candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on August 11 seems to signal a change of fortunes for former Militant and ex-MP Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan better known by the once feared Nom de Guerre Karuna Amman. With the defeat of the Rajapaksa regime in 2015, Karuna had retreated to the shadows only… Continue reading "Premini Thanushkody, the lone female of those abducted, was gang-raped and later killed by Karuna and Pillaiyan associates"

Governor of the Northern Province Dr. Suren Raghavan discussed the land issue with the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, the Governor’s Secretariat said. The Army Commander met the Governor at the Governor’s Secretariat in Jaffna. The Commander briefed the Governor on the security and humanitarian activities in the post-war Northern Province and he said he would continue… Continue reading "Northern Governor discusses land issue with Army Chief"

“Those in the Cabinet who Say They are for Executive Presidency Abolition But this is not the right time Can Help Pass the Bill Now in Parliament and hold the referendum Afterwards Suggests TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said yesterday that the emergency Cabinet meeting summoned on Thursday to discuss the abolition of the executive presidency was… Continue reading "t the right time Can Help Pass the Bill Now in Parliament and hold the referendum Afterwards Suggests TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran"

By Anurangi Singh A day after the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna made a deposit on behalf of its presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Elections Commission, fresh controversy has erupted over the former defence secretary being registered to vote since 2017 under a NIC number that has been defunct since October 2016. The revelations followed confirmation by the Police Headquarters… Continue reading "Media reports State the National Identity Card Used by Gotabaya Rajapaksa to Register as a Voter in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 Electoral Lists had been invalidated by the Department for Registration of Persons in October 2016."