Month: July 2020

By Easwaran Rutnam Former LTTE fighter and leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has been assured a Ministerial post if he wins the Parliamentary election. Pillayan, who is currently in remand prison, is contesting the polls in the East on the TMVP ticket in some areas and under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP)… Continue reading "Murder accuse Pillayan assured Ministerial post by Rajapakshe"

Former Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka today accused the Government of using Kumaran Pathmanathan, alias KP, a key LTTE leader, for its election campaign. Speaking at an election rally today, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya candidate at the Parliamentary election said that KP is carrying out the election campaign of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in Kilinochchi. Pathmanathan is wanted in… Continue reading "KP and former LTTE Eastern Commander Karuna Amman are working for the SLPP."

by Zacki Jabbar Former Prime Minister and leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe is hoping there will be a high voter turnout at the forthcoming general election, which, he believes, will prove advantageous to the UNP. “The higher the number of votes cast, the better for the UNP,” Wickremesinghe said in an interview with The Island, while travelling across the… Continue reading "Economic mismanagement by Gotabaya Rajapaksa govt is the main cause for the suffering people were undergoing and not the Coronavirus pandemic says UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe"

( Text of a Media Release Issued by the ” FRIDAY FORUM” on 29th July, 2020 Under the Heading “VOTING IN THE ELECTIONS 2020: FOR PUBLIC OR RULERS’ WELFARE?) On August 5th 2020, we as citizens will choose the people who may join the President in governing this country for the next five years, if a Parliamentary system of governance… Continue reading "“Do we want this ‘new normal’ of unchecked power, ‘authoritarian leadership’ and militarisation to facilitate or ensure economic growth and the sustainable development of our country? – Friday Forum."

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Rajapalsa regime is all out to get a two-thirds majority in Parliament through the forthcoming elections on August 5. The avowed objective of such a steam -roller majority is to promulgate a new Constitution or enact Constitutional amendments unilaterally. According to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna(SLPP) ideologue Prof. Gamini Lakshman Peiris a strong Governmemt is necessary to bring… Continue reading "Tamils Desiring a Silk “Verti” May Lose Even Their Cotton “Verti”."

The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), which has started legal action in the UK to lift the proscription on the LTTE, has never shown any remorse over child soldiers, Lord Naseby, the President of the All Party British Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group said yesterday. Speaking during the debate on Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 in the House of Lords of the UK,… Continue reading "TGTE never showed any remorse over child soldiers: Lord Naseby"

By Ruwantha Nithulgaspitiya Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa said, under his watch, there will be no room for the emergence of any form of ultra-nationalism, extremism, religious violence and terrorism. He emphasised that a SJB Government will totally eliminate all type of extremism and terrorism. “I am ready to face any kind of probe into charges directed against… Continue reading "Sajith vows to stamp out ultra-nationalism"

Sri Lanka’s upcoming parliamentary elections will serve as an indicator of the island’s future political direction, potential executive power buildup, and future geopolitical stance. With complications from the coronavirus pandemic, during which the Sri Lankan election commission has struggled to ensure that voting will be free, fair, and safe for all, the twice-delayed election may favor President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s party,… Continue reading "Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections will shape its political future—likely for the worse and validate the Rajapaksas’ Buddhist nationalist agenda at the expense of minorities."

Leader of Thamizhi Makkal Tesiya Kootani or the Tamil People’s National Alliance C.V. Wigneswaran says the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) wants the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to bag the northern and eastern electorates at the upcoming election. The former Chief Minister of the Northern Province said so addressing the media in Jaffna on Wednesday (29).  The former Supreme… Continue reading "Wiggy plays SLPP card against TNA"

Will join opposition forces in new Parliament to block any repeal of 19A Says repealing 19A will roll back democratic gains  Cites independent commissions and CC scrutiny of senior State-level appointees as positives Expresses concern about too many ex-military personnel appointments under new administration Wants more robust COVID-19 Govt. support for companies and employees By Chandani Kirinde  Senior member of… Continue reading "JVP vows to fight moves to abolish 19A"

Kuwait has included Sri Lanka in the list of countries whose nationals won’t be allowed to enter the State. Others on the list include Bangladesh, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Iran and Nepal. Kuwait’s cabinet yesterday said it will allow citizens and residents to travel to and from the country, starting 1 August. Last month, Kuwait announced it would partially resume… Continue reading "Sri Lankans nationals won’t be allowed to enter Kuwait"

Karuna is doing politics for the Rajapaksas. We ask TNA to join hands with us to form the Government and accept portfolios as the Tamil parties in the estate sector and the Muslim parties do.    Q  Pragmatism and a new innovative economic model are concepts you espoused for a long time.  You said the SJB follows them. Does it mean that… Continue reading "In 1995, under the Liam Fox agreement, both the main parties agreed to introduce Federalism."

Even in the past Rajapaksa regimes had little regard for the law.  Mahinda’s aggressive subordinates in politics must be told that ‘violence’ and ‘thuggery’ have no place in present politics.  We like Mahinda Rajapaksa for many reasons. The veteran politician can turn the tide when the ships are down. He can make fools dance to his tune and educated men… Continue reading "Mahinda can make fools dance to his tune and educated men listen to him"

Some Jaffna dailies have given prominence to a report about a meeting between former Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran and Swiss embassy officials in Jaffna on Monday (27)  The former CM has voiced concern about the safety of ballot boxes as vote counting would start only on 06 August. He told the Swiss Ambassador that there could be… Continue reading "Wiggy’s expresses fears over safety of ballot boxes"

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the Tamil National Alliance was trying to achieve what the LTTE failed to gain by firepower. He said that the government will not give into TNA demands to divide this country on ethnic lines and there will be no room for a separate State in Sri Lanka under his government. The Prime Minister was… Continue reading "TNA is trying to achieve what the LTTE failed to gain by firepower says Mahinda"

 Q  The ruling party is seeking a two-thirds majority to change the Constitution. How do you see this? The government in the guise of getting a two-thirds majority is trying to reintroduce something similar to the 18th Amendment. Successive governments under the 1978 Constitution came into power advocating a change of the Executive Presidency. Now I feel we have a balanced… Continue reading "People should not support two-thirds majority"

When the month of July comes around there are many reflections on the incidents of July 1983 and the pogrom that targeted the Tamil community. The incidents of that month will always evoke a collective sense of shame for all Sri Lankans when a section of its citizens, the Tamil community, was targeted by organised mobs creating mayhem, resulting in… Continue reading "The State should play a critical role in fostering inter-communal relations"

By Kalyananda TiranagamaExecutive DirectorLawyers for Human Rights and Development When I raise this question, one may wonder why I raise this question 64 years after Sinhala was made the Official Language of Sri Lanka by the Official Languages Act, No. 33 of 1956. The people in the country, including the people in the North and the East, the politicians and… Continue reading "Sinhala the only Official Language of Sri Lanka"

The TNA has been successful in emerging as the prime political force in the north at every election in the past, despite a drastic erosion of its vote bank being evident at the last local government elections held in 2018. Yet, it is not clear whether people have been happy with their traditional demands and have been voting the party especially… Continue reading "TNA; the toast of opposition parties"

Constitutional and legal reforms will be priorities of new Government  Challenging time a head with COVID-19 It will be a landslide like at the Presidential Elections What is important is not the size of the Cabinet, but whether the Government delivers The economy was in shambles even when we took over in November last year It will take all our skills to… Continue reading ""

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the fellow travellers of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are asking for a two-thirds majority in the general election. For what? They want to abolish the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, one of the few progressive constitutional provisions to be adopted in the independent history. (It moderated the excesses of the executive presidency). Mr.… Continue reading "A case against 2/3 majority"

By Kumarathasan Rasingam – Kumarathasan Rasingam Tamils in Sri Lanka especially in the North and East are now living between the devil and deep sea. Heavy presence of the military [to the ratio of one soldier to every four civilians 1: 4] and on the other side they are scared of the Covid-19. The President is determined to hold the election on August 05,… Continue reading "President Gotabaya’s Military Rule In North And East Of Sri Lanka"

By Sarath de Alwis – Sarath de Alwis “He who can make an exception is sovereign” ~ Carl Schmitt in 1922  The pen was once mightier than the sword. In the age of the smart phone the tongue has taken over. The point of departure of this essay is digital electioneering amidst social distancing.    Thanks to the smartphone, behavior tends to leave behind… Continue reading "Only Sinhala-Buddhist-Catholic Votes: Anatomy Of A Tribal Democracy"

ECONOMYNEXT – With a week of campaigning left in the Parliamentary General Elections watchdog groups have found that the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) has outspent everyone else while the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has violated election laws more than any other party. The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) found that the parties had collectively spent Rs514mn with the… Continue reading "Mahinda’s SLPP party has most election law violations"

by PRIYAN DE SILVA  National coordinator of the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) Manjula Gajanayaka, addressing the media, yesterday, voiced his concern about the increase in hate speech within the past few days. He said incendiary words uttered by leaders of political parties or posed on social media could result in pre-election as well as post- election violence. Gajanayaka said the… Continue reading "Hate speech could lead to election violence"

The TNA may glibly say that everything is hunky-dory with India but this is not so. The reality is that of the Indian establishment being extremely disappointed with the TNA over the northern provincial council issue Nowadays, India is more interested in getting closer to the governments in power in Colombo. Therefore New Delhi would not let the “Tamil issue”… Continue reading "TNA Must Seek India’s Help To Protect 13th Amendment"

By Naalir Jamaldeen  Commissioner of the Jaffna Municipal Council, R.T. Jayaseelan on 23 July said that he has come to know that during the forthcoming Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil festival, permission has been granted to allow an additional number of devotees to enter the Kovil premises than had been previously decided on. The chariot festival of the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil will… Continue reading "Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil festival: More devotees allowed than planned – Jayaseelan"

By Shiran Ranasinghe The Police Department has initiated a detailed probe into a case where around 50 Police records concerning noted underworld gangster Samsunge Sampath Chamara alias Army Sampath going missing from the Grandpass Police Station. The missing records document acts of crime and illegal drug peddling of the noted underworld gangster which had been kept at the Police Station… Continue reading "Rajapakshe Rules again- Underworld Gangster’s Police Records Go Missing"

The United Kingdom has lifted a travel advice imposed on Sri Lanka. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said that from 24 July, Sri Lanka is exempt from the FCO advice against all non-essential international travel. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that the move was based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks. The UK Foreign and… Continue reading "UK lifts travel restrictions on Sri Lanka"

Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman has called on Tamils to have more than two children and multiply. Speaking at an election rally in Kalmunai in Ampara, Karuna Amman urged young Tamil couples not to stop with just two children. He urged the Tamils to have four children or more and strengthen the population in the country. The former LTTE commander said that… Continue reading "Karuna calls on Tamils to have more than two children"

By Meera Srinivasan Campaigning for Sri Lanka’s August 5 general elections, the country’s main Tamil party has foregrounded the promise Colombo made to New Delhi on power devolution, the need for greater connectivity to India from the northern Palaly airport, and the need to expedite the return of Sri Lankan refugees living in India. Releasing its poll manifesto in Jaffna… Continue reading "Tamil National Alliance Releases Election Manifesto Emphasising Mahinda Rajapaksas Repeated Assurances to the Indian Govt that it would “implement the 13th Amendment in full and build upon it so as to achieve meaningful devolution”."

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The fourth week of July revives bad memories among most Tamils who lived in Sri Lanka during the month of July in 1983. It was in that week in July that large-scale violence was let loose upon Tamils living in various parts of Sri Lanka including Colombo and suburbs. “Black July 1983” The week long spree of anti-Tamil… Continue reading "July 1983: Two Northern Attacks and One Island-wide Anti-Tamil Pogrom"