News

Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today issued warrants to arrest the National Freedom Front (NFF) leader parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa and MP Jayantha Samaraweera and present them before the court.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara today issued warrants against the two parliamentarians since they have failed to appear in Court when a case filed against them was taken up for hearing.

The case was filed against MP Wimal Weerawansa and 6 others over several charges including inconveniencing the public by protesting against the arrival of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein outside the UN complex in Thunmulla in 2016.

When the case was taken up today, MPs Wimal Weerawansa and Jayantha Samaraweera who have been named as suspects in the case did not appear in court.

The other suspects in the case, Parliamentarian Weerakumara Dissanayake, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Mohammed Muzammil and Roger Seneviratne appeared today in the court. They were ordered to appear before the court again on June 12.

The Magistrate also ordered the Cinnamon Gardens police to report the progress in the investigations on that day.

Source: Colombo Page

Furthering government’s commitment to uphold and ensure the safety and security of all its citizens, the Ministry of Law and Order has introduced several platforms where the people can complain of any incidents of harassments, amidst reports of alleged incidents of illegal surveillance and harassment.

According to a communiqué issued by the Ministry, any alleged incidents of harassment and illegal surveillance of the public, including human rights defenders and victims of human rights violations including members of the families of missing persons can be lodged within the National Police Commission on 1960 (hotline), 0115107722, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka – 1996 (hotline) 0112505575. Special Investigations Unit of the Sri Lanka Police – 119 (hotline) and TELL IGP – online complaints portal – telligp.police.lk.

The Ministry requests members of the public in any event they are subjected to, or is made aware of instances of intimidation, illegal surveillance of civilians, or harassment by any individual or group of people, kindly use the given mechanisms to lodge a complaint.

Backbenchers of the UNP are pressurizing Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe to remove his close friend and associate Malik Samarawickrama as the President of the UNP ‘Sirikotha’ insiders claim.

Serious allegations were levelled against several Ministers appointed by the Prime Minister to posts in the party during discussions with UNP members regarding the upcoming no-confidence motion and restructuring of the party.

D.M Swaminathan, Tilak Marapana, Malik Samarawickrama are several such politicians that were accused by the MPs sources say.

They have also alleged that current General Secretary of the party Kabir Hashim has not done his duty to the party or its members after being appointed following the removal of the former General Secretary Kabir Hashim.

The backbenchers have asked the UNP leader to appoint two non-ministers for the posts of chairman and secretary of the party sources further added.

Facebook is said to have asked local social media analysts to help them monitor hate speech and report such posts, a group of analysts claim.

Making this claim Social media analyst Nalaka Gunawardene has said a group of Facebook officials, himself and two others took part in a conference call in this regard yesterday where the social media officials had sought their help in this regard.

According to Gunawardena, the trio including himself, Sanjana Hattotuwa co-editor of Ground Views and social media personality Yudhanjaya Wijeratne had volunteered with their services to do the needful.

"We have said that we would help to identify some of the current shortcomings, quickly identify hate statements, and create a more efficient mechanism to report such posts to Facebook," Gunawardene said.

Minister of Digital Infrastructure, Harin Fernando had earlier said hate speech reported on Facebook are taken down in a very slow manner.

According to the local social media analysts, Facebook will hire local staffers and volunteers to monitor for hate speech in the future.

United National Party (UNP) is set to request of the President that any SLFP Minister who signs the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe should be immediately removed from the cabinet, political sources say.

According to reports, the UNP has taken the decision after it was revealed the Minister Susil Premajayantha will sign the no-confidence motion today.

Meanwhile, UNP backbenchers have suggested that if the SLFP decides to support the no-confidence motion, then the UNP should defeat it in parliament and take it as a show of support to form a fully UNP government sources said.

Not today but tomorrow!

A spokesperson for the Join Opposition said the no-confidence motion against the PM will be presented to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya tomorrow (20) or the day after (21).

According to him, around 30 had signed the motion by yesterday (18) while today and tomorrow a number of MPs from the SLFP and UNP are set to sign it as well. Around 30 SLFP members have agreed to sign and the motion will be presented after a group of UNPers sign it as well the source said.

Not today but tomorrow!

A spokesperson for the Join Opposition said the no-confidence motion against the PM will be presented to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya tomorrow (20) or the day after (21).

According to him, around 30 had signed the motion by yesterday (18) while today and tomorrow a number of MPs from the SLFP and UNP are set to sign it as well. Around 30 SLFP members have agreed to sign and the motion will be presented after a group of UNPers sign it as well the source said.

No UNPer has signed :

However as being reported to ‘ISIS news’ no UNP MP has signed this no-confidence motion document while State Minister Wasantha Senanayake who it was reported might sign the no-confidence motion has now assured he would not do so.

Freedom of expression and the right to information must be balanced in any future policy regarding the regulation of social media to deal with hate speech within the legal limits, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) said yesterday.

Dr Deepika Udagama, the Chairperson of the HRCSL said the legal limits, within which freedom of expression and the Right to Information should be restricted, must be within the Constitution and Sri Lanka's international human rights obligations in the larger public interest.

In a letter sent to the Chairman of the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRCSL) Chairman Austin Fernando on Thursday, she said the HRCSL had received several complaints from the public regarding the continued restrictions on social media even after the violence in the Kandy District was under control.

“The Commission recognizes the critical necessity to protect freedom of expression and the right to information as guaranteed by the Constitution of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka's international human rights obligations,” the letter said.

“ln doing so, we recognize the need to strike the necessary balance between those rights and maintenance of public order and the protection of the rights of all,” it said.

Further, the HRCSL had reiterated the urgent need to take legal action against those who were using social media to propagate communal hatred and incite sectarian violence, under applicable laws, in particular under the ICCPR Act No. 56 of 2007.

The ban on social media was removed by the Government during the week.

Discussions are also being held with telecommunication authorities including officials from Facebook Inc. who arrived in the country yesterday.

However, it is also learnt that regulating social media posts in local languages was a challenge for the officials at the TRCSL.

Source : Daily Mirror

Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has sought assistance from the Police and the Military to nab those who dump garbage haphazardly at public places.

“Legal action will be taken against those who engage in illegal garbage dumping while violating waste management regulations imposed by the CMC, Colombo Municipal Council Acting Municipal Commissioner Eng. Lalith Wickremeratne said.

Wickremeratne also said the CMC would refrain from collecting non-segregated waste from today onwards.

Wickremeratne, responding to the Daily News, pointed out that an attitudinal change in people is in demand for a successful waste management system in the CMC as well as in the country.

He also pointed out that there is no issue relating to the disposing of segregated garbage.

“The segregated garbage is sent to compost yards managed by the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry or the recycling projects,” he said.

“The problem is with the unseparated garbage. Even in the last few days, you may have noticed that garbage piled up in areas such as Maradana, Maligawatta, Borella, Dematagoda and Slave Island.

“Most of the people in these areas and the surroundings do not separate garbage before they dispose of them. It is not fair to say that separating garbage into degradable and non-degradable is a difficult task. Unfortunately, this matter rises not because of unawareness but because they don’t feel the need to execute these policies. The general public needs to realize that it is them who will have to endure the repercussions as well,” Wickramaratne further said.

Source : Daily News

The Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday issued an open arrest warrant on former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga.

The INTERPOL issued a ‘Red Warrant' on Weeratunga last month, naming him as a fugitive wanted by the Sri Lankan law enforcement officials.

He is wanted in connection with certain discrepancies that had taken place in the acquisition of four MiG-27 fighter jets from the Ukrainian arms company 'Ukrinmash' in 2006 and financial misappropriation said to be taken place in overhauling four MiG fighter jets owned by the Air Force.

As rumours run rampant as to the identity of the real owner of the BMW that took a plunge into the Kimbula Ela in Thalawathugoda recently, the Police today issued a communique revealing his name.

According to the release the owner and individual who caused the accident has been identified as Fahim Mohamed Hussain, a resident of No.85, Sigera Road, Madiwela.

The Police say this fact has been confirmed adding that CCTV footage and other evidence has also gone on to prove that he was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident. “Thalangama Police are on the search for the suspect in order to arrest him” the communique read.

The Police also refuted allegations that son of President Maithripala Sirisena was connected to the incident. “We officially claim this rumour has no truth to it,” it said.

Fahima Mohamed Hussain is said to be a relative of Minister Kabir Hashim. The Minister has so far extended his full support to the ongoing investigation in this regard.

The strike being carried by the University Non-Academic staff would continue as the discussion held with Prime Minister’s Office ended without a solution this afternoon.

Chairman of the University Trade Union Joint Committee, Edward Malwattage was quoted as saying that Prime Minister’s Coordinating Secretary Dadallage failed to provide a satisfactory solution to the issue.

The union has said it has no interest in attending any more discussions and would continue its trade union action until their demands were granted.

Operations across 15 State universities and higher education institutes, which come under the purview of the University Grants Commission, continues to be stalled for the 17th consecutive day inconveniencing undergraduates and academic staff of the institutions.

More than 15, 000 non-academic members support the trade union action launched on February 27 over several demands, including a solution to the monthly allowance, based on an agreement reached in 2016.

CID will initiate the procedure to lodge an application with Sri Lanka Interpol this week , seeking a Red Notice to locate and arrest Sri Lanka’s former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran.

The Attorney General’s Department has advised the CID to apply for the Interpol Red Notice on Mahendran, after Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne issued an arrest warrant on him, when the CID informed the Magistrate that he had ignored summons issued earlier to appear before Courts on March 8.

Mahendran is believed to be currently living in Singapore. However, officials have not been able to trace him at his former address in that country.

Meanwhile sources say the CID is also preparing to request of the Singapore government that Mahendran be extradited to Sri Lanka.

According to sources the request will be made based on the legal corporation between the two countries. The Foreign Ministry will therefore make the extradition request to the Singapore’s Ministry of Justice.

However, when inquired about this, a scholar of international politics said that Singapore will not hand over one of its citizens based merely on a request made by the Sri Lankan government and the chances of this happening are limited.

Investigations into the assassination of rugby player Wasim Thajudeen have stalled due to Dialog Axiata, a leading mobile service provider in the country has abstained from providing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police with the necessary information required sources say.

The CID had previously requested information, in particular, mobile phone conversations of the suspects during the time of Thajudeen's death from Hutch and Dialog. While Hutch has provided the CID with the necessary details however Dialog is said to be dragging their feet in this regard and hampering the investigations into the death.