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The Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo has allegedly become the ‘unofficial headquarters’ of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Presidential election campaign, Tamil news outlet Nilavaram has reported.

According to reports, a number of events linked to the campaign including seminars of ‘Viyathmaga’ organisation that is aligned with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) as well as other election propaganda meetings are being held at the venue. Sajad Mawzoon, a leading businessman and a member of the Shangri-La’s Board of Directors is said to be actively leading the arrangements for the Pro-Rajapaksa events.

He is said to have taken steps to reserve the luxury suites located on the 45th floor of the hotel for propaganda purposes according to a reliable source at the hotel. It is also reported that nearly Rs. 600 Million have been collected for campaign funds from leading Muslim businessmen in the country including from Maliban Textiles and Brandix Lanka.

Meanwhile, Governor of the Western Province, A.J.M Muzammil is also said to actively collecting campaign funds on behalf of Gotabaya Rajapaksa from both Sinhalese and Muslim businessmen known to him.

But while working closely with the Rajapaksa campaign, Mawzoon also continues to keep ties with Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera, who is currently leading the election campaign of Rajapaksa’s main opponent, Sajith Premadasa.

While Premadasa recently met with over 1500 lawyers on the campaign trail, the dinner following the event was sponsored by Mawzoon.

It is also reported that Chairman of Brandix Lanka Ashroff Omar has commenced his own mudslinging campaign against the New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa while extending his support to Gotabaya Rajapaksa. This propaganda campaign is being launched at yet another star class hotel in Colombo according to reliable reports. 

Indian entrepreneur and venture capitalist Arunachalam Muruganantham yesterday issued a statement highlighting NDF presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa’s staunch defence of his election promise to provide free sanitary napkins, or menstrual pads, to women and girls if elected president.

“It’s a good change to see the leaders across the world finally understood the importance of menstrual hygiene and women’s health for the development of their respective countries,” Muruganantham said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

Premadasa made the promise last week, only to receive mockery from his opponents in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), including being branded as “Pad Man”, a reference to a 2018 biopic based on the life of Muruganantham, who had dedicated himself to designing and developing a low-cost sanitary napkin for women and girls in India.

Responding to the criticism last week, Premadasa posted on Twitter that he “will not shy away” from his pledge or the conversation about women’s menstrual hygiene.

“If we are serious about women’s empowerment, this is a basic place to begin.” Responding to his being branded as “Pad Man”, Premadasa said he “would wear this label proudly.”

His pledge, and his public defence of it against vicious backlash from his opponents, won Premadasa substantial public support for being the first political candidate to address a women’s health issue deeply steeped in stigma. The public spat led to calls for the original “Pad Man” movie to be made available in Sri Lanka. Referring to Premadasa’s stance, original “Pad Man” Muruganantham said “it is high time the leaders of nations became the ambassadors for menstrual hygiene awareness.”

One television station, ITN, had announced plans to air the “Pad Man” movie in view of the soaring public interest, but a complaint has been filed with the Elections Commission seeking to block the film from being aired by ITN on the grounds that it would unfairly promote the campaign of a presidential candidate.

The recommendations made by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed the Easter Sunday attacks in its final report are to be implemented through Parliament.

Accordingly, the report is to be debated in Parliament this week after which its recommendations will be implemented through the respective agencies.

PSC member JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has told the media that once the report is debated, it will be referred to the oversight committees of Parliament and the recommendations of the report would thereafter be implemented.

“The recommendations of the report must be implemented through Parliament. Parliament will refer the recommendations to the relevant ministries and departments,” Dr. Jayatissa has said.

According to him, the preliminary implementation of the recommendations will be through the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Religious Affairs as well as the Attorney General’s (AG) Department.

President Maithripala Sirisena referring to the restoration of democracy in the country during the past few years has noted that the current free, fair and peaceful presidential election campaigns were a reflection of the strength of democracy in the country.

Sirisena has made these observations after accepting credentials from three new envoys to Sri Lanka at the President’s House in Colombo yesterday (4).

The President has said democracy was restored due to a broad political transformation that had taken place in the country.

Ambassador of the Lebanese Republic, Rabie Narsh, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Maj Gen Chris Eze, and Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union, Denis Chaibi have presented their credentials to the President.

New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has in writing challenged Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa to a presidential debate.

Premadasa in the letter to Rajapaksa has noted that it was the democratic right of the citizens to be well informed about their choice of Presidential candidates.

“In modern democracies around the world, presidential candidates fearlessly debate their policies at impartially moderated debates. Today such events are broadcast live on television and social media. There is no better opportunity for people to weigh candidates’ abilities, character and vision,” Premadasa has said in the letter.

Premadasa has observed that he had issued the challenge initially last Wednesday but had not received any response from Rajapaksa.

“On Wednesday, I invited you to take up the challenge of facing the nation at such a debate. Unfortunately, I am yet to receive a response. Some of your advisers have alluded to the absence of a formal written invitation, even in this age of technology and digital communication,” Premadasa has added.

The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) hailed the decision by Sri Lanka’s leading Tamil coalition to back New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate Sajith Premadasa in the forthcoming Presidential election.

“The TNA's decision to support NDF candidate Sajith Premadasa in the Presidential election should be lauded . Their unconditional support is good news," said the Leader of ACMC, Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen.

Bathiudeen was addressing an election rally in support of NDF Presidential candidate Sajit Premadasa in Salambakulam, Vavuniya on 3 November. Addressing the Salambakulam meeting, Bathiudeen reminded that Sri Lankan minorities were united during 2015 Presidential elections too.

“Tamils and Muslims supported the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena in the 2015 Presidential election and got him elected as the President. The minorities are uniting this time to elect Sajith Premadasa and he will be the winner this time,” Bathiudeen said adding that the majority of the Sri Lankan minorities now support Sajith Premadasa.

Speaking on the opposition, Bathiudeen said: “The racists within the opposition Presidential Candidate’s camp will be silenced once Sajith wins this election. They harassed  Muslims after the Easter Sunday attacks to fan the flames of communalism within the majority community so that their votes would increase within the majority, thereby returning them to power.”

"If the opposition Presidential candidate wins and returns to power, the minorities of Sri Lanka should be ready to face lawless, racist tyranny", he added.

NDF Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa has won the faith of Tamil minority following the decision of the TNA's main party, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) to support him a short while ago.  

Sajith Premadasa has taken a lead in the race for presidency as his main contender Gotabaya Rajapaksa had run out of steam as he has antagonized the Tamil community by uttering communal and racist statements.

An electoral analysis indicates that the isolation of the minorities by Gotabaya Rajapksa’s racist camp was a key factor of distancing minorities from the SLPP.

The two provinces of the North and the East where the Tamil and Muslim communities are expected overwhelmingly to vote for Sajith Premadasa along with districts in other parts of Sri Lanka where the minority communities constitute the majority.

In this context, Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to get 6 out of 10 votes from the majority Sinhala-Buddhist community to offset the losses from the minorities.

The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) has decided to support New Democratic Front (NDF) Presidential Candidate Sajith Premadasa at the upcoming Presidential Election.

ITAK, the main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance, will support Minister Sajith Premadasa at the Presidential Election 2019, ITAK media spokesperson MP M. A. Sumanthiran announced.

The decision has been taken at the central committee meeting of the party today.

Sumanthiran noted that TNA Leader R. Sampanthan has been requested to inform the decision of TELO and PLOTE, the two remaining parties in TNA shortly.

On November 1, 2019 Mr. E.M.H.B. Moragaswewa and Mr. Wijitha Manamperi representing the Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society received an award from Rehabilitation International (RI) for Outstanding Achievements, in Moscow.

Ambassador Jayatilleka participated as one of the presenters of RI 2019 Award to Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society for Outstanding Achievements in Rehabilitation and for “bringing light to many in need”. Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society is a non-governmental organization founded by Dr. Hudson Silva, the inaugural president of the society, who launched the first campaign to collect corneas in Sri Lanka in 1958.

Today, the Eye Donation Society maintains the Sri Lanka International Eye Bank and Sri Lanka Model Human Tissue Bank, which is one of the largest in the world and donates human eyes and tissues for transplantation both in Sri Lanka and around the world.

The Ceremony took place in Metropol Hotel, Moscow and gathered representatives of international communities including UN agencies, government departments, international disability organizations as well as private sectors who are committed to disability affairs. The official part was followed by the Gala dinner and performance of China Disabled People’s Art Troupe of visually impaired musicians and hearing impaired dancers.

Ambassador Jayatilleka attended the Awarding Ceremony of the Rehabilitation International 2019 Award at the invitation of the President of the Rehabilitation International Zhang Haidi, China Disabled Persons' Federation, All-Russia Society of the Disabled and Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Russia.

Ambassador Jayatilleka presents award to Sri Lanka Eye Donation Society

Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International has become a global organization that empowers people with disabilities, advances their rights across the world and provides sustainable solutions towards achieving a more inclusive society for them.

The 2019 RI Award was also presented for Outstanding Achievements in Innovation to Ms. Maria Fernanda Espinosa, an Ecuadorian politician and diplomat, former President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 73rd session, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations, Minister of National Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador “for her innovative work in advancing the rights of persons with disabilities globally”.  

The Ethiopian Alpha Special School for the Deaf was awarded for Outstanding Achievements in Humanitarianism “for composing symphony in the world without sound”. The school was founded in 1966 and now successfully helps deaf children to develop the practical social skills.

Sri Lanka and China have reportedly agreed to work towards promoting cultural exchanges between Buddhists in both countries.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in China has stated that the Agreement for the Establishment of a Friendly Temples Relationship between the Shentong Temple of Shangdong Province of China and the Bodhi Raja Viharaya of Thalpitiya, Wadduwa in Sri Lanka was signed in Shandong between Ven. Jie Kong, Abbot of Shentong Temple and Ven. Prof. Kotapitiye Rahula Thero, Anunayake of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Maha Sanga Sabha and Chief Incumbent of the Bodhi Raja Viharaya, with the participation of a number of Venerable Chief Incumbent Theros of temples in Wadduwa and Panadura areas.

Both temples have agreed to actively promote cooperation between the two temples and work together to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of dhamma propagation, cultural exchanges, and social charity.

They have also agreed to strive to build a long-term effective communication and cooperation mechanism and promote cultural exchanges between Buddhists in China and Sri Lanka.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China Karunasena Kodituwakku has appreciated the attempts of both temples in setting up such friendly relations to enhance cultural exchanges and people-to-people cooperation between two countries. 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has pledged their support to New Democratic Front's Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa as the United National Party (UNP) is continuing to woo the minority communities' support to defeat Gotabaya Rajapaksa. 

The TNA is yet to officially declare its preference, but has ruled out backing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa due to his campaign of inciting racism.

A constituent member of the TNA, the Democratic People’s Liberation Front (DPLF) had a one-on-one meeting with Rajapaksa recently and made it clear that the party was unable to endorse his candidacy.

“Tamil moderates were pleased with the annihilation of the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), but the collective punishment for Tamils thereafter alienated the community,” a Tamil law maker said referring to the travel restrictions imposed on Tamils, the incarceration of Tamil civilians in internment camps and the enforced disappearances of tens of thousands of Tamils.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has pledged its support to NDF's presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa although a formal announcement has not yet been made, leader of the alliance R Sampanthan said.

Sampanthan said that the TNA had already extended its support to Premadasa and that an official statement on the matter will issued soon.

Yesterday (3), the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) – the main party in the TNA, extended its support to Premadasa.

ITAK feels Premadasa has taken into consideration some of the proposals made by ITAK in his election manifesto.

Meanwhile, delegations representing TELO and PLOTE - two constituent parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), held discussions with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today.

The discussions centred on the presidential election and the possibility of extending support to NDF candidate Sajith Premadasa.

The other two parties in the TNA coalition are expected to make their position clear in the next two days, informed political sources said.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement is currently a topic of contention in the public domain.

Misinformation is widespread, and many valid concerns about the agreement have gone with the wind as a result of unfounded allegations leveled by SLPP leaders including opposition leader Mahinda Rajapksa and the likes of Wimal Werawansa and Udaya Gammanpila.

Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapksa who has embraced US citizenship a couple of decades ago and whose wife and son are still enjoying US citizenship has stooped to such a low level by allowing his stooges to gain political mileage by distorting true facts with regard to the MCC grant.

Issuing a statement, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweeera has challenged Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa to reveal any facts relating to the MCC Compact that are deemed as detrimental to the country or people without misleading the public.

He claimed that the attempt to create an anti American terror by blowing up false facts on the MCC grant that are being made by bankrupt politicians who are hell bent on making an American Citizen as the president of this country was hilarious.

Minister Samaraweera disclosed that MCC Compact grant of US$ 480 million had been initiated in 2002 when he was the Foreign Minister during the Rajapaksa regime on the instructions of the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In 2005, the  Rajapaksa regime had made a valiant attempt to obtain this MCC grant, he said adding that it was failed due to corruption and fraud allegations and charges of human rights violations leveled against the previous government.

Sri Lanka still has a chance of gaining the largest ever grant Sri Lanka has received to improve transport infrastructure and streamline land administration as the board of directors of MCC referred their final decision to their December meeting.

The board will meet again in December for its annual selection process and will take a final decision on the MCC grant which was requested by the government way back in 2016.

The Cabinet approval for the MCC compact was granted this week and the relevant Agreement and the Program Implementation Agreement will be presented and enacted in Parliament of Sri Lanka once it is signed.

Finance Ministry announced that before its entry into force, it will be published in the Government Gazette before being submitted to the Parliament.

The recommendations made by the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed the Easter Sunday attacks in its final report are to be implemented through Parliament.

Accordingly, the report is to be debated in Parliament this week after which its recommendations will be implemented through the respective agencies.

PSC member JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has told the media that once the report is debated, it will be referred to the oversight committees of Parliament and the recommendations of the report would thereafter be implemented.

“The recommendations of the report must be implemented through Parliament. Parliament will refer the recommendations to the relevant ministries and departments,” Dr. Jayatissa has said.

According to him, the preliminary implementation of the recommendations will be through the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Religious Affairs as well as the Attorney General’s (AG) Department.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa has yet failed to accept the open invitation extended by New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa for a live one-on-one debate.

Speaking at an election rally in Kollonawa, Premadasa has said that his invitation to Gotabaya still stands and that he wanted to debate his policies with the policies of Rajapaksa.

Meanwhile, SLPP member, MP Namal Rajapaksa tweeted earlier this week that Gotabaya Rajapaksa is willing to consider the debate after Premadasa releases his election manifesto and that he (Namal) was prepared for a debate until such time.

Chairman of the UNP's Young Professionals Organisation, MP Harshana Rajakaruna responded to Namal on twitter stating that, "Sri Lanka deserves a Presidential Debate on live TV, just like in other democracies. @RajapaksaNamal, There are only candidates, I didn’t see any nephews there. Instead, I challenge you, MP to MP, for a debate."

He further said that he was "looking forward to pitting our respective parties manifestos against each other."  However, Namal, like his uncle, is yet to respond to the challenge made by Harshana Rajakaruna.

Premadasa released his election manifesto on Thursday in Kandy.   

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