CaFFE Director reinstated by University of Kelaniya without salary arrears
2011-01-09
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) Executive Director Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon who was interdicted from his post due to political reasons has been recalled for duty, without paying arrears, by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya Professor Sarath Amunugama.
LLRC visits Puttalam:
Tension between Northern Muslim IDPs and the host community comes to fore
2011-01-09
The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) met representatives of Northern Muslims, (IDP’s) who were driven away from the North in 1990 by the LTTE, and those from the host community of Puttalam on 7th January 2011. Although, the number of submissions were relatively low compared to other field visits, only 23 in all. Centre for Human Rights (CHR) observe, that there were clear indications of dissension which has begun to develop amongst those who were residing in the area formally, and those IDP’S arrived from Jaffna making the IDP’s arrived from the North, them resentful and fearful the Northern Muslims.
The security personnel at Lake House have removed three banners put up by the SLFP trade union at the institutionnn extending their support to Media Minister KeheliyRambukwellaaa on a directive issued by Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara.
A head in theFP trade union said that the Lake House Chairman did not take much notice of former Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and was acting in a similar manner with Keheliya as well.
Conflict within Sajith's group
Dayasiri unhappy with Sajith's decisions
2011-01-08
Several key figures in Sajith Premadasa's group have accused Sajith of making decisions according to the agendas of certain persons without taking into consideration members in the group, it is reliably learnt.
Imthiaz forms group to force a stop to an election for the party leadership
2011-01-08
A senior UNP member and former Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar has proposed that the party leader should be appointed after arriving at a consensus within the party's Working Committee and the parliamentary group and that if an election is called to elect the party leader, senior members should boycott the election as it would create a split in the party, sources from Sirikotha said.
Sajith boycotts Grama Charika fearing it would benefit Ranil
2011-01-08
UNP MP Sajith Premadasa has decided to boycott the party's Grama Charika programme held in Kotte this weekend due to the belief that the pogramme is aimed at politically uplifting party leader Ranil Wicrkemesinghe's image, sources from Sirikotha said. Sajith has already informed UNP Kotte organizer, Shiral Lakthileka of his decision.
Akkeripatthu PS upgraded to a Municipality.
An attempt to gain political benefits prior to elections.
2011-01-07
CaFFE vehemently oppose the surprising and unwitting action of Hon. Minister A.L.M. Athawulla’s decision to elevate a large portion of his electorate, belonging to Akkeripatthu Local Government control area, upgraded to the level of Municipality, without adhering to proper procedures such as gazette notification.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has ordered the IGP to investigate and inform him if there were any allegations of corruption, irregularities or misbehavior have been reported against Senior Minister for Good Governance and Infrastructure Facilities Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, who is making critical statements against the government in the open, sources from the Police Headquarters said.
Sajith and Tiran in secret discussion to get Fonseka to join the UNP before the local government polls
2011-01-07
UNP MP Sajith Premadasa and DNA MP Tiran Alles have held several rounds of discussions to explore the possibility of getting Sarath Fonseka to join the UNP before the local government elections and to name Anoma Fonseka as the mayoral candidate of the UNP for the Colombo Municipal Council.
Basil buys coconut estate in Kuliyapitiya to address the coconut crisis
2011-01-07
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has purchased a 50 acre coconut estate called Sincot estate in Mulamaldeniya Road in the Katupotha area in Kuliyapitiya, a senior government minister told Lanka News Web.
Bandula does not publish Bandula's new appointment
2011-01-07
The state owned Daily New newspaper has not published the new item related to the appointment of Bandula Jayasekera as the Director General of the President's Media Unit following an order by Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara not to give prominence to the news item, sources said.
Operation against the President's henchmen commence with Anil Koswatte's removal
2011-01-07
Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has managed to get the President to sack one of his followers, Anil Koswatte, from the post of Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority that is under the purview of the Environment Ministry, sources from the Ministry said.
Proposal to appoint Karu as party leader to prevent split in party
2011-01-06
Several UNP parliamentarians have proposed to both UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sajith Premadasa to appoint deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya as the party for a limited time period in order to prevent UNP from splitting due to the power struggle between Wickremesinghe and Premadasa, sources from Sirikotha said.
Assassination of seven persons in Kurunegala
Operation to find the person who had recorded the arrest of the seven suspects
2011-01-06
A special operation has been launched to find the person who has videoed the capture and arrest one of the seven suspects who were involved in the shooting of two policemen while they were attempting to rob a pawn shop in Anguruwella junction in Warakapola on December 9, sources from the Police Headquarters said. The video footage finally ended in the hands of the Lanka Truth website.
Police under pressure not to reveal the names of clients of Geena's brothel
2011-01-06
A highly placed government official has called and asked the Walana Crimes Division not to hand over to courts the list of names of politicians and persons working at the Presidential Secretariat who have been clients of Rosemary Felecia Perera known as Geena Madam's high class brothel maintained at Liberty Plaza, sources from the Police Headquarters said.
Leader of the House of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Imthiaz Cader has chased away the police when they had gone to record a statement from him on the alleged rape of a minor in the Mawanella area. The girl had allegedly been raped at Imthiaz's hotel in Mawanella. Imthiaz and a group of persons including UNP Provincial Councilor Upul Shamil Bandara have been accused in the rape case.
No details on Eknaligoda due to inefficiency of the security units – Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena
2011-01-06
Former Media Minister and current deputy minister for Economic Development, Lakshmia Abeywardena says that details on journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda who has been missing for 345 days have not been received due to the inefficiency of the security units.
Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) claims that holding the coming local council elections in different days will distort the public opinion and violates the basic principles of democracy.
The government presented the Local Government Authorities Elections (Amendment) Bill to parliament on January, 4. However despite a consensus of almost all political parties the government postponed the passing of the bill and has decided to hold the coming elections according to the existing Proportional Representation (PR) system. It is also announced that the coming elections will be held on different days.
Habaradwa Pradeshiya Sabha opposition members attended session wearing helments
2011-01-06
Opposition members of the Habaradwa Pradeshiya Sabha attended a special session of the council today dressed in black and wearing helmets, our news sources reported.
Government treats entrepreneurs/businessmen as rogues - Daya Gamage
2011-01-06
The Government should reward and recognize entrepreneusr/businessmen who honestly pays income tax on time without treating them as black marketers or rogues. They are the very people who generate employments to the country, Chairman Daya Group of Companies/Eastern Provincial Council Opposition leader Daya Gamage, said.
