LTTE officially announces restructure process: Selvarasa
Pathmanathan heads the Organisation
2009-07-21 | 10.40 PM
“The Executive Committee of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,
wishes to officially let our beloved Tamil people and the international
community know that Mr Selvarasa Pathmanathan, who had been
appointed as Head of International Relations by our National Leader, will
lead us into the next steps of our freedom struggle according to the vision
of our esteemed leader”, said LTTE’s Executive Committee in a press
statement released today.
We have received information that an organized group of people are attempting to publicize that the story carried under the above headline on July 11th around 7 p.m. by Lanka News Web is false.
This group’s claim that the story is a fabrication is based on the photograph of Namal Rajapakse that appeared alongside the article. The group is now engaged in circulating e-mails carrying various arguments based on this story.
IMF Announces Staff-Level Agreement with
Sri Lanka on US$ 2.5 Billion Stand-By Arrangement
2009-07-21 | 7.10 PM
Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement on Sri Lanka today:
"An IMF staff mission reached agreement with the Sri Lankan authorities on an economic program that could be supported by a 20-month Stand-By Arrangement for an amount equivalent to SDR 1.65 billion (about US$2.5 billion). The program is expected to be considered by the Executive Board on July 24. The approval by the Executive Board would enable Sri Lanka to draw an amount equivalent to SDR 206.7 million (about US$313 million) immediately.
The websites the Sri Lanka government accuses of 'slinging mud' at it will face a situation that they 'will be automatically shut down.'
Media spokesman on National Security Minister Keheliya Rambukwella made the warning as reported by the defense reporter of the state-owned Dinamina Sinhala daily.
Persons who gave tip off on narcotics scam still in remand
2009-07-21 | 11.00 AM
Courts have acted to hold the two individuals who gave the tip off on the attempt to smuggle in narcotics hidden in plastic potatoes to the country in remand without any charges being leveled against them.
Mohomad Azwer and Hazeen Mohomad Azath tipped off the authorities on the plan to smuggle in narcotics to Sri Lanka from Pakistan in a container carrying potatoes. The narcotics were being smuggled in inside 43 plastic potatoes hidden in a load of 30,000 kilos of potatoes imported from Pakistan.
Cabinet approves request to change Muslim marriage law
2009-07-21 | 11.00 AM
Cabinet has granted permission to appoint a sub committee by the Justice Ministry to study the development of the Kathi Court and introduce reforms to the existing Muslim marriage law.
Sri Lankan journalists overseas form new organization
2009-07-21 | 11.00 AM
Sinhalese and Tamil journalists currently living overseas formed a new organization called Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka in Berlin, Germany on the 18th.
About 20 Sri Lankan journalists living in Western European countries like Germany, England, France, Switzerland and Austria gathered in Berlin and after holding a day long discussion, formed the new organization.
IN THE KINGDOM OF THE BLIND A PERSON WITH ONE EYE IS A KING. THAT HAS BEEN HOW NIVARD CABRAL HAS BEEN SURVIVING IN THE RECENT PAST. VERY WELL KNOWING THAT THE RAJAPAKSE’S DON’T UNDERSTAND HEAD OR TAIL OF DEBITS AND CREDITS NIVARD THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN STEALTHILY LYING THRU THE WAR PERIOD CONNING LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE.
UNP begins discussions to form consensus based on “unitary state - bhoomiputhra” proposal
2009-07-20 | 6.35 PM
The UNP has decided to hold discussions with other opposition political parties to form a common consensus in the opposition based on the bhoomiputhra economic policies to develop the country.
The policy statement titled “Give meaning to our land – a republic instead of a kingdom” was prepared by the UNP’s Political Affairs Committee headed by party Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya and received the approval of the Working Committee chaired by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Hakeem, Mangala and Mano object to UNP’s “unitary state – bhoomiputhra” proposal
2009-07-20 | 6.35 PM
SLMC sources say that SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera and DPF Leader Mano Ganeshan have objected to certain areas in the UNP’s “unitary state – bhoomiputhra” proposal to form a broad opposition consensus.
The five page set of proposals prepared by the UNP’s Political Affairs Committee on forming a broad opposition political consensus that received Working Committee approval was presented to the SLMC Leader by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe last week. A special discussion on the proposals was held between the UNP Leader and the SLMC.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaske has decided to make changes and reorganize certain sections of the army following the retirement of General Sarath Fonseka. As a first step, the Defence Secretary has appointed new officers to 31 positions in the army.
A senior official of the Defence Ministry Media Unit told Lanka News Web that although the Defence Secretary intended to reorganize the army after the end of the war, he could not do so due to objections raised by Fonseka. The reorganization programme is now expected to be successfully completed under the new Army Chief.
Senior army officers to retire in protest over new appointments
2009-07-20 | 6.35 PM
A senior official at the Defence Ministry told Lanka News Web that a group of senior army officers have decided to retire in protest due to the ignorance of seniority when appointing the new Army Chief and the allegedly unreasonable changes made in the top posts in the force recently.
While the Chief of Defence Staff post has always been filled by forces personnel who have retired, General Sarath Fonseka has now become the first Chief of Defence Staff to be appointed while in active service. Therefore, Fonseka remains number one in the army’s seniority list.
A senior UNP parliamentarian told Lanka News Web that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had clearly stated that a solution to the Tamil people’s problem could not be found through a federal administrative structure.
The Opposition Leader had made this statement during a discussion held on Friday (17) morning with SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem and SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera where they were presented with the “unitary and bhoomiputhra policy proposals” approved by the UNP’s Working Committee recently.
Chairman, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, Karunasena Hettiarachchi says a case has been filed in court against former UNP parliamentarian and current UPFA Gampaha Organizer Olitha Premaratne for allegedly filling the stream and marshy land near the Lanka Washing Unit factory in Liyanagemulla, Seeduwa.
Hettiarachchi had in letter bearing number LE/uf/06 2008-08-26 called for an immediate halt on the land filling done without permission in complete violation of Clause 2Ca(1) of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation Act. The Corporation had been compelled to resort to legal action since Premaratne did not comply with the request to halt the land filling.
Labour Minister Mervyn Silva had intervened to get Astrologer Chandrasiri Bandara released from the CID, which was holding him in custody after receiving a detention order, Bandara’s family members said.
Addressing a workshop at the UNP’s Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) headquarters, Bandara had predicted that the President would enter a bad period after September 9, 2009 and that Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake would suddenly assume duties as President in a similar manner in which President D.B. Wijetunge assumed office. He had also predicted that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the UNP too would enter a good period.
Decision will be made on the ICRC’s operations in the north says Samarasinghe
2009-07-19 | 9.00 PM
Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe says that a decision on the role of the ICRC in the north could only be taken after receiving a report on the organization’s future action plan.
The Minister made this statement in response to a query by the Ravaya newspaper whether the government announcement about limiting the ICRC’s operations in the east was applicable to other international NGOs.
Eastern Provincial Health, Sports and Technology Minister, A.L.M. Hizbullah says that neither he nor the other provincial councilors from the governing party elected to the Eastern Provincial Council have the power to make decisions and implement them in the Province without the consent of the Eastern Provincial Governor.
Hizbullah says that owing to the undue interference by Eastern Provincial Governor, Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickrema into the affairs of the provincial council, the powers vested with the council by the 13th amendment to the Constitution could not be implemented in the Eastern Provincial Council.
Former CJ’s loyalist removed as Judicial Services Commission Secretary
2009-07-19 | 9.00 PM
Judicial Services Commission Secretary, P.W.D.C. Jayathileka, who is closely associated with former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, has been removed from his post with immediate effect. Chandra Jayathileka has been appointed as the Post and Telecommunications Ministry Secretary by the President.
Jayathileka was serving as a senior judge in the Court of Appeal when he was appointed as the Judicial Services Commission Secretary on a proposal made by the former chief justice seven years ago.
India on Friday said it has asked Sri Lanka to take "effective measures" to address the concerns of displaced Tamils, as relations between the two neighbours would hinge on the issue.
Fonseka’s statement puts Foreign Minister in difficulty
2009-07-18 | 3.30 PM
A senior Foreign Ministry official told Lanka News Web that irresponsible comments made by former Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka in the past few days put Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in a difficult spot during his visit to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Egypt. Fonseka recently stated that the military had to overlook the traditional rules of war and even kill LTTE rebels who came to surrender carrying white flags during the war against the LTTE.
Many foreign ministers and diplomats who attended the NAM summit had inquired after the statements made by Fonseka from Bogollagama on the sidelines of the summit. They have further said that killing those who try to surrender in a war amounts to a war crime.
Navy chief Karannagoda lost post following Navy Sampath’s confession
2009-07-18 | 3.30 PM
A senior government minister told Lanka News Web that the statement given by Lieutenant Commander Sampath Munasinghe alias Navy Sampath against the Navy Chief Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) has played a key role in sending Karannagoda on early retirement.
Lieutenant Commander Sampath Munasinghe was Karannagoda’s personal security officer. Munasinghe’s statement to the CCD said that Karannagoda had asked him to find details about then Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka and Civil Defence Force Chief Admiral Sarath Weerasekera and to assassinate five journalists closely associated with Fonseka.
13th amendment needs to be strengthened – Ven. Samitha Thero
2009-07-18 | 3.30 PM
Member, Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and former parliamentarian, Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thero has said that while the LSSP and the Communist Party supported the 13th amendment to the Constitution introduced by President J.R. Jayewardene, the SLFP boycotted the first provincial council election and the JVP unleashed a period of terror against the amendment.
Ven. Samitha Thero made this comment during a discussion with several media personnel recently.
Serious incidents that have taken place during the past few weeks has delayed the opening of the A9 route, months after the military has secured areas in the north after defeating the LTTE rebels, reliable sources said.
The most serious incident had taken place on the 9th of this months when a claymore targeting a military vehicle had exploded on the A9 route in the Oddusudan area. The explosion had killed an Army captain and two soldiers.
Woman who complained against Anti Narcotics Bureau receives death threats
2009-07-18 | 3.30 PM
A woman from Madapatha, Piliyandala has complained to the Police Headquarters that her son was tortured by a group of police officers headed by Sub Inspector Rangajeeva from the Anti Narcotics Bureau. The woman has complained that the group after entering her house had tied her son’s hands and applied chili powder in his eyes before asking him to crawl on the floor till he passed urine.
The person taken into protective custody by the Police Anti Narcotics Bureau after torturing him is 31 year old Nirmala Atapattu.
UNP to form broad political consensus based on new policies
2009-07-17 | 12.05 PM
The UNP Working Committee has approved the report submitted by a committee headed by Gamini Jayawickrema Perera on a directive by the party’s Political Affairs Committee on the policies to be adopted in forming a broad political consensus among the opposition.
The report after receiving approval by the Political Affairs Committee presided by Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya on Wednesday (15) morning was presented to the Working Committee chaired by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe in the evening. Party Spokesperson Gayantha Karunathileka told Lanka News Web that the report received approval following a lengthy discussion on the matter.
SLT incurs over a billion rupee loss in launching IPTV
2009-07-17 | 12.05 PM
Trade unions attached to Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) charged that the institution has incurred a loss amounting to over a billon rupees in importing equipment to carry out the IPTV satellite TV as a joint venture with the Just in Time Group.
The sources said that the head of the Just in Time Group, Jith Warnakulasuriya has been issued with a Rs. 600 million fine by the Sri Lanka Customs for an alleged tax fraud by him when importing technical equipment for the IPTVC project.
UNP accepts SB’s proposal on unitary state concept
2009-07-17 | 12.05 PM
A proposal made to the Gamini Jayawickrema Perera committee by UNP National Organizer S.B. Dissanayake - who is hopeful of becoming the common candidate of the opposition at the next presidential election if Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe decides not to contest the election – has received unanimous approval by the UNP’s Political Affairs Committee and the Working Committee.
Dissanayake’s proposal was for the party to accept the unitary state concept.
Special police protection for Sajith provided by the President
2009-07-17 | 12.05 PM
The request made by UNP Hambantota District parliamentarian, Sajith Premadasa, for additional security due to the threat to his life by a person interested in his wife, Jalani, has received a positive response, the Lanka News Web learns.
The President, acting on Premadasa’s request, has deployed two sub inspectors from the VIP security division along with two police officers to his security contingent.
The Sri Lankan government is continuing its offensive against the independent news media, blocking domestic access to a news Web site and smearing lawyers who are representing a leading newspaper.
"The government is continuing to silence its critics through harassment and threats. Authorities should end their anti-media policies, and they can start by restoring access to independent news Web sites and halting attacks on their critics," said Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia program coordinator. The government launched aggressive efforts to curb independent media in 2006--at the same time it began an all-out military effort to defeat the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). On May 19, the government formally declared an end to the 25-year civil war.
Open Letter to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa
2009-07-16 | 9.15 PM
International Press Freedom Mission to Sri Lanka
The International Press Freedom Mission to Sri Lanka, which is comprised of representatives from the world’s media community, including Reporters Without Borders, is extremely concerned over the ongoing spate of violent attacks against the media. However, in spite of the military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the deterioration of the press freedom situation in the country has continued.
We welcome your recent statement ensuring the safety of Tamil-language media outlets following a series of harrowing attacks and death threats against their personnel.
Wimal advises the President to fight the underworld
2009-07-16 | 12.05 PM
Reports have now surfaced that the government’s newly launched operation to wipe out the underworld is in fact aimed at eliminating members of the underworld associated with the UNP.
It is learnt that the operations has been launched with the initiation of National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader, Wimal Weerawansa, who recently joined the government. The main plan it is alleged is to conduct a crackdown on underworld figures associated with the UNP and to assassinate them during an “accidental” shoot out by the police.
It was Ranil who fired the first shot which started the LTTE disintegration – S.B.
2009-07-16 | 2.35 PM
….refutes ‘UNP on the decline’ statement attributed to him
Mr. S. B. Dissanayake, leader of the opposition of the Central Provincial Council addressing a meeting of the United Professionals Group in Colombo recently , said, the first shot that set in motion the disintegration of the LTTE was fired by Ranil Wickremesinghe when he was Prime Minister. It was the Cease Fire Agreement entered into by Ranil with the LTTE in February 2002 that marked the beginning of the end of the LTTE. The extensive and exclusive security network excellently co- ordinated internationally baulked LTTE’s smuggling activities and clandestine operations whereby its Int. chain was effectively disrupted.
Who is punished and who is not…… in the hands of the Government………
2009-07-16 | 12.05 PM
It was the “all powerful” Minister of Labour, “Dr.” Mervin Silva who said “Lasantha from the Leader paper went overboard. I took care of him. Poddala agitated and his leg was broken. Now a fellow in my electorate is trying to stand against me. I now tell him in his own hometown, I will give him only seven more days. If he does not resign as chairman of the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha, don’t blame me later on. You’ll don’t find fault with me. If this fellow goes against what I say, I will send him to the place where I sent Lasantha,” on the 09th July 2009 in Kelaniya. He has accepted honorably that he was behind the murder of the popular journalist and also breaking limbs of another popular journalist Poddala Jayantha. The Minister “Doctor” freely continues to perform his “operations” under the aegis of the President and his all powerful brothers.
The Sri Lanka Editor’s Guild’s annual awards ceremony to honour excellence in journalism on Tuesday (24) turned out to be a farce with the internationally recognized investigative journalist and slain founder editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge not even being offered an honorary mention.
A minute’s silence was observed in memory of all the journalists who died during the past year.
