Lanka Polity

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2011-08-20T13:32:00.000+05:30

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Over 100,000 unidentified kidney patients in North Central Province of Sri Lanka

2011-08-06T06:05:00.000+05:30

North Central Provincial Council of Sri Lanka has planned to hold clinics in October at village level to identify the patients with kidney diseases. Minister of Health of North Central Provincial Council Peshala Jayarathna says that the number of unidentified kidney patients in the Province can be over 100,000. The number of identified patients with kidney diseases in the Province is over 8000.

Networked solar power project to be commissioned in Sri Lanka

2011-08-06T05:56:00.001+05:30

Sri Lanka's first networked solar power project located in Gannoruwa in Hambanthota district is to be commissioned officially on August 08. The Ministry of Power and Energy says that the project will generate 500 kilowatt. The project was implemented with the assistance of South Korea government. The government of South Korea provided Rs. 412 million for the project. The Gannoruwa solar power

Sri Lanka ruling coalition headquarters in Gampaha, a symbol of Basil's power

2011-08-05T04:56:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open a new district headquarters of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in Gampaha district at 9.30 a.m. yesterday. The headquarters located in Gampaha town is expected to benefit the UPFA members of the Gampaha district. It was built according to a concept of the Gampaha district chief organizer Basil Rajapaksa, the younger brother

Then university non-academic staff

2011-08-05T04:53:00.000+05:30

The non-academic staff of the universities of Sri Lanka launched a protest demonstration before the Ministry of Higher Education yesterday demanding the removal of salary anomalies. The non-academic staff of the universities say the increase of the salary of the university academic staff has created new anomalies and injustice. The protest demonstration organized by the Inter University

More local government elections in Sri Lanka

2011-08-05T04:49:00.000+05:30

The elections of 23 local government bodies of Sri Lanka that were postponed due to the cricket World Cup and other reasons are to be held on or before October 17, the Election Secretariat says. The nominations for the elections are to be called between August 18 and 25. The gazette regarding the call of nominations is now released. The term of these councils was to end on March 31 this year

Sri Lanka Opposition Leader cuts short the foreign tour to return to deal with the leadership battle

2011-08-02T06:55:00.000+05:30

The Leader of Opposition and Sri Lanka's major opposition United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickramasinghe has decided to cut short his tour in UK. Accordingly, he is to return to Sri Lanka today. He was expected to stay in UK until August 04. The urgent return of the UNP leader is due to the developments in his party against his leadership. UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya has agreed to accept

No cars and no busses too to less affluent Sri Lankans

2011-07-18T16:20:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka government's new regulations regarding the vehicle import shows that the rulers are in need of making the car a luxury item that is restricted to affluent classes. A new directive stipulates that only cars less than two years old could be imported. This comes on top of the increase of the effective total tax rate for petrol cars with standard engines with capacities below 1,000 cc

The ‘hidden hand’ in the ‘Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’ exposed: It’s India

2011-07-17T07:07:00.003+05:30

(Adopted from The Weekend Leader) The ‘hidden hand’ in the ‘Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’ exposed: It’s India By M G Devasahayam Chennai17 Jul 2011 Posted 15-Jul-2011Vol 2 Issue 28 The air has been full with the "Killing Fields of Sri Lanka", the Channel 4 documentary. The visuals showed naked Tamil prisoners shot in the head, dead bodies of naked women who had been raped and dumped on

Sudan: The leftover country By GWYNNE DYER | ARAB NEWS

2011-07-14T07:08:00.000+05:30

The flags have been waved, the anthem has been sung, and the new currency will be in circulation next week: the Republic of South Sudan has been launched, and is off to who knows where? Perdition, probably, for it is a “pre-failed state,” condemned by its extreme poverty, 15 percent literacy and bitter ethnic rivalries to more decades of violence and misery. But what about the country it leaves

It's time for Sangakkara's class to recall Martin Niemoller's poem over the right of free speech

2011-07-06T06:40:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka Cricket announced that the Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage directed the new Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee Jayantha Dharmadasa to express his views on the content of ex-captain Kumara Sangakkara's 2011 MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture. The Minister has directed the Sri Lanka Cricket interim Chairman to look into if Sangakkara's criticism on the Sri

India - Sri Lanka relations at a decisive stage over fishing issue

2011-07-05T06:42:00.000+05:30

The following report signals that the conflict between Sri Lanka and India over the fishing activities in the Palk Straits have reached to a decisive point. Reacting strongly to incidents of Indian fishermen being detained by Sri Lankan Navy, India today said a senior official of the External Affairs Ministry will soon visit the island nation to resolve the issues as such acts ''cannot go on''.

Process of granting solution to the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka reversed to 2005

2011-06-26T09:41:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka government is to have another round of talks with the major Tamil constituent Tamil National Alliance (TNA) today in Colombo, unconfirmed sources say. This discussion was scheduled following the last dialogue held on June 23 in the Presidential Secretariat. Today's discussion is believed an extension of the dialogue on the talks on the implementation of the 13th amendment to the

Sri Lanka trishaw drivers protest nano cabs

2011-06-22T06:24:00.000+05:30

A group of trishaw drivers held a protest demonstration yesterday at the Hyde Park, Colombo against the Tata Nano taxi cab service. The self-employed trishaw owners sought the government to intervene to safeguard their livelihood. They say their livelihood is under threat due to this taxi cab service. Their protest was focused to the taxi cab service launched by Nano cabs Company, of which a

Another petition against not holding election for Colombo Municipal Council

2011-06-22T06:07:00.000+05:30

Pakyasothi Saravanamuttu, a leading civil society figure in Sri Lanka filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court yesterday citing his civil and political rights were violated due to non holding of the election for the Colombo Municipal Council. The petitioner has cited Election Commissioner, Colombo District Deputy Election Commissioner,Municipal Administration and the Attorney

Sri Lankan leaders indirectly admit charges leveled against them

2011-06-19T16:10:00.000+05:30

“When the American forces entered the room that Bin Laden was in they first shot his wife. Then they shot bin Laden. At this point both of them were unarmed. But none of us, or the international community is questioning this,” said Sri Lanka Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at a meeting held in Nugegoda on June 17, as quoted by News First. “But the Channel 4 video, we don't know if it is

Link to Killing Fields of Sri Lanka

2011-06-19T15:54:00.000+05:30

Watch Channel 4 video Killing Fields of Sri Lanka Jon Snow presents a forensic investigation into the final weeks of the quarter-century-long civil war between the government of Sri Lanka and the secessionist rebels, the Tamil Tigers. With disturbing and distressing descriptions and film of executions, atrocities and the shelling of civilians the programme features devastating new video

“There is no arsenic in our rice” - Minister of Agriculture; “ That is certainly true” - Agribusiness Corporations

2011-06-17T11:10:00.000+05:30

Research conducted recently by a group of scientists of universities in Sri Lanka has shown that there is arsenic poison in rice produced in the country and that around 20,000 farmers in Rajarata have become ill and have died due to arsenic poison that is in the rice produced in the country. The research has revealed that this was due to the arsenic poison mixed in the agrochemicals used in

Second programme of leadership and positive attitude training for Sri Lanka university students starts today

2011-06-17T10:47:00.000+05:30

The second programme of leadership and positive attitude training programme of the new university students of Sri Lanka is to commence today. The programme handled by the military is to be held in 29 centers island wide. 10,032 students have been called for the programme. Registration of the participants started at the respective centers yesterday. 9848 students participated in the first

Is this the democracy granted to the Tamils by Sri Lanka government?

2011-06-17T10:26:00.000+05:30

Jaffna peninsula is in the hands of the Sri Lanka state security forces since 1995. However, even after the Tamil rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) was defeated in two years back, still the normalcy does not appear to prevail in Jaffna. Excessive military presence and their high handedness prevents people enjoying the democratic rights at least to the level enjoyed by the people

People's Liberation Front (JVP) initiative for the human rights of Tamil political prisoners

2011-06-16T20:12:00.000+05:30

We adopted the following news story from the People's Liberation Front (JVP) affiliated Lanka Truth website. The 'We are Sri Lankans' is also a human rights initiative of the JVP. We identify this trend of the JVP as a unique phenomenon. JVP backed the war that was the main reason for the violation of human rights of the Tamils. ‘We are Sri Lankans (WESL)’ an organization agitating for the

Netherlands investigators now in Sri Lanka to inquire ex-Tamil Tiger leader KP

2011-06-16T06:53:00.002+05:30

A special investigation team from the Netherlands that has arrived in Sri Lanka to probe the terrorist activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) in relation to Netherlands is to inquire ex-LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP. Sri Lanka defense sources say that the government of Sri Lanka has granted permission to the Netherlands investigators to record statements from KP

Channel 4 airs Sri Lanka's killing fields; government repeats it is not authentic

2011-06-16T06:18:00.000+05:30

"Footage of alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, with its echoes of Srebrenica, means the international community is more likely to act, a top lawyer tells Channel 4 News. But is prosecution possible?" Channel 4 questioned in its website yesterday as the government of Sri Lanka denied the one hour video aired by Channel 4 TV stating it was a a mere ‘collection of visuals previously aired through LTTE

Sri Lankan migrant employees in a fast unto death in Iraq; Sri Lanka government shuns responsibility stating they are illegal

2011-06-14T05:44:00.000+05:30

Thirty Sri Lankan migrate workers have commenced a fast unto death in Al Amara, Iraq, reported a local TV station. They say they urge the authorities to pay them the 19 months arrears of the unpaid salaries and allow them to return to Sri Lanka. The relevant employees began a fast unto death previously also but suspended the action as the officials of the Iraq government pledged to grant them

Sri Lanka police narcotic bureau officials under threat following arrest of a drug dealer

2011-06-14T05:40:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka media reported that the police narcotic bureau officials that arrested a large haul of heroine yesterday are under death threats. Bureau director J.P.U. Jayasinghe and the officials in the squad that conducted the raid to confiscate the seven kilo heroine stock that was hidden in a house in Rajagiriya are under threat, local media said. Police sources say the narcotic investigators are

Sri Lankan trade unions complains to ILO against restrictions imposed by the government on trade union activity.

2011-06-14T05:34:00.000+05:30

A coalition of Sri Lankan trade unions has complained to the International Labor Organization (ILO) seeking an intervention against the restrictions imposed by the government on trade union activity. The complaint has been lodged by Thushara Ilangakoon of Health Services Trade Union Alliance, Anton Marcus of Trade Union Confederation and Saman Ratnapriya of Government Nursing Officers

Two new Supreme Court judges take oath in Sri Lanka

2011-06-14T05:32:00.000+05:30

Two new Supreme Court judges took oaths before the President Mahinda Rajapaksa today at the Temple Trees. The two new judges are the former Chairman of Court of Appeal Sathya Hettige and former Solicitor General President's Counsel W.P.J. Dep. Presidential Secretary Lilith Weerathunga was also present at the official swearing in of the two Supreme Court judges. Meanwhile, Deputy Solicitor

Sri Lanka - India ferry service first ship today

2011-06-13T15:16:00.003+05:30

The first passenger ship of the ferry service relaunched between Sri Lanka and India following the end of war will sail from Tutokorin today. The ship is to arrive in the Colombo harbor tomorrow. The nine story ship has seating arrangements for 1044 passengers. It also has a 250 seat auditorium, restaurants, recreational facilities and medical facilities. The shipping agent Arugambay Travels

Colombo drug dealer arrested; close associate of government MP

2011-06-13T15:15:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka police arrested a person believed the main distributor of heroine in Colombo city. Police also found a stock of over seven kilos heroine worth of Rs. 40 million in the man's custody. A woman associate and a luxury vehicle belonged to him was also taken into custody. She was the custodian of a safe house where heroine was stocked. The suspect is known as Lalithra. He is believed a

Inhuman treatment for a Sri Lankan migrant worker in Saudi Arabia

2011-06-07T05:05:00.002+05:30

A Sri Lankan who was found guilty for selling liquor in a public place in Taif city Saudi Arabia while being drunk has been subjected to 430 lashes, reported Emirates 24/7 news service said yesterday. The Emirates did not report the name of the person. However, the man was apparently a migrant laborer. Thousands of Sri Lankans work in Saudi Arabia as unskilled and skilled laborers. Of them, the

People;s Liberation Front (JVP) of Sri Lanka to hold a massive protest in Colombo today

2011-06-02T11:26:00.000+05:30

People's Liberation Front (JVP) of Sri Lanka has organized a massive protest campaign today in Colombo in protest of the killing of Free Trade Zone employee Roshen Janaka by police. The protest is to be held at 3 p.m. today at at Lipton Circus, said a JVP spokesman. JVP was to hold a public lecture today on government's bifurcate police before the international pressure at the Viharamahadevi

Normalcy of Katunayaka Free Trade Zone of Sri Lanka marred by police violence

2011-06-01T11:47:00.001+05:30

(June 01, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's local media reported that a young man injured in the clash between the police and the agitators on Monday in Katunayaka Free Trade Zone is in critical condition. Sinhala daily The Divaina newspaper reported that 22 year old Free Trade Zone employee Roshen Shanaka has sustained gun shot injuries near his waist. The man's kidneys are not functioning and

Sri Lanka government defeated by private sector employees

2011-05-31T06:39:00.001+05:30

(May 31, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee that met under the patronage of party leader President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday evening unanimously decided to hold the proposed private sector pension scheme temporarily. The decision drew a close resemblance with the socialist dictatorships of the former Eastern Block in which the central

Non academic staff of Sri Lanka's universities warns to strike

2011-05-27T12:00:00.000+05:30

(May 27, 2011, Lanka Polity) While the struggle of Sri Lanka's university teachers is dragging without a solution, the non-academic staff of the universities also threatened strike action unless their demands are granted within a fortnight. R.M. Chandrapala, the Chairman of the Inter University Trade Union Federation (IUTUF) said that the executive committee of the federation that represents 10

Isolated open dwelling places for the stray dogs of Sri Lanka

2011-05-27T11:58:00.000+05:30

(May 27, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's health authorities have planned to establish isolated open dwelling places for the stray dogs. The first of such canine dwelling grounds is to be established in a two acre land in Anuradhapura for the stray dogs in the area. The government says it has stopped execution of stray dogs as a policy and spends around Rs. 200 million per annum for

Twenty Sri Lankans die everyday due to smoking

2011-05-26T04:32:00.001+05:30

(May 26, 2011, Lanka Polity) The Chairman of Sri Lanka Tobacco and Alcohol Authority Prof. Carlo Fonseka says that 60 Sri Lankans die everyday due to illnesses caused by smoking. Citing the latest research reports, the medical professor said that every year 20,000 persons die due to excessive smoking. The professor accused that the tobacco companies have programmes to make the people addicted

Sri Lanka foreign policy pendulum swings from India to China this time

2011-05-21T12:04:00.000+05:30

(May 21, 2011, Lanka Polity) As soon as the official visit to India ended without apparent success, Sri Lanka Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris will leave for an official tour in China on May 23. The Foreign Minister's tour is on an invitation of his counterpart in China, Sri Lanka Ministry of External Affairs say. Minister Peiris is to have bilateral talks with the Foreign

What a time bomb Sri Lanka's Eastern Province Chief Minister Pillaiyan is sitting on!

2011-05-20T17:25:00.001+05:30

(May 20, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka government sources say that the Tamil People's Liberation Tigers (TMVP) party led by Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan agreed to corporate with the government further as TMVP delegation met the President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday. The TMVP leader and the Chief Minister raised the problems he and his party men were facing. A

Why military style leadership training for university students of Sri Lanka?

2011-05-19T05:19:00.000+05:30

(May 19, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the so called 'leadership and positive attitude training course' of the new intake of university students on May 23. The Ministry of Higher Education has made this course compulsory for the students. One who fails to follow this course without valid reason cannot enter into a university to follow a formal course.

Elections for the rest of the local government bodies to be held on same day in Sri Lanka

2011-05-10T19:49:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka Election Secretariat says that the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils will take action to hold the elections for all the remaining local government authorities on the same day. However, the Ministry has not been affirmative of the wish of the Election Secretariat yet. Sri Lanka government did not call for nominations for 23 local government bodies including capital

Executive Summary: Report of the Advisory panel of experts on accountability in Sri Lanka Allegations found credible by the Panel

2011-04-18T09:09:00.002+05:30

The Panel’s determination of credible allegations reveals a very different version of the final stages of the war than that maintained to this day by the Government of Sri Lanka. The Government says it pursued a "humanitarian rescue operation" with a policy of "zero civilian casualties". In stark contrast, the Panel found credible allegations, which if proven, indicate that a wide range of

Climate change is the straw that breaks the capitalist camel's back

2011-02-07T19:40:00.001+05:30

(February 07, 2011, Lanka Polity) Asian Development Bank has launched a project to improve the understanding of climate-induced migration, and stimulate policy debate on how to tackle the anticipated movement of millions of people due to changing weather patterns in the coming years. ADB says that the ultimate aim of this is to encourage the adoption of responsible, foresighted policies and

What is there to celebrate so much in the independence of Sri Lanka?

2011-02-05T16:10:00.000+05:30

(February 05, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka celebrated the 63rd Independance Day at Katharama, with retarded elegance. The dusty road, the hurriedly half painted lamp posts with newly pasted election posters on them and the shabbily clad ordinary sectators depicted the under-development of the area. The writer cannot guess what this country could look like now if it did not come under the

Sharing experiences of Sri Lanka's war against terror

2011-01-30T08:57:00.000+05:30

(January 30, 2011, Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka is to hold an international seminar to share experience on its victorious fight against terror. The details of the seminar was revealed recently by the Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya at a media conference held in the Army Headquarters. The international seminar is to be held on May 31, June 1st and 2nd of 2011 at Colombo Galadari Hotel

Galle Literary Festival that has no Galle

2011-01-23T10:34:00.002+05:30

(January 23, 2011, Lanka Polity) Galle Literary Festival (GLF) will begin this week for the fifth time. Noam Chomsky, Arundhati Roy and a few other writers together with Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF) have urged the writers to keep away from the GLF due to alleged Freedom of Expression issues in Sri Lanka. Most of the Sri Lankan writers actually keep away from GLF every year not because of

An eye witness describes the cowardly attack against Dr. Vickramabahu on December 17

2011-01-07T20:37:00.001+05:30

(January 07, 2011, Lanka Polity) I was informed by Dr Vickramabahu Karunarathne that he has been invited to participate in the 88th Birthday Remembrance celebration of Pro. Reg Goodwin, a former Dean of Darwin College of Cambridge University, held on 04th December. I knew that Vickramabahu as one, who read for his Ph.D (Electro Magnetic theory) at Cambridge during Goodwin's tennre, accepted an

Bitter story of sugar of Booker Tate to be re-written in Sri Lanka

2011-01-06T06:22:00.001+05:30

(January 06, 201, Lanka Polity, Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe) Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BoI) says that British firm Booker Tate is to come to an agreement this month to invest US$ 110 million to establish a sugar factory in Moneragala. Environmental Impact Assessment is being carried out now, reports say. Booker Tate, a subsidiary of Tsb Sugar International, will be collaborating with IMS

Jaffna sees millions of Sinhala visitors in addition to the Army but no real peace

2010-12-31T23:57:00.001+05:30

Minister Devananda with a family member of slain Zonal Education Director Manikkam Sivalingam (January 01, 2011) A senior official of Sri Lanka Army said recently to Sinhala daily The Divaina that 2.8 million people from southern parts of the island visited Jaffna before the final days of the year.. With the expected 200,000 year end holiday travelers, the official anticipated the total number

How people starve in India as food stocks rot

2010-10-20T22:01:00.000+05:30

By Bharat Jhunjhunwala The Statesman/ANN THE country’s food grain stock is 60 million tons which is nearly three times the required buffer. We have storage capacity for only 52 million tons. About seven million tons are rotting in the open. At least six million tons have already become unfit for human consumption. The surplus is likely to increase further in the coming months. The monsoon crop

Sinhalese displaced from Jaffna and Tamils displaced from the rest of the island

2010-10-11T06:19:00.003+05:30

(October 11, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity, Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe) Lanka, irrespective whether it is Jaffna or Hambanthota is a multi-ethnic multi-religious country since times known. A minority Sinhalese community lived in Jaffna before the escalation of hostilities in 1980s. Famous stories say they ran the bakery business there. Several university dons, namely Sucharitha Gamlath and Sunil

Make schools places where love is distributed to the most needed instead of being melting pots of stress and competition

2010-10-03T09:20:00.000+05:30

(October 03, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity, Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe)Sri Lanka government has announced that legal action will be taken in future against the parents of the children that are not attending schools. A recent survey of the Census and Statics Department pointed out that around 250,000 children do not attend schools despite education plus text books and uniforms are provided free of

The decay of the capitalist class and the rise of the wealthy elite in Sri Lanka

2010-09-27T06:41:00.000+05:30

(September 27, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity, Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe) Sri Lanka' ruling party MP Rajitha Senarathna, a liberal democrat converted into dictatorial worshipper said to The Sunday Observer newspaper that the capitalist class has lost faith in the United National Party (UNP). "They are also working very closely with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government." he said adding "

Sri Lanka's hand picked democracy; what an amendment to what a constitution!

2010-09-23T07:24:00.000+05:30

(September 23, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity, Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe)Today, the 23rd of September is a crucial day for Sri Lanka. The time frame given to the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader to appoint members for the five-member parliament committee will end today and the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa will appoint the two Tamil and Muslim representatives for the committee in accordance with

Sri Lanka's cultural custodians blast historical sites for treasure hunting

2010-09-22T12:42:00.000+05:30

(September 22, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Nine persons including the Assistant Superintendent of Police of Vakarai were arrested by police when they were fleeing after attempting treasure hunting in Polonnaruwa. The group had been treasure hunting in a place close to Siripura temple of Polonnaruwa in the night of 20th. The villagers that came to know about the crime, sounded the bell of the

Sri Lanka is no more a destination of cheap labor for investors

2010-09-19T12:03:00.000+05:30

(September 19, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity - Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe) Sri Lanka appears no more an oasis of cheap labor for foreign investors in manual labor is prime. That is not because the majority of Sri Lankans have better living standards now. The reason is that life conditions are so difficult that a few rupees thrown by factory owners as salary cannot save them from misery. Reports say

Burning polythene; a burning health issue in dengue prevention campaign of Sri Lanka

2010-09-14T08:29:00.000+05:30

(September 14, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's health officials, mainly the persons deployed in dengue prevention campaigns, advocate burning of waste plastic and polythene. Despite rhetoric of the Ministry of Environment, proper methods of disposal of polythene and plastic waste are unavailable in most parts of the country. Therefore people are prompted to burn polythene and plastic

The development bubble of Sri Lanka is on top of a debt bubble

2010-09-07T06:53:00.000+05:30

(September 07, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) "The country has been liberated for more than 15 months but has not recoded any significant large scale private investment, which is puzzling. The government and the private sector have to come on to a common ground in order to achieve a high economic growth, the mind sets of both has to be one in order to gain an economic victory," John Keells

Replacing one flawed amendment by another flawed amendment (constitutional reforms of Sri Lanka)

2010-09-06T11:23:00.000+05:30

By Sunmanasiri Liyanage (September 04, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) May be due to the fact that they have to cater to the exigencies of the power hungry and powerful politicians, legal draftsmen/women have oftentimes been careless in drafting legislations, particularly the constitutional amendment bills. This is evident when one has a cursory glance at the drafts of the 13th Amendment and the

Protest mounting against 18th amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka

2010-09-04T12:17:00.000+05:30

New UNP parliamentarian Manusha Nanayakkara is the latest in the line up to strengthen the hands of the Rajapaksas (September 04, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) No valid argument is available to prove that the 18th amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka will not further the draconian powers of the executive President at which the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa as well frowned before

Essay: A friend indeed (How moral is profit?)

2010-09-03T07:16:00.000+05:30

By Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe He was my childhood friend. In fact, we are relatives. It is normal that most of us in the village are related to each other in some way. We lived in a beautiful, traditional village in tropical Sri Lanka. There is no hill top in our village surrounding that our explorative young feet missed to climb. No stream was shy to provide us a pool to quench our sweat soaked

Sri Lanka, China Form Strategic Shield against the West

2010-09-03T03:56:00.000+05:30

FRIDA GHITIS | 02 SEP 2010WORLD POLITICS REVIEW COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- On a steamy afternoon in the Sri Lankan capital, if you glance across the water at Colombo's legendary Galle Face Green seaside promenade, past the spray of the Indian Ocean, you can make out a milky line of giant cargo ships at the point where the sky blends with the sea. That ocean traffic on the horizon, those dashes of gray

Cheap labour from IDPs of Sri Lanka changing the labour terrain

2010-08-29T07:44:00.000+05:30

By Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe (August 29, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Working class of Sri Lanka is facing new challenges following the defeat of the Tamil liberation struggle and the capitalist re-unification of the state structure. In the latest development, the garment factory owners struggling to survive amidst the loss of GSP Plus tax concessions from European Union are in a mass

The article that made The Economist barred entry to Sri Lanka

2010-08-21T21:52:00.000+05:30

(August 21, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity)The following article was published in 'The Economist' on August 19. It is a half-baked unprofessional journalistic piece, that portrays half truth regarding present situation in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. But it is published in prestigious The Economist that can have an influence in the minds of the possible investors in Sri Lanka. Overall

A massive online campaign by the Avaaz community in Brazil won a stunning victory against corruption.

2010-08-19T19:26:00.000+05:30

(August 19, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) This is an email received by us and it describes a people's struggle in Brazil that achieved victory. The "clean record" law was a bold proposal that banned any politician convicted of crimes like corruption and money laundering from running for office. With nearly 25% of the Congress under investigation for corruption, most said it would never pass.

Being positive of Sri Lanka government's KP operation

2010-08-13T13:58:00.000+05:30

(August 07, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) According to pro-government Business Today of Sri Lanka, 'Kumaran Pathmanathan was the international chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE). He was the mastermind behind the arms procurement, shipping and financial networks of the LTTE abroad.' Notably, he is not linked in with any direct crime like the assassination of former Indian Prime

Who fathered Sakvithi, the Sri Lankan fraudster

2010-08-07T16:00:00.001+05:30

Sakvithi poses a photo with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He is believed to taken to meet him by senior journalist Edwin Ariyadasa who was an accomplice of Sakvithi. Ariyadasa is also in this photo (August 07, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Many may get angry when we start this piece saying that Sri Lanka's ill-famous fraudster Sakvithi Ranasinghe was a past student of D.S. Senanayaka

Rajiv Gandhi murder suspect KP to be granted amnesty by Sri Lanka government

2010-07-30T07:01:00.001+05:30

(July 30, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Indian Supreme Court has rejected the plea for release of four key conspirators in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case who had claimed that the investigation was flawed as the alleged role of tantrik Chandraswami and 21 others were not probed. A Bench of justices VS Sirpurkar and Mukundakam Sharma refused to interfere with the Madras high court judgement

Is LTTE ideologue Balakumar dead or alive?

2010-07-28T06:53:00.000+05:30

(July 28, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Velupillai Balakumar or Balakumaran was the one time leader of Ealam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS). He was also a member of Sri Lanka parliament for a brief period. In late 1980s or early 1990s, he split the EROS and joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) with a number of his associates. He is believed an influential adviser

The controversial interview of Sri Lanka Ambassador of Israel

2010-07-23T17:58:00.000+05:30

(July 23, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Donald Perera saw the blood-soaked stretcher carrying the body of Velupillai Prabhakaran being transported through the jungle, but he was not calm. Air Chief Marshal Perera, the Sri Lankan chief of staff at the time, had been chasing after the leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels who had terrorized his country for over 30 years. He wanted to make certain that

Sri Lanka indigenous people's struggle for identity

2010-07-22T00:53:00.000+05:30

(July 22, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka government led by the majority community Sinhalese and all the other major ethnic communities may like to have negligible minority Vedda People in this country. Vedda people never have posed a threat to any other community in the post-independence Sri Lanka. On the other hand, they have primitive living conditions with no heritage of owning

Sri Lanka President's miraculous initiative on English as a Life Skill

2010-07-20T07:53:00.000+05:30

(July 20, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) The second phase of the Presidential initiative on English as a Life Skill programme was launched yesterday at a ceremony held in the President’s official residence Temple Trees. The programme promotes English Language Skills, especially speaking and communication skills across the country with the guidance and support of the Presidential Task Force on

Lost and found; the Horton Plains slender loris

2010-07-19T07:11:00.000+05:30

(July 19, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) A mysterious primate driven to the brink of extinction by Britain's taste for tea has been photographed for the first time. The Horton Plains slender loris, found only in Sri Lanka, was for more than 60 years believed to be extinct. Then one was spotted fleetingly in 2002 when a light shone in its eyes and was reflected. Researchers have now managed to get

Barbarian Reef coral algae will make the sperm of sub-fertile males move fast

2010-07-18T17:45:00.000+05:30

Barbarian Reef (July 18, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka Industrial Technology Institute has discovered a herbal drug that can cure sub-fertility of males. This drug can make the slow moving sperm move fast. A research team of the herbal plants division of the Industrial Technology Institute has conducted experiments in regard of a red algae found in the coastal areas of Beruwala in

Electoral reforms or state reforms? Listen to minority communities of Sri Lanka

2010-07-17T18:32:00.000+05:30

(July 17, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity)A dialogue is underway between the President and the major opposition United National Party (UNP) regarding the constitutional reforms. This dialogue can at least have an impact on the President Mahinda Rajapaksa's possible backward moves to guarantee a royal future for his son Namal Rajapaksa as his uncontested successor. Opposition can push the President

Sri Lanka cabinet's Kilinochchi show and the message delivered to Tamils

2010-07-15T04:02:00.002+05:30

(July 15, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa held a meeting of his cabinet in Kilinochchi in the heart of the former rebel-held territory sitting comfortably in Kilinochchi headquarters of the security forces in close proximity to Iranawila reservoir on which late Tiger theoretician Anton Balasingham landed the sea plane he was travelling from Maldives. The venue

BTI made in Sri Lanka and dengue epidemic

2010-07-13T11:56:00.001+05:30

(July 13, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's Sinhala daily The Divaina newspaper reported today that 1073 dengue patients were diagnosed island wide during the week from July 02 to 09 and four of them died. The number of deaths caused by dengue so far this year is 140. The Ministry of Health seems totally incapable to arrest the outbreak. The only practical programme they appear to have

No killings, abductions, arrests and assaults against journalists but threats in June in Sri Lanka

2010-07-12T05:23:00.000+05:30

(July 12, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Following is the report regarding press freedom in the month of June in Sri Lanka issued by a media organization and we believe this report is sent to international organizations to base on these facts in lobbying for freedom of expression. Although there are no killings, abductions, arrests and assaults, the report is full of other incidents. Monthly

Duminda Silva and his 400 pink colour shirts

2010-07-09T07:04:00.001+05:30

(July 09, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Duminda Silva is a youth MP of Sri Lanka parliament. He is the younger brother of Raynor Silva, a businessman owns several radio stations. One of these radio channel was shut due to dissemination of a wrong news regarding a terrorist attack in the home district of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Duminda Silva was a Provincial Councilor of the opposition

Is Sarath Fonseka having discussions to join the government?

2010-07-08T06:46:00.001+05:30

(July 07, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's Sinhala nationalist daily newspaper the Divaina reported today that an opposition party leader is discussing with a powerful government Minister to join the government. The news story is written by a well-informed journalist Piyasena Disanayaka who has close links with political elite. He has not pointed out any name but says that a senior UNP

Sri Lanka finds out an enemy in (Ban Ki-)Moon

2010-07-07T06:10:00.001+05:30

(July 07, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity )Many Russians feel real psychological comfort in feeling surrounded by the enemy. For politicians, it can also be used as a means of evading responsibility. I remember a conversation I had with a journalist some time ago, who reported listening in on a cabinet meeting with Fidel Castro at a time when Cuba had long been the subject of an American naval

Has Karuna or the government of Sri Lanka right to retain the houses built by displaced Muslims in Puttlam?

2010-07-05T00:31:00.008+05:30

(July 05, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity)"If the Muslims displaced from Jaffna needed to resettle in their home town again, they would have to return the permanent buildings they have constructed (in the long term refugee camps they lived)." Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, ex-Eastern Commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) 'terrorist' movement and now the Deputy

Can Sri Lanka monk party get Russia and China to veto Ban Ki Moon?

2010-07-04T12:16:00.002+05:30

(July 04, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) In the present international political context especially related to Sri Lanka, anything seems possible. Sri Lanka once managed to defeat a proposal supported by mighty nations to investigate war crimes during the last phase of war at the Human Rights Council of UN. It is somehow eluding any punitive action of the international community regarding the human

Blaming in Sinhala and apologizing in formal English in Sri Lankan politics

2010-07-04T00:30:00.000+05:30

(July 04, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka government may tender an apology to the United Nations (UN) over comments made by government Minister Wimal Weerawansa urging the public to surround the UN office in Colombo and prevent the staff from leaving the premises in protest over the UN panel appointed by UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, UN spokesman Farhan Haq said responding to a

The stenching local government politics of Sri Lanka

2010-07-03T12:23:00.000+05:30

(July 03, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Politics in local governmental bodies of Sri Lanka was for respected elites of the towns and villages one time. The payments made by the local councils, if there was any, was not the living of these leaders. Instead, many considered politics in local governments a social service. Now, that phenomenon is history. Today, the local government is also gone to

MPs be careful! Speeches in Sri Lanka parliament to go online immediately

2010-07-02T05:13:00.000+05:30

(July 02, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Once in a blue moon, the ruling party of Sri Lanka also moots some commendable proposals. For example, a proposal has been mooted by the ruling party suggesting that the speeches delivered by the parliamentarians should be released online immediately. The proposal has been submitted to the Speaker by the Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardhana on behalf

Stop labor rights violations in the apparel sector of Sri Lanka and comply with ILO standards to protect US GSP

2010-07-02T04:22:00.000+05:30

-Trade Union Confederation (July 02, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) The US government has accepted a petition to review the US GSP status enjoyed by Sri Lanka. The American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) filed the petition. Sri Lanka is now at the brink of losing both EU and US GSP regimes. The Republic of Maldives lost its US GSP due to such complaints at

Sri Lanka getting more violent and self-disastrous against UN

2010-07-01T05:21:00.000+05:30

(July 01, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka is resorting to more violent and self-disastrous methods to deal with the war crime charges raised by international community against the rulers. Instead of handling the issue directly with the UN in framework of international politics, the government of Sri Lanka is seeking statements from other countries that can be manipulated to pressure the

Killing beggars and disabled; Sri Lanka's new found solution for poverty

2010-06-30T06:56:00.000+05:30

(June 30, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka's ruling family boasts they would make this country 'the wonder of Asia.' It is already true in some aspects. Sri Lanka is a poor country where the new found solution for poverty is 'killing beggars.' An organized group that is ubiquitous and elusive to police in Colombo and suburbs is in a killing spree of beggars whilst no one raises voice

What play does Sri Lanka have in between Russia and Ukraine?

2010-06-29T06:51:00.001+05:30

(June 29, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to leave for an official tour in Ukraine today. The official visit is scheduled from June 29 to July 2, 2010, This is the first time a Sri Lankan President and a state head of the South Asian region pays an official visit to Ukraine, local media reported. The Sri Lanka President is to hold bilateral talks with

An Indian who was to be disappeared in Sri Lanka found killed

2010-06-28T20:58:00.000+05:30

(June 28, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) An Inspector of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was arrested by police as he, in connivance with a Colombo businessman dumped a body of a slain Indian national in Munadalama in Puttlam district in Northwestern Province of Sri Lanka. The suspected CID officer, reported Chandana Silva and Colombo 06, Big Banana restaurant owner Mariyanayagam Lesley

Sri Lanka government takes control of the construction of shrines with purposes of domination

2010-06-25T09:57:00.000+05:30

A Buddhist temple in Kilinochchi (June 25, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka government has decided to ban construction of religious places of worship around the country without permission. The reason cited by the government is that these shrines cause religious conflicts. According to new regulations, if anyone needs to build a religious places of worship in certain place, the person

No elections close by in Sri Lanka; regime imposes heavy taxes on food commodities to prevent bankruptcy

2010-06-23T07:32:00.000+05:30

(June 23, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Sri Lanka government today increased the price of wheat flour in local market by imposing a new tax of Rs. 10 per kilo. Wheat flour is considered an essential commodity and the price is controlled. Accordingly, Sri Lanka’s major flour retailer Prima increased price of a kilo of flour by Rs. 10.50. The price of a kilo of flour sold by Prima will be

GSP Plus extension conditional, says EU; Sri Lanka to lose the free ride

2010-06-22T18:32:00.000+05:30

(June 22, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Press Office of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives issuing a press release said today that the reports on the GSP Plus concessions to Sri Lanka stating that the benefit would be offered to Sri Lanka unconditionally was not true. The European Union says that the date of 15 August on which Sri Lanka would cease to benefit

Setting fire to Tamil silver screen in Sri Lanka

2010-06-20T06:15:00.000+05:30

(June 20, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) A fresh terrorist organization calling themselves ‘Democratic Tamil People’ sent warning letters to the cinemas in Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka banning screening Indian Tamil movies in the cinemas anywhere in the two Tamil speaking Provinces. Meanwhile, an unknown group believed to belong to the same ‘Democratic Tamil People’ set fire to a

Sri Lankan workers to have one more holiday; the Victory Day

2010-06-19T00:17:00.001+05:30

(June 19, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka is to have war victory celebrations every year on May 18 and the government will have to become the day another holiday. Sri Lanka already has 25 public holidays and the number will increase to 26, if the victory celebration day is added to the list. The victory celebrations in massive scale cannot be conducted without proclaiming the day a

What victory are we celebrating in Sri Lanka?

2010-06-18T10:57:00.000+05:30

(June 18, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Sri Lanka celebrates the war victory marked by killing of Tamil rebel leader Velupillai Prabakaran on May 18, 2009 a year and a month later. The victory celebrations were postponed a month ago since the floods displaced around half a million people, a large number from Colombo itself. Yesterday an ethnic Sinhala man was arrested by police for enlarging a

Sri Lanka further into the debt crisis

2010-06-16T06:57:00.000+05:30

(June 16, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) 'Sri Lanka government has plans to sell $275 million of dollar-denominated bonds locally this month to pay for maturing debt. Three months ago, Sri Lanka failed to raise a targeted $100 million through a debt auction. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka will issue $175 million of two-year debt and $100 million of three-year paper, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka regime's ugly game in between India and China

2010-06-14T05:28:00.000+05:30

(June 14, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) 'Though the Tiger is no more and Lankan Tamils are cowed, Indian Tamils and Diaspora Tamils together can still pose a formidable challenge to Colombo. And their capacity to do so will remain so long as the problems of the Lankan Tamils are unresolved." -Thisaranee Gunasekara evaluating the outcome of the IIFA-2010 Bollywood award ceremony held in June in

Basilian neo-liberalism, Mahindian nationalism and high level Sovereign Rating Committee of Sri Lanka

2010-06-12T12:30:00.003+05:30

(June 12, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has initiated a programme to take the necessary steps to upgrade the country’s sovereign rating. The significance of this move is that the government has moved further in the Basilian doctrine of neo-liberalism and it has appointed top officials of Indian company and and a local agent of a multi national consortium into

Will state capitalism be a solution to global crisis of the capitalism?

2010-06-10T04:54:00.001+05:30

(June 10, 2010, Colombo - Lanka Polity) We reproduce this column written by Dr. Wickramabahu Karunarathna to LakbimaNews since it is one of the very rare occasions the leftist activists of Sri Lanka attempt to address the core political issues rather than the day to day economic struggles. As far as we have understood, Dr. Wickramabahu seems to say that state regulation of the capitalist system