Month: May 2020

The head of Sri Lanka’s army, who is currently barred from travel to the US over his role in overseeing war crimes, met with a Sinhala Buddhist monk who has repeatedly spread hate speech and was caught on camera assaulting a Christian man, as he visited the Eastern Province last week. Shavendra Silva, the former head of the army’s 58… Continue reading "Sri Lankan war criminal meets racist Buddhist monk"

Responding to reports that 36 Sri Lankan workers were stranded at Bucharest Airport in Romania, the Sri Lankan envoy to Romania said the situation had arisen as most of the employees had refused to go back to their workplace. Sri Lankan Ambassador to Romania accredited from Warsaw, Poland C.A.H.M Wijeratne said the workers had refused to report to work after… Continue reading "Embassy says SL workers refuse to report to work"

Has President Rajapaksa Appointed Defence Secretary Gen.Kamal Gunaratne as Head of Task Force to Implement “nationalistic” project to establish, through archaeological excavations, that the multi-ethnic Eastern province was once a Sinhala-Buddhist habitat ? By P.K.Balachandran Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s decision to entrust the survey and preservation of archaeological sites in the ethnically-mixed Eastern Province to a Presidential Task Force… Continue reading "Gotha turning Eastern province to a Sinhala-Buddhist habitat ?"

The trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges has opened in Jerusalem, days after he began a new term in office. Mr Netanyahu, 70, is the first standing leader to face trial in the country’s history. He denies accusations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Arrived at the courthouse for a brief hearing, he said the… Continue reading "Israeli PM Netanyahu goes on corruption trial"

Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leader Arumugam Thondaman passed away today. He was 55 years old. Thondaman, the Cabinet Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development had been rushed to the Thalangama base hospital. Hospital sources said that Thondaman suffered a heart attack at his home and was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Earlier in the day Thondaman… Continue reading "CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman passed away"

On the eleventh anniversary of the end of the war in Sri Lanka, the President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, intentionally promoted officers to the rank of Major General who should have been vetted and screened out of any official position, in accordance to Sri Lanka’s commitments under UN resolution 30/1 to security sector reform. “The choice of these individuals is a highly politicised… Continue reading "“The message to army officers – and diplomats – is if you go around the world insulting and threatening the Tamil diaspora you will be rewarded,”"

International assistance to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Sri Lankan police must be urgently reviewed now that a well known alleged torturer has been put in charge. Senior Superintendant of Police Adambarage Ruwan Prasanna Jayak De Alwis was appointed the new Director of CID by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday.  Gotabaya Rajapaksa Prasanna de Alwis is named in numerous court documents in… Continue reading "Alleged Torturer Heads Sri Lankan CID: ITJP"

Will Sri Lanka stay and face the attacks in a manner worthy of its war heroes, or flee from International Organizations in the Footsteps of President Trump leaving all flanks exposed? Posted by Administrator on 21 May 2020, 4:01 pm By Tamara Kunanayakam Speaking at the National War Heroes Commemoration Ceremony on 19 May 2020, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared that he will not… Continue reading "Will Sri Lanka stay and face the attacks in a manner worthy of its war heroes, or flee from International Organizations in the Footsteps of President Trump leaving all flanks exposed?"

The closure of the 900 liquor shops for nearly two months to help contain the coronavirus has cost the state Rs. 25 billion in excise tax. The Excise Department said that illegal operators have caused 10%, or Rs 2.5 billion, of excise tax loss to the state during this period. The revenue loss is estimated on the basis of the… Continue reading "Booze shops stay open to keep state coffers replenished"

The Government has accepted an unsolicited proposal from China Harbour Engineering Company (Ltd) for the elevated expressway from Athurugiriya to New Kelani Bridge via Rajagiriya — a project for which bid documents had already been finalised to call an open tender. The CHEC bid was directed via the Board of Investment (BOI) and discussions are underway, the Highways Ministry Secretary… Continue reading "Elevated highway: Govt. accepts unsolicited proposal from Chinese company"

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s rupee gained to close around 186.40/50 to the US dollars in the spot market on Thursday, dealers said, amid the collapse in domestic demand from Coronavirus curfews and import controls. The rupee closed around 187.05/15 at close on May 20. Excess liquidity in money markets dropped sharply to 97.8 billion rupees on May 21 though only… Continue reading "Sri Lanka rupee strengthens to 186.40/50 to US dollar"

The Navy has been battling a rogue wave of coronavirus. Of about 1,045 Covid-19 cases, more than 578 are naval personnel. The vast majority of them are from the Welisara Navy base. It was first thought that the sailors who rounded up infected drug addicts had caused the spread of the diseases in the camp. But the members of the… Continue reading "War heroes and cramped camps"

Colombo, May 19 (PTI) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday warned that Sri Lanka will not hesitate to withdraw from any international forum if the country”s “war heroes” were targeted or harassed as he addressed the 11th anniversary of the end of the over three-decade long civil war against the LTTE. Tamil separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE),… Continue reading "Rajapaksa warns Sri Lanka will withdraw from any int”l forum if ”Army” are targeted"

‘Traitorisation,’ the monster created over the years by Tamil nationalist politics, is running amok again. The current target is former Jaffna District Parliamentarian and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson Mathiaparanan Abraham Sumanthiran.  The lawyer-politician is being attacked as a ‘Tamil traitor’ for some of the comments he reportedly made in a Sinhala language interview conducted by journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama for… Continue reading "The ‘traitorisation’ tragedy of Tamil nationalist politics"

By Sandun Jayasekera   President Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressing the 11th War Heroes commemoration yesterday said if any international body or organisation continuously targets Sri Lanka and its war heroes, using baseless allegations, he would not hesitate to withdraw the country from such bodies or organizations.   “In a situation where even leaders of powerful countries have emphatically stated that they would not… Continue reading "Prez talks tough on intl. bodies that continues to target SL and war heroes"

Britain was giving military training to Sri Lankan Armed Forces since the 1980s British SAS officers were the founders and trainers of Sri Lanka’s special ops unit, STF, and LRRP. They were exporting high tech military equipment and weapons to Sri Lanka until 2009 In 2001, Britain added LTTE to its list of terrorist organizations. They never gave a valid… Continue reading "UK helped the Sri Lankan government to Kill the Tamils in 2009?"

The Indian government’s support for Tamil Eelam died with Indira Gandhi. While the IPKF disaster and Rajiv Gandhi assassination killed any shattered remnants of sympathy the Indian government may have had with Eelam Tamils. The Indian government was just as big of an enemy to the LTTE as the Sri Lankan government, the difference is India is incredibly influential worldwide… Continue reading "Which countries helped the Sri Lankan government in the Sri Lankan civilian war 2009?"

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issuing a statement on the anniversary of the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, has called for Sri Lanka to pursue a meaningful accountability process “As we mark the 11th anniversary of the end of armed conflict in Sri Lanka, my thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones. This is… Continue reading "Canadian PM calls for SL to pursue a meaningful accountability process"

By Chandani Kirinde The Supreme Court yesterday began hearings into several Fundamental Rights petitions that have been filed challenging the Gazette issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolving Parliament as well as the Gazette issued by the Election Commission that set 20 June as the date for the poll. The case is being heard before a five-member Bench consisting of Chief… Continue reading "Sumanthiran tells the Supreme Court – “A country without Parliament is not a democracy”"

Cooking the votes Wimal style With various discussions regarding elections and the manner in which the polls should be conducted in times of a pandemic, Minister Wimal Weerawansa has come out with a new idea. During a programme with a state-run TV channel this week, he spoke of an invention where ballot papers in a ballot box could be placed… Continue reading "Cooking the votes Wimal style"

PRESS STATEMENT 17 May 2020, London Unitedly and strategically working for the betterment of the Tamil people is the need of the hour The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) joins Tamils worldwide in commemorating the 11th anniversary of the end of civil war in Sri Lanka. The final phase of the war is one of the most brutal in recent history… Continue reading "GTF Press Release – Commemoration of the 11th anniversary of the end of civil war in Sri Lanka"

In his message on the 11th Anniversary of the victory against the LTTE, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said the armed forces and police that defeated the LTTE, are engaged in yet another operation with the health sector to combat COVID-19 in the country. “The armed forces and police that amazed the entire world by winning what was widely considered to… Continue reading "Armed forces that defeated LTTE engaged in new operation to defeat COVID-19: PM"

“Lawyers for Democracy” see a serious crisis developing due to authorities concerned acting under a misconception regarding the 30 year war which was against an armed struggle and our forces were able to successfully defeat and the war against the pandemic Covid-19. The war against Covid-19 cannot be defeated by the use of military power or by adopting military strategies and tactics. The… Continue reading "Stop Militarisation: Lawyers For Democracy Tells Government"

At least five local websites had been hacked into by a group of hackers this morning targeting the Victory Day commemorations, the Computer Emergency Readiness Team/Co-ordination Centre (CERT|CC) said. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, CERT|CC Information Security Engineer Ravindu Meegasmulla said these powerful cyberattacks had been a practice every year on May 18, the day the Sri Lankan Government militarily… Continue reading "Five websites hacked targeting Victory Day: CERT"

Says one-third of Missions working with no Ambassador or High Commissioner Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha yesterday praised the work of young diplomatic officers in Lankan Missions overseas who are helping stranded nationals. He said it was noteworthy that at present, out of the 67 Missions of Sri Lanka, one-third of Missions function with officers in acting capacity from the Sri… Continue reading "Praise for young blood in Foreign Service helping Lankans"

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa says that the Sri Lankan armed forces and police are the sentinels of the nation, ensuring the safety of the general public in all crises whether man-made or natural – whether the crisis is terrorism, floods or disease. Issuing a statement to mark the 11th Anniversary of Sri Lanka’s victory against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil… Continue reading "Ex-military officers will always hold govt. positions whenever we are in power – PM"

By Dinasena Ratugamage All those who attempted to commemorate the dead LTTE cadres, on the pretext of remembering civilians who had died during the war, would be arrested, a senior security forces officer said yesterday. The officer said that all possible sites of such commemorations were under surveillance. Security, too, had been beefed up in those areas. Photos of dead… Continue reading "Anyone who commemorates LTTE will face arrest – senior military officer"

ECONOMYNEXT – The on-line edition of the Guardian newspaper has taken down a question it asked about islands around the world after the Sri Lankan government objected. Colombo’s envoy to London High Commissioner Saroja Sirisena wrote to the editors of the newspaper after seeing a question in a travel quiz which read ‘Eelam is an indigenous name for which popular… Continue reading "The Guardian takes down quiz question after Sri Lanka government objects to the use of “Eelam”"

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has sought the release of “political prisoners” who were arrested — some convicted — for their alleged association with or role in the rebel LTTE during the civil war. On Tuesday night, TNA spokesman and former Jaffna parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran handed over a list of the detainees under Sri Lanka’s controversial… Continue reading "TNA Seeks Release of Tamil “Political” Prisoners:Party spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran hands over a list of the detainees under Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) Act to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa For Potential Action"

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj When Seven major opposition parties made an offer of responsible cooperation in return for restoration of Parliament to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa they were rudely rebuffed. When his brother Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa invited all former MP’s of the dissolved Parliament for a political conference, he was rebuffed (but not rudely) by all opposition parties. All parties except one.… Continue reading "TNA Scores Politically By Responding To PM Mahinda’s Invitation Positively"

“As an Election Commission Member, I Refused to let the Attorney -General Represent me in the Supreme Court Because I Have No Confidence in the A-G” – EC Member Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole By Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole On 11 and 12 May, several newspaper and websites quoted the Attorney General as stating in Court that day that he could… Continue reading "I Have No Confidence in the A-G” – EC Member Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole"

TNA Leader Sampanthan Commends Party Spokesperson Sumanthiran for Providing “frank and forthright i answers” to “questions that were asked with the deliberate purpose of promoting mischief and disunity amongst the people of this country” (Text of Statement Issued by R Sampanthan Leader of the Tamil National Alliance and former Member of Parliament) My attention has been drawn to the interview… Continue reading "Sumanthiran has been frank and forthright in his answers"