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Poor state of Sri Lanka’s judiciary: “50 percent of judges are my students”

2010-08-05
  Foreign Minister Prof. GL Peiris have urged opposition politicians not to criticise judges in Sri Lanka, of whom 50 percent are his students, saying the criticism would have global repercussions.

It is interesting to note that the minister, formerly a globally reputed law professor –before becoming the most pathetic apologist for consecutive SLFP, UNP and UPFA governments – personally admits he is influencing the affairs in the judiciary -directly or indirectly – through his former students.i
 
Samurdhi officer who was tied to a tree gets death threats

2010-08-05
  Samurdhi officer Mohomad Ishad, who was tied to a tree at the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha office, is being threatened by Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva’s thugs, reliable sources told Lanka News Web.

Two coordinating secretaries of the Minister, Ranjan and Saman, had visited Ishad’s residence on Wednesday (4) morning and threatened him and his family before getting him to sign a letter.
 
White van operations re-commence, a couple from Borella abducted

2010-08-05
  An unidentified group of men had forcibly abducted a couple near a super market on Kotte Road in Borella on the night of August 1. The abducted lady was found in the Thebuvana area in Kalutara on the 2nd.

The abducted couple resides down Magazine Road in Borella. The abducted male known as Indika, who is still missing, is the brother of an underworld leader named Olcott.

The Borella Police said they have been unable to receive any leads with regard to the abducted person.
 
Tying to trees is not part of the dengue prevention programme and we cannot condone such acts – Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena

2010-08-05
  Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that the Health Ministry has launched a national dengue prevention programme and there have been no instructions from the Presidential Task Force to tie public officials who do not participate in it to trees.

The Minister made this statement in response to a question posed by a journalist on Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva’s action to tie a Samurdhi officer to tree, at a press briefing held on the 4th to explain about the dengue prevention programme carried out by the government.
 
Contract to set up military camps in the North to be given to a Chinese company

2010-08-05
  The Defence Secretary has decided to assign a Chinese company to the task of setting up military camps in the North, sources from the Defence Ministry said. The local agent for the Chinese company is Sumal Perera of Access.
 
Public invitation to be extended to the General to join the UNP

2010-08-05
  The UNP leadership has decided to extend an invitation publicly to parliamentarian General Sarath Fonskea to join the UNP. The party’s deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya is to make a special statement on the issue and extend the invitation within the next few days.
 
Minister Weerawansa rejects recommendations of the Human Rights Commission

2010-08-05
  Construction and Engineering Services Minister Wimal Weerawansa has decided not to implement the recommendations of the Human Rights Commission with regard to employees who have been politically victimized in the Ministry.

Seven employees at the Ministry had complained to the Human Rights Commission of receiving transfers from former Construction and Engineering Services Minister Rajitha Senaratne for allegedly supporting General Sarath Fonseka at the last Presidential election.
 
Sudarman’s pistol misfires and injures son

2010-08-04
  UPFA Colombo District candidate at the last general election and a head of ITN TV, Sudarman Radaliyagoda’s son, Sandalu Radaliyagoda has been injured when Sudarman’s personal revolver had misfired.

The child has sustained minor injuries to his neck and was immediately admitted to a private hospital for treatment.
 
Detainees in Welikanda under much pressure
Serious shortage of water and medicine

2010-08-04
  A severe drinking water and medicine shortage has been reported from the rehabilitation camp in Welikanda for former LTTE members. It is learnt that three such rehabilitation camps in Welikanda house 3,500 LTTE suspects. It is also learnt that while these individuals are held in 10x10 feet tin sheet huts, they are only provided with technical training under the rehabilitation programme.
 
UNP Leader to take severe action against members who violate party discipline

2010-08-04
  The UNP leader has decided to take severe disciplinary action against any member who acts in a manner that would harm party unity, regardless of the positions held by them and he had informed this decision to Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya and Secretary Tissa Attanayake on Monday (2) evening and had asked them to inquire into the matter and take necessary action, sources from the Opposition Leader’s Office at Cambridge Place told Lanka News Web.

The party leader has decided to take action against members who summon meetings of electoral committees without party approval.
 
Lakbima cuts out the General’s article due to pressure from the Presidential Media Unit

2010-08-04
  The Lakbima newspaper has been publishing a series of articles on the new entrants to parliament following the last general election and an article that was to be published on General Sarath Fonseka has been held back last minute by the newspaper’s administration due to pressure from the Presidential Media Unit.

The feature article had been prepared by Lakbima defence correspondent Mihiri Fonseka. A director of the Presidential Media Unit, Mahinda Illepruma had earlier asked the Lakbima editor not to publish nay news or feature article that would be beneficial to General Fonseka in the newspaper.
 
A leader of the Nil Balakaya involved in Siyatha attack

2010-08-04
  A senior official of Siyatha media networks told Lanka News Web that they had received a large number of unconfirmed details that show the involvement of a leading member of the Nil Balakaya in the attack on the institution on July 30th.

The official however refused to divulge the name of the official due to fear.
 
CONCERNS OF PEOPLE OF NORTH AND EAST NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

2010-08-04
  As part of its programme to promote reconciliation after the war, the National Peace Council last week brought down a group of thirty journalists from the North and East to the South. Previously these journalists had engaged with groups of media and civil society activists from the South who had visited their areas. During their visit to the South the journalists met with government officials as well as with a range of other political and civil society actors. Their positive interactions in the South, including both Colombo and Galle, showed them the positive potential there is for normalcy and reconciliation.
 
“Intellectuals for Human Rights” Condemn the Brutal Action Against a Government Official in Kelaniya

2010-08-04
  “Intellectuals for Human Rights” is concerned about tying up a government official (a Samurdhi Officer) to a tree yesterday, the 3rd August 2010, who could not turn up for a Dengue Prevention Meeting held in Kelaniya divisional secretariat. This brutal action has been practiced by the supporters of a deputy minister of the government. The deputy minister made a statement publicly a few days ago that he would tie up officials to trees, if the public of their respective jurisdictions found to be dengue infected. Aforesaid violent action was taken following this statement, despite the protest of a few female colleagues of the victim. It is further reported that this respective official could not turn up for the meeting due to his daughter’s illness.
 
Mangala to join the UNP on Friday, SLFP (M) Wing to be dissolved

2010-08-04
  The SLFP (M) Wing led by Matara District parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera has been dissolved today (4) and all its members including Mangala are to get membership of the UNP on Friday (6) morning at Sirikotha.

The SLFP (M) Wing had arrived at the decision following an invitation by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to join the UNP.

SLFP (M) Wing Secretary told us that the party’s central committee today arrived at this unanimous decision and that the central committee members and public representatives of the party would take UNP membership at 9.30 a.m. on Friday.
 
It is time to tie ministers and MPs who create problems for the people
– Sri Lanka Social Democratic party

2010-08-04
  The Sri Lanka Social Democratic Party in a media release has explained what needs to be done at a time when public representatives have ignored their duties and responsibilities to the people. The party says that ministers and MPs who create additional problems to the already suffering masses should be immediately tied to trees where ever they are.

The release has sent by the party secretary Sujeewa Senarath in relation to the incident where Deputy Minsiter Mervyn Silva yesterday tied a Samurdhi officer to a tree.
 
“The law in Kelaniya is mine and I implement it” says Minister Mervyn while tying a Muslim Samurhdi officer to a tree

2010-08-04
  Deputy Highways Minister Mervyn Silva tied a Muslim Samurdhi officer to a tree in Kelaniya on Tuesday (3) as punishment after saying, “President is the king of the country, but I am the king in Kelaniya. I am the one make and implement the law in Kelaniya.”

Samurdhi officer of Kelaniya Hunupitiya, Mohomad Nishad was tied to a tree in the divisional secretariat premises in front of a large number of media personnel for not participating in a dengue prevention programme.
 
Indian envoy should be given the freedom to see the plight of the Northern displaced

2010-08-04
  TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told Lanka News Web that he and his party was of the view that the government should allow the special Indian envoy scheduled to visit Sri Lanka to witness the plight of the displaced people and the resettlement programme in the North without any interference.

He said that it is already learnt that the government was planning on showing only a selected number of displaced camps and if the government interferes in such a manner, it would be difficult to understand the real situation of the displaced people.
 
Presidential media Unit also under Namal

2010-08-04
  A plan is currently underway to hand over the Presidential Media Unit to the President’s private secretary, parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa, sources said. The unit is being subjected to a massive restructuring programme claiming it needed to be streamlined and made more efficient. Therefore, some one connected to the Nil Balakaya is to be appointed as the head of the unit.

There are currently 143 staff members in the Unit and it is learnt that a majority of them have been accused of being involved in various fraudulent and corrupt activities.
 
350 appointments made by Maithripala in the morning have been cancelled by evening

2010-08-04
  The appointments given to 350 nurses by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena on July 30 have been cancelled by him the same day. The appointments were made by the Minister at the Polonnaruwa Hospital.

About 1,700 nurses who have passed out from the government nursing schools have not been given any appointments for the past seven months. In previous years, the nurses who pass out from the nursing schools were allowed to continue in the training hospitals by giving them an allowance during the period until they ate given permanent appointments.
 
Assistant Customs Superintendent threatened by thugs

2010-08-04
  Assistant Customs Superintendent K.A.M. Bandara had received several death threats last Saturday when he was making the necessary legal arrangements to tender the uncleared goods that have been imported to the country.
 
State affiliated media behind Siyatha attack?

2010-08-03
  There are now doubts whether two media institutions affiliated to the government were involved in the attack on Siyatha media networks in the early hours of the 30th morning.

Co-owner of the Siyatha media networks, popular actress Sangeetha Weeraratne has told an English weekly newspaper that there were doubts whether a company that is planning on entering the electronic media field was behind the attack. Doubts have now been cast over ABC networks that has been allocated the TV frequencies initially assigned to the controversial Channel 9. The Company is also the only would be competition in the television field in future.
 
Workshop for government MPs to promote Namal

2010-08-03
  A special workshop for governing party MPs with the aim of promoting the image of UPFA parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa is to be held at the Eden Hotel in Beruwela on the 6th, 7th and 8th and the event is being coordinated by parliamentarian Sajin Vass Gunawradena.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is also scheduled to attend the educational workshop where the focus would be on the new MPs. A senior government minister told Lanka News Web that the workshop has been organized after seeing that the new MPs were not playing an active role in parliament and there was a lack of coordination between Namal and the new entrants.
 
Left party leaders to be sidelined during Cabinet reshuffle in November

2010-08-03
  A senior government minister told Lanka News Web that the President has decided not to assign any important ministries to the left party leaders who objected his move to extend the terms of office held by an Executive President.

The President had recently reprimanded Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana saying, “Had I known you were a man like this, I would never have appointed you through the National List.” The President had made this comment in front of several ministers.
 
President says he would not give Rupavahini’s Devapriya Abeysinghe an extension

2010-08-03
  The President has informed Rupavahini Additional Director General Devapriya Abeysinghe that the service extension given to him expires in October this year, he would not be given another extension, sources from Temple Trees said.

The President had made this statement when Devapriya had met the President with his brother, the chief incumbent of the Hathagala Temple.
 
Rumors of a protest shut down shutters on Lake House roof

2010-08-03
  Lake House Chairman Bandula Gunawardena after hearing that several members of the staff were planning on carrying out a protest by climbing on to the roof of the institution, had yesterday taken steps to block all shutters and passages leading to the roof.

He had also ordered that if any one needed to climb to the roof for repair work, they needed to get the Chairman’s approval for it. The Chairman, who is engaged in carrying out a strict system of rule in the institution, had recently sacked an employee who had writing a statement against him. Afterwards, the Chairman had taken steps to distribute anonymous leaflets supportive of him around the institution.
 
Contempt of court case against Chandana Sirimalwatta, Editor, Lanka Irida
Sinhala wording does not constitute contempt of court

2010-08-03
  Indictment served on Chandana Sirimalwatta dated 21 July 2010 states as fellows:

"AND  WHEREAS a copy of the said news item has been brought tot he notice of His lordship the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka..

"And whereas His Lordship the Chief Justice and Lordships the other Honourable Judges of the Supreme Court are of the view that the above news paper article amount to contempt of the Supreme Court , warranting proceedings to be brought you in terms of Article 105(#) of the Constitution."
 
Court rejects request for a meeting between the General and Captain Senaka

2010-08-03
  The Colombo Magistrate on Tuesday (2) rejected a request for a meeting between General Sarath Fonseka and his coordinating secretary Captain Senaka Silva to build a defence in the case filed against them by the Attorney General that they had allegedly employees Army personnel in active service during the last Presidential election. The case was taken up for hearing on the 2nd.
 
Mangala to join the UNP on the 6th

2010-08-03
  Former Foreign Minister and Matara District parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera is to join the UNP on the 6th along with a large number of SLFP (M) Wing members, Lanka News Web learns.

A senior spokesperson for the party said the SLFP (M) Wing would be dissolved when Mangala and a majority of the members join the UNP.
 
Sri Lanka opens $1.5 bln port to outside investors

2010-08-02
  Sri Lanka on Sunday said it would invite outside investors into its $1.5 billion Hambantota port project, the keystone of a $6 billion post-war infrastructure revitalisation drive.

The invitation for external investment will coincide with
the November opening of the port on Sri Lanka's southern coast, along an ancient "Silk Road" trading route and one of the world's biggest East-West shipping lanes.
 
RR Samarakoon no more

2010-08-02

Mr. Samarakoon's creative life expands over four decades
   The veteran playwright, dramatist, novelist and translator, RR Samarakoon, has passed away after a brief illness. He was 71.

The veteran playwright and dramatist's creative life expands over four decades. He became most popular after Kelani Palama which was first produced in 1978.

His first production was Ledak Nethi Ledek in early 60s. His Ahasin Vetunu Minissu which was produced in 1971, received four awards at the state drama awards; two of them were for Samarakoon’s direction and script.
 
540 victimized for allegedly supporting the General

2010-08-02
  The government has decided to permanently stop the services of 540 forces personnel who have allegedly supported General Sarath Fonseka during the last Presidential election. Among them are Army, Navy, Air Force and Police personnel. The services of a large number of officers among them have already been terminated.

A court order issued on the 25th to reinstate Superintendent of Police J.R. Jayawardena, who was terminated following the government decision, has not been activated yet.
 
Rajapaksa friend to be appointed as Auditor General

2010-08-02
  It has been revealed that a friend of the Rajapaksa family is to be appointed as the head of the government Auditor General’s Department. It has always been a tradition to appoint a senior official at the department who has been appointed as the chief auditor. However, this time around, the tradition is to be broken by appointing an individual who has not served in the Auditor General’s Department.
 
Socialist People’s Front in an ideology battle on Executive Prime Ministerial post

2010-08-02
  Several schools of though have emerged in the Socialist People’s Front over the abolishing of the Executive Presidency and appointment of an Executive Prime Ministerial post. The Socialist People’s Front is a coalition formed by the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Sri Lanka Communist Party, Democratic Left Alliance, Sri Lanka Mahajana Party and Desha Vimukthi Janatha Party.

When inquired from the Secretary of the Democratic Left Alliance, parliamentarian Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that although there were various ideologies within the coalition about the Executive Prime Ministerial post,
 
Another complaint against an Appeal Court judge

2010-08-02
  The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairman Anoma Dissanayake said that immediate inquiries have been initiated into a complaint received by the Authority through a fax from a female child on the 27th who had claimed that she was being deprived of her right to education and was molested by an Appeal Court judge.

When inquired about the action taken with regard to the complaint, NCPA head Anoma Dissanayake said that she had immediately ordered the police unit under her purview to launch an immediate investigation into the matter.
 
Lands in the North and East to be auctioned

2010-08-02
  Executive Director of Land Reclamation Corporation, Hariguptha Rohanadheera said the Commission was looking at the possibility of selling its lands in the North and East provinces or lend them out on long term leases. He made this comment when we inquired about it from him and said the Commission had approximately 35,000 acres in the two provinces.

Rohanadheera said the lands would be given out for agriculture, business and housing purposes. However, he said conditions would be laid down if the lands are to be used for housing purposes.
 
PLOTE CONDEMNS ATTACK ON VOICE OF ASIA MEDIA

2010-08-02
  PLOTE vehemently condemned the attack on Voice of Asia network’s Siyatha FM,Vetri FM,Real Radio. The arson attack on this media group forced broadcasting to stop and hurt at least one person. Police and a witness said. A witness said the gang held one journalist and a news editor at gun point before burning the control room.

MR. Dharmalingam Siddarthan the leader of PLOTE in his statement said” This act should be vehemently condemned as it is an act to destroy the freedom of media.This action is a threat to the media.
 
Arson Attack on TV Station in Sri Lanka Must be Investigated

2010-08-02
  The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is outraged at an arson attack on the Siyatha TV station and radio broadcast facilities of the Voice of Asia Network in Sri Lanka during the early hours of July 30.

According to information from IFJ affiliates, the broadcaster’s offices in central Colombo were attacked by a group of 12 to 15 men. They held two journalists at gunpoint and reportedly made staff kneel, before flinging petrol bombs into the facility’s control room. Two journalists were injured and the control room was gutted.
 
KP and Rajapaksas enters into business under the guise of rehabilitation, resettlement and rebuilding

2010-08-02
  Sri Lanka on Sunday said it would invite outside investors into its $1.5 billion Hambantota port project, the keystone of a $6 billion post-war infrastructure revitalisation drive.

The invitation for external investment will coincide with
the November opening of the port on Sri Lanka's southern coast, along an ancient "Silk Road" trading route and one of the world's biggest East-West shipping lanes.
 
Several defence correspondents ignored at the Journalism Awards for Excellence

2010-08-01
  Several defence correspondents are displeased with the fact that they were not recognized at the Journalism Awards organized by the Editor’s Guild, Lanka News Web learns. Report say that many controversies have arisen with the presentation of the D.R. Wijewardena award for earning the appreciation of peers and public to senior journalist Iqbal Athas.
 
Government launches operation to create a rift between the General and Captain Senaka

2010-08-01
  The government has launched an operation to create a rift between General Sarath Fonskea and his coordinating secretary Captain Senaka Silva, Lanka News Web reliably learns.

As the first step, the state electronic media publicized that Captain Senaka is to make a statement against the General in courts on August 2 with the aim of creating distrust between the General and Senaka.
 
Doubts over female soldier’s death in the Weli Oya army camp

2010-08-01
  A senior army officer attached to the Weli Oya army camp told Lanka News Web that there was rumor that the female soldier at the camp who died due to the accidental firing of her weapon on 28th evening was in fact raped by a senior army officer a few days earlier.

The officer made this comment when we inquired about the female soldier’s death.

The female soldier is a resident from Bibile and had succumbed to her injuries after being admitted to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital.
 
ABC Networks get Channel 9

2010-08-01
  The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has decided to allocate the frequencies allocated to the controversial Channel 9 network to Asia Broadcasting Company (ABC) without publicly auctioning the frequencies.

Although frequencies need to be allocated through a public auction in a transparent manner since they are considered public property according to the TRC Act, the Channel 9 frequencies have been assigned to ABC networks without following any legal procedures.
 
Jackson gets millions from SLPA

2010-08-01
  The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) has paid a sum of Rs. 12,600,000 to actor Jackson Anthony to decorate the Hambantota port premises for the ceremony scheduled to be held to fill the port with water.

An invoice from a private company called Helanka carrying Jackson Anthony’s signature had been issued for the payment.
 
Ranjan and Pabha take the initiative to establish Rienzie Algama welfare fund

2010-07-31
  UNP Ratnapura District parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake and Gampaha District parliamentarian Upeksha Swarnamali have reportedly taken the initiative of establishing a welfare fund of Rs. 20 lakhs for the family of Rienzie Algama who immolated himself calling for the UNP to unite.

The two MPs have so far given Rs. 125,000 to the fund from their personal funds. Ranjan has told the media that he would speak to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe after he returns to the island and request for a considerable donation to be made to the fund by the party.
 
Confidantes reveal as to who is driving their boss mad

2010-07-31
  Several close confidantes of parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa have told a group of UNP parliamentarians that although they have been close to him for over 20-30 years, it is the likes of Lakshman Seneviratne and Ranjith Madduma Bandara who have got close to Sajith and drive him mad with various suggestions.

“We like our man becoming the leader. He will definitely get it some day. But you cannot forcibly take over a leadership. It should happen with majority consent. Sajith has the patience required for it. But Lakshman Seneviratne and Ranjith Madduma Bandara are misleading him. They want to destroy Sajith.
 
Close battle between Bandula and Basil to win contract to provide school uniforms

2010-07-31
  A close battle has commenced between businessmen affiliated to Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena and those affiliated to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to secure the contract to provide school uniforms to students next year, sources from the Education Ministry said.
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