News

A suspicious individual at the recent State Vesak Festival at the Bingiriya Dewagiri Maha Vihara attended by President Maithripala Sirisena was arrested by the President’s Security Division. 

According to sources the individual identified as a resident of Maligawatta, Colombo was arrested on a tip-off by state intelligence officer on duty there. 

He was later handed over to the Bingiriya Police for further investigations.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the President and the Prime Minister on the forward journey of the good governance government will be signed, the Minister of Public Enterprise and Kandy Development Lakshman Kiriella says.
 
The relevant MoU is currently being prepared and after signing it within the next few days the new cabinet will be sworn in, Minister Kiriella said.
 
He made these remarks speaking to media after attending a meeting held at the auditorium of the Polgolla Open University in Kandy on Friday (27).
 
The Minister also noted that no one was presenting any alternatives when the nominations for the office bearers of the United National Party (UNP) was made and if anyone had any problems, he would have had ample opportunity to respond.
 
The nominations to party posts were confirmed without any objections, the Minister pointed out.

Source : Colombo Page

Wife of underworld figure Osman Gunasekara was arrested yesterday by a special police team during a raid carried out. According to the Police a special raid was carried out yesterday morning by SP 1 of Gampaha and the Special task force on the Gunasekara residence in Gampaha through a search warrant granted by the courts. 

During the raid officers discovered 46 live bullets (9mm) and a handbook on armed weapons. While Gunasekara’s wife was arrested she was later admitted to the hospital due to a medical condition. Osman Gunasekara is currently said to be abroad. 

Gunasekara recently survived several attempts of his life by rival gang members. He is a suspect of several murder cases since 1979.

According to a leading survey, Sri Lanka showed significant improvement in press freedom last year ranking 10 notches higher than last year in the World Press Freedom Index 2018.

The annual World Press Freedom Index for 2018 compiled by Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Sri Lanka 131st out of 180 countries climbing 10 notches from 141st in 2017. The overall global score improved to 41.37 this year from 44.34 in 2017 on a 0-100 scale with 100 being the worst.

The Index ranks 180 countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. It is a snapshot of the media freedom situation based on an evaluation of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country.The RSF, questioning whether impunity will ever end in the country in its country specific statement on Sri Lanka, noted that President Maithripala Sirisena after being sworn in as president in January 2015 said he wanted to reopen all the investigations into murders of journalists.

While some progress has been made in the investigation into Lasantha Wickrematunga's murder, almost all the others are still unpunished, the RSF observed.

"The new government also said that journalists no longer had anything to fear because of their political views or their coverage of sensitive subjects such as corruption and human rights violations by the military. But attacks on journalist Freddy Gamage in June 2016 and in early 2018 fueled the doubts of both the public and media freedom defenders," it said.

According to the media watchdog, the Tamil media, often the target of attacks and censorship both during the civil war and after its official end in 2009, are still on their guard.

In March 2016, the ministry of parliamentary reform and mass media ordered all news websites to register with the government or become illegal.

"This vague and disproportionate directive immediately reminded the media and citizen journalists of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s censorship methods," the statement said.

The media watchdog said the 2018 Index reflects growing animosity towards journalists. "Hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism, pose a threat to any democracy," the index report said.

In this years Index, Norway is first for the second year running, followed by Sweden, The Netherlands, Finland and Switzerland in that order. At the other end of the Index, North Korea is still last at 180th. Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and China preceded North Korea in the index.
In the South Asian region, Bhutan at 94th, Nepal at 106th, Afghanistan at 118th and Maldives at 120th performed better than Sri Lanka while India was ranked 138, Pakistan 139 and Bangladesh 146.

Source : Colombo Page

The Ramanathapuram district court in India has convicted two supporters of the proscribed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who had procured cyanide capsules in a bid to revive the militant organisation, under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act, 1967 and awarded them 10 years imprisonment, The Hindu newspaper reported.

Passing orders in the three-year-old case, Principal District Judge A. Kayalvizhi convicted the accused K. Krishnakumar (42) and his accomplice V. Subashkaran (41), holding that the prosecution – the Q branch police had proved the case that the duo had indulged in unlawful activities in the State in a bid to revive LTTE (after it was defeated by the Sri Lankan forces in the civil war in May 2009).

The Judge convicted the duo under sections 120 (b) of IPC read with sections 10 (a) (i) and (iv) and 38 (1) of the Unlawful activities (prevention) Act, section 3, read with 12 (1) (a) of the Passports Act, 1967, section 14(c) of Foreigners Act, 1946, section 6 of Poisonous Act, 1919 and section 419 of IPC.

The judge awarded sentences ranging from six months to 10 years and said the sentences would go concurrently. She also imposed fine of ₹ 45,500 each. Krishnakumar attempted to clandestinely sail to Sri Lanka after procuring 600 gms of cyanide powder and 75 cyanide capsules on July 20, 2015, when the police intercepted his car at Uchipuli and arrested him.

He was also found in his possession, four Global Positioning System (GPS) sets and seven mobile phones and Indian and Sri Lankan currency notes and Indian and Sri Lankan driving licences.

They pleaded not guilty when the judge sought their views after convicting them.

The judge also convicted R. Rajendran (47), a Sri Lankan Tamil, cited as third accused in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and awarded him 10 years imprisonment. However, the court offered to clarify on the sentence when his counsel K. Thirumurugan pointed out that he was not facing a charge under the Act. Otherwise, the accused was awarded five years imprisonment under the Passports Act.

The Judge also convicted R. Sasikumar (31), a local Tamil and driver, under section 120 (b), IPC and awarded six months imprisonment. Senior counsel N. Somasundaram, who appeared for the prosecution, said a separate charge sheet had been filed in respect of the fifth accused in the case and the sixth accused was absconding.

Source : Colombo Gazette

Attorney at Law, Nagananda  Kodituwakku has issued a challenge to the Bar Association to a debate on corruption within the court system. In a social media post on his Facebook account, the lawyer makes this challenge while asking the association to refrain from levelling baseless accusation against him following the recent program against corruption in the legal and court system and instead to face him in a debate. 
 
During this recent program, various devious and corrupt practices of the courts and lawyers were revealed by Nagananda as well as several other lawyers. 
 
He also claimed preparations have been made to hold the debate on May 4, 2018 at 4.00pm. The lawyer also claims he will arrive in Sri Lanka for the debate from the United Kingdom. 
 
Please find the announcement made by him below :

Dhamma or the teachings of Buddha is a purifying factor for the human mind propelled by lust, hate and violence. The pious festival of Vesak reminds us the virtues of practising four focuses of mindfulness in order to dwell with Dhamma as no other refuge.
 
It is a time for reflection and appreciation of our humanity, and to lead a life full of equality, fraternity, respect and understanding. The unity Government is determined to make the prospects of a harmonious society a reality through the protection of democratic rights of people.
 
May the full moon of Vesak take away the darkness of ignorance, bigotry and hatred towards others and it may herald an era of contentment, peace and evocation for the whole world.
 
On this auspicious Vesak day you may be blessed with the sublime goodness of Lord Buddha!

Source : PMMD

National Freedom Front (NFF) says they will work towards defeating the 20th amendment to the constitution. According to them the true purpose of JVP bringing the 20th Amendment under the guise of abolishing the Executive Presidency is to fully enforce the 13th Amendment.
 
Deputy Leader of NFF Jayantha Samaraweera stated this while attending a press conference held yesterday in Colombo.
 
He says to bring a 20th amendment if possible but NFF will defeat it by sacrificing lives, should it come to that.
 
As the first step of defeating the 20th amendment, they will commence a leaflet distribution campaign around the country from the May 3, Samaraweera further stated.
 
Earlier this week leader of the JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that the 20th amendment to the constitution will be brought forward by the party as the Private member's bill during the month of May. 
 
Dissanayake also claimed the JVP will seek support from members of civil society, religious leaders, other parties as well as the public to bring about this much needed reform despite the criticisms being levelled against it.

The Buddhists all over the world celebrate the Vesak Festival with much religious fervor and enthusiasm to commemorate the important events that took place in the life of Gauthama Buddha on this day, namely the birth of Siddhartha Gautama, Siddharta Gautam’s supreme attainment of Buddhahood and the Mahaparinibbana. The Buddha’s teaching which reflects a great vision of a superior religious sage and a humanitarian philosopher has an eternal appeal to the human civilization.
 
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, was born in a complex era where the Indian society, embraced various beliefs and religions. The religious orthodoxy had a strong impact on that society, which also had various divisions within. Women were considered as weak beings and they enjoyed limited rights in a male dominated society.
 
The Buddhist teaching demolished that traditional immoral ideals and myths prevailed in that society, which was rooted in ignorance and blindness, and moved forward with scientific thoughts. The Buddha addressed the mindset of the people directly. The right of understanding the truth in our own mind after investigating the validity and truth was bestowed to ourselves by the Buddha.
 
Therefore, a spiritual human being emerged dispelling illusion and ignorance.
 
Buddha preached that human become a worthless person or a great person, not by his birth, but only through his actions. This noble concept became a strong binding force of the entire humanity.
 
Bestrewing metta on minds of enmity with immense kindness and pure joy, Gautama Buddha awaked the wisdom of human to show the absolution of existence and this blessed period of Vesak gives an ideal opportunity to recall the great teachings of the Noble One. I wish for a great Vaiśākhya celebration for all the Buddhists around the world.

Source : PMD

The sixty-eighth Annual Report of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was presented to the Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy yesterday. 

The reports highlights that the stabilisation policy measures taken by the Central Bank and the government in the past two years resulted in a number of notable improvements, although real economic growth faltered and recorded a multi year low during 2017. 

The monetary policy stance of the Central Bank that was gradually tightened since end 2015, was tightened further in March 2017 by raising the key policy interest rates of the Central Bank by 25 basis points. “Increasing market interest rates were allowed to stabilise at high levels,” it said.
 
In the external current account, although earnings from exports increased to the highest levels recorded, the increase in imports, mainly arising from drought related imports of petroleum and rice as well as increased importation of gold, caused a wider trade deficit. 
 
Although inflows on account of services exports including tourism, and workers’ remittances continued to cushion the impact of the widened trade deficit to some extent, the current account recorded a deficit of 2.6 per cent of GDP during the year. 
 
The Sri Lankan rupee depreciated against the US dollar by 2.0 per cent during the year, while the real effective exchange rate indices also depreciated, raising the competitiveness of the currency. 
 
“Such a fairly-valued currency in real terms, is expected to enable a gradual adjustment of the current account deficit of the BOP in the period ahead,” the report says.
 
Adverse weather conditions and their spillover effects continued to affect real economic activity, and the economy surprised to the downside by recording a growth of 3.1 per cent in real terms.
 
This was significantly below projections of the Sri Lankan authorities as well as international agencies, the Central Bank said. 
 
In spite of the low real GDP growth, the economy created sufficient employment opportunities that induced a further reduction in the unemployment rate to 4.2 per cent during the year, the report added.
 
Source : Ada Derana

Tamils protesting denied justice for nine years since the war, have been condemned by the Sri Lankan head of state as ‘Eelamists’ with business interests aiming to divide the island nation.

In Sri Lanka’s north, Tamils are continuing with protests for more than a year demanding the release of political prisoners, release of military occupied land and whereabouts of their disappeared loved ones.

Hundreds of diaspora Tamils in London demonstrated against President Maithripala Sirisena when he was attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) a week ago.

In an interview with the BBC in London, President Sirisena slammed the protestors as ‘Eelamists’ and singled out those in the north as “running a business”.

The demand by protesters in London to release military held land in the Tamil majority north was scorned by the Sri Lanka leader as “a joke”.
Describing the recent return of hundreds of acres to their legitimate owners as a ‘gift’, he claimed that 80% of land forcibly occupied by the security forces have been given back.

A week ago, when Tamils returned to their land in Valikamam north after 28 years only to discover that their property was destroyed, and access routes blocked by barbed wire with three military camps occupying the land.

Frustrated after a year of continuous protest without positive response from the government, another group of displaced Tamilsregained access to Iranaitheevu island last week defying threats from the occupying Navy,

UNHRC concern

Addressing the UN human rights council in Geneva a month ago High Commissioner Zeid Raad al Hussein highlighted Tamils protesting the slow progress of releasing occupied land.

"In the face of rising frustration among victims, a number of confidence building measures must be accelerated,” he said.

“These include the release of land occupied by the military, which remains slow.”

However, President Sirisena rejected any talks with protesting victims who he described as people motivated by business interests who are

“discussing Eelam”.

“They want to show the UNHRC, the UN and other states that their problem is not solved. Their issue is dividing the country. I will have no dialogue with such Eelamists.”

Disappeared “no more”

In March, President Sirisena appointed officials for the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP) to determine the fate of tens of thousands of disappeared.

Many are those who handed themselves over to the military at the end of armed hostilities between the government and Tamil Tigers in May 2009.

However, the president told BBC that the disappeared are “no more”.

Devastated by the president’s bold declaration a mother from the north in search of her daughter for years rejected his claim.

“He has no right to say that our children handed over to the military are no more,” an emotional Kasipillay Jeyavanitha told journalists in Vavuniya.

Her daughters photograph, who still remain disappeared, had been published in a handout printed in 2015 for Sirisena’s presidential election campaign.

“We are waiting for them to return home alive. If they are not among the living, he should have revealed it before and told us what happened to them.”

No political prisoners

President Sirisena further claimed that no political prisoners are held in Sri Lanka.

However, a Tamil lawmaker says that the president has acknowledged the need to release political prisoners before his interview with the BBC.

“Although he did not refer to them as political prisoners, two weeks ago over the phone, the president said that he wants to release everybody held under the prevention of terrorism act,” MA Sumanthiran told journalists in Jaffna on Tuesday the 26th.

Quoting the Colombo based Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) the latest US State Department report on Sri Lanka says that the number of political prisoners in Sri Lanka is over 130.

No progress

The UN is sceptical of Sri Lanka honouring its commitments on delivering justice to Tamil victims.

“Slow progress was noted in establishing transitional justice mechanisms and it was doubtful that the transitional justice agenda would be implemented before the Council’s next report in March 2019,” Deputy High Commissioner Kate Gilmore told the UNHRC in March.

“The commissioners of the Office of Missing Persons were appointed 20 months after the adoption of the legislation and there was insufficient progress in returning land occupied by the military and no demonstrated willingness to address impunity,” she added.

Source : JDS Sri Lanka

Foreign media reports show that crude oil prices in the world market have been increasing rapidly due to growing tensions between the United States and certain Middle-Eastern countries.

Crude prices rose on Monday along with the U.S. stock market on forecasts for robust oil demand growth and concerns that output from OPEC producers would grow at a much slower pace in coming years, Reuters reported.

Accordingly, the price of a barrel of crude oil has risen to USD 75. The last instance when such a price was recorded was in March of 2015.

Analysts pointed out that even though global oil prices were relatively low at the beginning of 2018, it has now risen rapidly showing an increase of around 20% compared to the oil prices at the beginning of the year.