Unilever earns undue profit by including distilled fatty acid in Sunlight soap
2009-08-11 | 10.15 AM
A local soap manufacturer told Lanka News Web that the Unilever Company was misleading the government and earning heavy profits by using distilled fatty acid (DFAD) instead of coconut oil as claimed by the Company in manufacturing Sunlight soap.
The source said that DFAD is unhealthy for humans.
While the importation of coconut oil and palm oil for the manufacturing of Sunlight soap costs the company import taxes amounting to about 235%, it only costs import taxes amounting to 2.5% when importing DFAD.
First Lady shocked by Shasheendra’s preferential votes
2009-08-11 | 10.15 AM
Sources from Temple Trees say that First Lady Shiranthi Rajapakse was shocked to see Shasheendra Kumara Rajapakse polling the highest number of preferential votes received by an individual candidate in a provincial council election.
Shasheendra polled 85.6% of the votes cast for the party at the recently concluded Uva Provincial Council polls. The UPFA polled 159,837 votes and Shasheendra received 136,697 preferential votes at the election.
Bogollagama spends over Rs. 400,000 for two meals in London
2009-08-10 | 6.45 PM
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama is well known for extravagance rather than his prowess in handling diplomatic activities.
Following the example of his leader, Bogollagama is also of the habit of taking along with him members of his family as well as friends and relatives on official foreign tours. When it comes to flying overseas with a large contingent, Bogollagama comes a close second only to the President.
Special dinner on August 10 to decide on Sarath N. Silva becoming common candidate at presidential election
2009-08-09 | 8.45 PM
A special dinner has been organized on August 10 to reach an agreement on naming former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva as the common candidate of the opposition at the next presidential election, reliable sources told Lanka News Web.
The dinner has been organized at the residence of one of Silva’s close female friends. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, SLFP (M) Wing Leader Mangala Samaraweera and several leading civil society representatives have also been invited for the dinner.
Majority of the northern people reject local government polls
2009-08-09 | 8.45 PM
Only 22,280 out of the registered number of voters amounting to 100,417 in Jaffna had cast their votes at the local government elections on the 8th. Of those who had cast their votes, 1,358 had simply struck off their ballot papers.
Meanwhile, at the Vavuniya local government elections, of the 24,626 registered voters, only 12,850 had cast their votes. About 558 voters had struck off their ballot papers.
Serious doubts have been cast on KP’s arrest locally and internationally. The question is whether the new Leader of the LTTE and its international wing head, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was arrested by the international security units and handed over to Sri Lankan authorities or whether he willingly surrendered following an agreement reached with the Sri Lankan authorities.
Some of the main reasons that have raised suspicion over the arrest are the fact that neither the Thai nor Malaysian authorities have confirmed arresting KP while the government continues to state that he was arrested following tip offs received by LTTE members and that the arrest happened two days prior to the Uva Provincial Council election and the Jaffna and Vavuniya local government elections.
A well known monk on the basis of anonymity told Lanka News Web that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is planning on contesting the next election from the Kurunegala District and becoming the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, had promised several monks that the post of Defence Secretary that would fall vacant then would be given to General Sarath Fonseka.
Several Buddhist monks met with the Defence Secretary to bring about a settlement between the Rajapakses and Fonseka.
Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the recent war in North East Sri Lanka and living in camps are being denied basic human rights including freedom of movement, said Amnesty International as Secretary General Irene Khan today launched the Unlock the Camps campaign at the start the organization's International Council Meeting, a gathering of international delegates in Turkey.
Two months after the end of the fighting, the Sri Lankan authorities are still not addressing properly the needs of the newly displaced. The camps are overcrowded and unsanitary.
Attempt to keep Sarath Fonseka in powerless position continues - Lanka
2009-08-09 | 3.15 PM
The Sunday Lanka newspaper has reported that attempts to appoint Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse to parliament through the national list and to appoint a former Navy Chief to the top post in the defence establishment has created a conflict among the security forces.
The Lanka newspaper, which is the unofficial newspaper of the JVP, has also said that the attempt to reduce the powers vested with Fonseka’s new post, the Chief of Defence Staff, has also attributed to the present conflict.
Reliable military personnel confirmed the story carried in the newspaper last week where it was reported that the reason for reducing Fonseka’s powers was due to his opposition to carry out several political orders given to him.
Objections from Rajapakse family prevent Sajin’s chances of becoming Chief Ministerial candidate
2009-08-09 | 3.15 PM
President Mahinda Rajapakse had been forced to revise his decision on appointing Sajin Vass Gunawardena as the Chief Ministerial candidate at the Southern Provincial Council election following objections raised by the Rajapakse family.
First Lady Shiranthi Rajapakse had firmly objected to the President’s decision to appoint Sajin as the Chief Ministerial candidate for the Southern Provincial Council. The President’s elder brother, Chamal Rajapakse had also raised objections to the President’s decision.
Yet another incident related to the infamous Divaina journalist Reasons for not allowing Randunu and Madurawala into Canada revealed
2009-08-09 | 3.15 PM
Two journalists attached to the Divaina newspaper, Hemantha Randunu and Nilantha Madurawala, who tarvelled to Canada to cover a media assignment, was turned back from the Canada Airport following a telephone call giving misleading information made by another journalist attached to the same newspaper to the Canadian embassy in Colombo, Lanka News Web reliable learns.
The journalist who made the call to the embassy has no standing in the media field as well as within his own family circle. Due to the misleading information given by this journalist, Randunu and Madurawala had to undergo an interrogation session by the Canadian Immigration and Emigration office at the airport for about eight hours.
Supreme Court asks Examinations Commissioner to do his job or leave
2009-08-09 | 3.15 PM
The Supreme Court had informed Examinations Commissioner, Anura Edirisinghe to leave his post if could not perform the responsibilities attached to it without destroying the country’s lifeline.
The Supreme Court made this observation when a fundamental rights application filed by a student who was unable to enter Medical College due to the change in his exam results twice, was taken up on Thursday (6th).
Millions spent to maintain two defunct commissions
2009-08-09 | 3.15 PM
Over Rs. 248 lakhs has been spent during the last four months to pay the wages and house rents of those attached to the now defunct independent Public Services Commission and the National Police Commission, reliable sources said.
When inquired about the matter from Public Services Commission Secretary Lakshmi Gunawardena, she said that while 140 employees were attached to the Public Services Commission, it has not made any decision with regard to the public service since the end of its period on April 8. She added that while the Commission was not involved in any official work it was carrying out only training programmes.
Sri Lankan government bars media from covering elections in North
2009-08-08 | 10.55 PM
Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka out rightly condemn the Sri Lankan government’s decision not to
allow independent media representatives to cover the first local elections in two main northern cities, Jaffna
and Vavunia – which will be the first since 1998. The head of the government security information centre said
on Monday the 3rd, the journalists will not be allowed to cover the crucial elections. Therefore the independent
media is compelled to rely on information provided exclusively by the government.
“Arrested”, “Seized”, “Taken” New Tiger leader KP and “counter terrorism” intelligence
2009-08-08 | 8.00 PM | SouthAsiaSpeaks
The news of Selvarasah Pathmanathan the newly announced LTTE leader, better known as “KP” who was widely reported as the man who built a global LTTE business empire worth billions of dollars to fund the LTTE and procured arms and military hardware for the Tigers, falling into the hands of the Sri Lankan authorities, was no doubt headline news for the world media from 06th afternoon, after the Sri Lankan defense sources made a brief announcement on it.
On 7th afternoon in Colombo, the government’s defense spokesman, Minister Rambukwella briefing the media, had claimed the Sri Lankan intelligence officers had been after ‘KP’ and was assisted by other foreign agencies in arresting him. The responsibility of arresting and bringing KP to Colombo thus had been taken by Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka security forces directly intervened to arrest KP
– Minister Keheliya Rambukwella
2009-08-08 | 7.00 PM
Defence Spokesperson, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the LTTE’s international affairs head, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was arrested in a South East Asian country.
Rambukwella made this statement at a press conference held at the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) on Friday (7).
No matter how the underworld figures are killed, judiciary will justify it – Police Spokesperson
2009-08-08 | 7.00 PM
Police Spokesperson, SSP Ranjith Gunasekera says that since death is definite for the underworld figures, they would receive the death sentence even if the law of the country was applied to them.
“Therefore, the police do it before that. There is nothing to hide. No matter how the underworld figures are killed, the judiciary will justify it,” he said.
Rs. 250,000 to be released from the IDP camps and Rs. 500,000 to get safe passage to boat to flee the country
2009-08-08 | 7.00 PM
Displaced persons living in IDP camps in the north have to pay a bribe of Rs. 250,000 to the army personnel to get themselves released from the camp and a payment of Rs. 500,000 could secure them an additional ride in an army vehicle to the boat where they would be able to flee the country, reliable sources told Lanka News Web
It is learnt that two persons from Tekkawatte, Vavuniya act as intermediaries in the transactions. Their role is said to be the collection of cash from relatives of the IDPs and hand it over to the state intelligence service (SIS) and army officers and to coordinate the release mechanism.
While many IDPs have always already made a get away from the camps through these means, the intelligence officers have begun to consider this situation to be a jackpot.
Lake House to be sold to pay Rs. 10,000 million debt
2009-08-08 | 7.00 PM
The government has secretly decided to privatize Lake House, reliable sources from the government said. The newspaper distribution of Lake House has already been allocated to the private sector. None employees attached to the SLFP trade union at Lake House who opposed the move have been suspended from duties.
Lake House was a profit making state entity when present Chairman Bandula Padmakumara assumed office. Soon afterwards the institution had started running debts up to Rs. 10,000 million. Employees allege that the once profit making entity has been purposely pushed into becoming a debt ridden company.
President’s relative Hemal Gunasekera requests to be named Southern Province Chief Ministerial candidate
2009-08-08 | 5.30 PM
Sources from SLFP headquarters say that President Mahinda Rajapakse is faced with a crisis with regard to the Southern Provincial Council elections with former Livestock and Agriculture Minster of the Council, Hemal Gunasekera, who is the son of the President’s maternal uncle Ariyananda Gunasekera, requesting to be named the party’s chief ministerial candidate for the Southern Province at the elections.
It was Ariyananda Gunasekera, who brought young Mahinda Rajapakse to Colombo and found him employment as a library assistant at the Vidyodaya University. Ariyadasa at the time was working as a clerk in the same university.
Sources from the Presidential Secretariat say that Presidential Coordinator for Parliamentary Affairs, Kumarasiri Hettige, Casino owner and BoI Chairman Dhammika Perera and Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal have formed an alliance to fight against moves to bring P.B. Jayasundera back as the Treasury Secretary.
Hettige, who is a close confidant of former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, it is learnt is making great efforts to build close ties with the new Chief Justice. Hettige also intervened to prevent former Judicial Services Commission Secretary Chandra Jayathileka, who had also allegedly provided many young female lawyers and judges to VIPs, from being arrested and got him an appointment as the Post and Telecommunications Ministry Secretary.
Students’ union president who protested against errors in test papers arrested
2009-08-07 | 7.15 PM
In order to disrupt the protest planned against the erroneous term test papers on Thursday (6), the Cinnamon Gardens Police on Wednesday (5) arrested Convene, Inter University Students Federation (IUSF), Udul Premaratne for allegedly pasting posters of the protest. The Fort Magistrate ordered him to be held in remand prison till August 12.
The IUSF organized a massive protest opposite the Fort railway station and a campaign to receive 1,000,000 signatures for a petition.
Government announced KP’s arrest only after bringing him to Colombo
2009-08-07 | 7.15 PM
Although the government announced that LTTE’s new Leader, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was arrested in Thailand, Lanka News Web is receiving information that the arrest had not taken place in the venue stated by the Colombo authorities.
Reports received by Lanka News Web indicate the KP was arrested in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia and that his last phone call was made to Gnanakoon in Singapore.
Dangerous laws under Press Council Act – Srinath Perera PC
2009-08-07 | 10.30 AM
President’s Counsel Srinath Perera says that there are dangerous laws included in the Press Council Act.
“Firstly the Press Council can force a journalist to reveal the source behind a story written. This could be considered as a step taken to suppress the media,” he said.
Uva Wellassa University opened by the President was initially inaugurated in 2005
2009-08-07 | 10.30 AM
The Uva Wellassa University declared by the President recently as part of the government’s election campaign for the Uva Provincial Council election was officially opened in 2005. The University’s official website, www.uwu.ac.lk, states the university was officially declared open in 2005.
Commenting on the matter, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the people of the Uva Province would give the proper answer to the government for misleading them on the 8th.
General Sarath Fonseka doesn’t even have the power vested with the head of the Salvation Army – Mangala Samaraweera
2009-08-07 | 10.30 AM
SLFP (M) Wing Leader, Mangala Samaraweera said General Sarath Fonseka who played a key role in defeating the LTTE does not at least possess the powers vested with the Head of the Salvation Army now as the Chief of Defence Staff.
Samaraweera made this comment responding to a question posed by a journalist at press conference organized by the SLFP (M) Wing.
Over 90 underworld figures killed in recent times
– Attorney Lal Wijenayake
2009-08-07 | 10.30 AM
Senior Attorney Lal Wijenayake says that over 90 persons taken into custody on suspicion for their involvement in serious crimes have been killed without being subjected to any proper trial. Today it is the law of the jungles that rule the country, he said.
Also a member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) politburo, Wijenayake made this statement at a press conference organized by the Platform for Freedom on behalf of the Lawyers Association.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse who has been critical of the US, UN and the Western countries and even challenged their intentions, has now sought help from the US to receive aid.
In an interview with BBC, Gotabhaya had said that Sri Lanka was in need of financial aid from the international community. Apart from the US, the Defence Secretary has also requested funds from the UN and Japan.
President ignores Chamal’s objections and dissolves Southern PC
2009-08-07 | 10.30 AM
The President had dissolved the Southern Provincial Council earlier in the week amidst objections from Minister Chamal Rajapakse and his family members, Lanka News Web reliably learns.
Chamal had requested President Mahinda Rajapakse not to dissolve the Southern Provincial Council until the conclusion of the Uva Provincial Council elections. Chamal believed an early dissolution of the Southern Provincial Council would have an impact on his son, Shasheendra’s, campaign in the Uva Province.
For the first time, the govt says there had been IDPs in Vavuniya camps from as far away as Ampara and Batticoloa in the Eastern Province. The news report produced below also says these are "civilians who had to flee their home towns due to the LTTE threats and intimidation, and they later escaped to the Government controlled areas in the latter stage of the humanitarian operation."
For the first time, the govt says there had been IDPs in Vavuniya camps from as far away as Ampara and Batticoloa in the Eastern Province. The news report produced below also says these are "civilians who had to flee their home towns due to the LTTE threats and intimidation, and they later escaped to the Government controlled areas in the latter stage of the humanitarian operation."
Transport Minister moves to purchase train carriages without President’s approval
2009-08-06 | 10.30 AM
Sources from Temple Trees say that Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has submitted a suspicious cabinet paper for approval to purchase 12 train engines and 100 train carriages from China.
Sources also said Alahapperuma’s keen interest to get the relevant cabinet paper approved at a meeting the President would not be chairing has raised even his suspicion as well.
Media organizations request for appointment to meet with Media Minister
2009-08-06 | 10.30 AM
Several media organizations have requested for an appointment to meet with the Media Minister to discuss the suppression of media personnel in the country. A copy of the letter was e-mailed to us and we have decided to give prominence to the contents of the letter given the present conditions prevailing in the country with regard to the media.
Following is an English translation of the letter written in Sinhala:
“At a recent press conference you said the Press Council was re-established to improve the status of media profession in the country and to protect freedom of expression and the right to information.
Media banned from covering local elections in two northern cities
2009-08-05 | 10.30 PM
Reporters Without Borders is outraged by the Sri Lanka government’s decision on 3 August not to allow journalists into the northern cities of Vavuniya and Jaffna to cover the first local elections to be held since the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels earlier this year. All outsiders are being denied entry for “security” reasons.
“It is unacceptable that the government should impose such a ban on nothing more than the vaguest security grounds,” Reporters Without Borders said. “As well as violating the population’s fundamental rights by preventing them from circulating freely, this measure dashes any hope of a transparent election.”
Official Defence Ministry website has not recognised General Sarath Fonseka as the CDS
2009-08-05 | 1.55 PM
Although General Sarath Fonseka has been appointed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the official website of the Defence Ministry, defence.lk is yet to recognize him as the CDS.
Lawyers also need to come forward to safeguard and establish the rule of law in the country – J.C. Weliamuna
2009-08-05 | 1.55 PM
Attorney J.C. Weliamuna called on members of the legal profession to come forward to safeguard and establish the rule of law in the country at a media conference organized by the Platform for Freedom at the Library Services Auditorium yesterday (4).
He said the country’s Constitution has been violated by the non-implementation of the 17th amendment, adding that public officials from the executive to the grama niladhari are bound to act by it.
CAASL Chairman who opposed SLAF move to charter commercial flights removed
2009-08-05 | 1.55 PM
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) Chairman Lal Liyanarachchi, who opposed the move by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to charter commercial flights to transport civilians within the country, was removed from the post with immediate effect from Tuesday (4).
Liyanarachchi, who earlier served as the CAASL Director General, is a veteran in the aviation field. Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapakse following a presidential directive had removed him.
The deteriorating levels of funds at the Lake House has compelled Chairman Bandula Padmakumara to stop midway, a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), which was introduced by him to reduce the number of employees at the institution.
The President it is learnt had turned down a request made by the Lake House chairman for the allocation of some funds from the Central Bank to carry out the VRS.
Meanwhile, a court directive has also been issued to Lake House calling on it to pay a sum of Rs. 10 million to former Lake House Chairman, Nalin Ladduwahetty in the defamation case filed by him against the institution.
Government decides not to name Chief Ministerial candidate for Southern PC to promote Sajin
2009-08-05 | 10.00 AM
A senior SLFPer attached to the party headquarters said that while elections for the Southern Provincial Council that was dissolved on midnight Monday might be held on Saturday, October 3, the President had decided not to name a chief ministerial candidate from the UPFA at the poll.
The source said the President had decided to do so in order to promote the campaign of his special representative, Sajin Vass Gunawardena, who would be contesting the Southern Provincial poll from the Galle District.
Security for 5 journalists under threat for supporting Sarath Fonseka slashed
2009-08-05 | 10.00 AM
The new Army Chief has taken steps to slash the security of five journalists who were under threat from former Navy Chief Wasantha Karannagoda for supporting former Army Chief General Sarath Fonseka.
The personal security officer of the former Navy Chief, Lieutenant Commander Sampath Munasinghe alias Navy Sampath, earlier gave a statement to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) saying that he was ordered by his chief to kill five journalists who had written in support of Fonseka during the war.
Nimal Siripala’s wife goes to court against suckling elephants being separated from mothers
2009-08-05 | 10.00 AM
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s wife filed a petition in the Court of Appeal on Tuesday (3) requesting for a Writ of Mandamus to be issued against the authorities who had separated two suckling elephants from their mothers in Pinnawela.
Head of the Animal Welfare Trust, Irangani de Silva had requested in her petition to court to nullify the letter of authorization given by Recreational Activities Minister Gamini Lokuge to Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara to take away two suckling tuskers from the Pinnawela elephant orphanage.
