It is with deep sorrow that PHM Sri Lanka share with you the sad news of the demise of Prof.K.Balasubramaniam, Advisor to PHM Sri Lanka and formerly the Advisor and Coordinator of Health Action International (HAI) Asia – Pacific. He passed away last night after a brief illness. Prof.Bala, as he was affectionately known, was one of the “founding fathers” of PHM and has been a pillar of strength to PHM Sri Lanka since its inception in the year 2000. Prof.Bala’s death is a great loss not only to PHM Sri Lanka but also to the country and region as well. Up until his death, Prof.Bala was a committed health activist advocating for rational drug use, patients rights, primary health care and a variety of other critical public health issues. During the last 10 years Prof.Bala has greatly inspired all of us and his wisdom and guidance contributed immensely to the success of PHM in Sri Lanka.
Appeal to reconstitute a fuller APRC
for serious political response on Ban's panel report
2011-04-20
The handing over on 12 April, 2011, of the report on presumptive war crimes in Sri Lanka during
the last phase of the war in the Vanni, by the 03 member advisory panel of the United Nation's
Secretary General (UNSG) Ban Ki-moon, with no official public disclosures, compels us as the
Centre for Social Democracy (CSD) to pay attention to all issues that is being mishandled by
political interests, for petty, short term advantage here in Sri Lanka.
U.N.P. Stance on the Report Submitted by the UN Expert Panel
2011-04-20
Although the comprehensive report compiled by the expert UN panel on the alleged war crimes committed during the latter part of Sri Lanka’s civil war has been handed over to Mr. Ban Ki Moon the Secretary-General of the UN. It has still not been made public. However according to excerpts of it published so far we believe that it is going to be a damning report on the present administration and far worse is the damage done by it to the credibility and the standing of Sri Lanka among the International Community.
Money from Mervyn's “Awakening Kelaniya” account goes missing
2011-04-19
Monies from the “Awakening Kelaniya” account commenced by Minister Dr. Mervyn Silva for the development of the Kelaniya area has reportedly gone missing.
Sinhala Buddhist organizations in Paris oppose Dayan
2011-04-19
Several groups of Sinhalese Buddhist in Paris have developed a disliking towards the newly appointed Sri Lankan ambassador to Paris Dayan Jayathileka. It is learnt that the dislike had been promoted by Jayathileka's failure to act according to the needs of the organizations at the event organized for the Sinhala New Year under the patronage of Ven. Vandaratana Thero.
Signs of a military government
Military directives to state officials
2011-04-19
Signs of a military rule commencing in the country have been indicated by military orders being issued to state institutions instead from senior government officials, a senior government official told Lanka News Web.
The first salvo against the Rajapaksas to be fired from Galle
2011-04-19
Parliamentarians representing the UPFA from the Galle District have come forward to openly criticize the government as a result of the massive dissension growing within the government against the Rajapaksas. These details have surfaced when a journalist had questioned these parliamentarians about the development activities in the Galle District.
UNP seniors oppose Sajith's statement aimed at white washing the Rajapaksas
2011-04-19
The statement issued by UNP deputy leader Sajith Premadasa on the 18th on the report submitted by the panel of experts on Sri Lanka appointed by the UN Secretary General has irked senior party members, sources from Sirikotha said. Premadasa had made the statement when acting party leader Karu Jayasuriya on the directive of the party leader had requested all “voice cut” MPs in the party not to make any statements to the media until the party clearly studies the government's response to the report.
Satellites that helped us gather real-time data from the most inaccessible and hostile places on earth can also help us track human rights abuses that cause misery to millions of people around the world.
The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) has declared May 18th as “National Mourning Day of Tamil Eelam” to remember the days when the genocide unleashed by the government of Sri Lanka on Eelam Tamils culminated in the massacres in Mullivaaikkal. The week of 12-18 May preceding the day of mourning has also been chosen as Memorial Week to commemorate every year the immense suffering endured by the Tamil Nation and to grieve the losses and reawaken our dreams of freedom.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ, ACTING DEPUTY SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON
2011-04-19
REPORT ON SRI LANKA TO BE MADE PUBLIC FOLLOWING REVIEW
Asked about the report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka, which had reportedly been leaked to one Sri Lankan newspaper, the Spokesperson said that the Secretary-General and his senior advisers are finalising their review of the Report of the Panel of Experts on Sri Lanka. The UN will make the report public this week, he said.
Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the
Spokesperson for the Secretary-General
2011-04-19
Question: A couple of questions. Number one, on this Sri Lankan report, this report is now available all over in Sri Lanka by the Sri Lankan newspapers, who are reporting it. The Secretary-General had made a position that he will wait for the reply from the Sri Lankan Government on the report before releasing it to the press over here. But now, since it is all over, will he now release it before he receives the reply from the Sri Lankan Government?
TNA urges GoSL not to miss the opportunity to engage in equality process
2011-04-19
R. Sampanthan, the parliamentary group leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), in his response to the leaked recommendations of the UN Panel, on Monday said that the TNA urged the Rajapaksa regime not to miss the opportunity to "constructively engage in a process which would result in all the Peoples of Sri Lanka being the beneficiaries of genuine democracy, equality and justice."
Several UNP MPs ask Ranil to hold an inquiry against Tissa
2011-04-19
Several UNP parliamentarians have asked party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold an inquiry into the incident publicized by the state media saying that UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake had tried to illegally attend the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) sessions in Panama and that he was turned back, a UNP parliamentarian said.
Ranil silent on Ban Ki-moon's panel report
Karu assigned the task of issuing a statement
2011-04-19
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is maintaining a silence over the controversial report by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's panel of experts on Sri Lanka that has leveled allegations against the Mahinda Rajapaksa administration, especially the President and the Defence Secretary, following the advise given by several senior UNP leaders, a senior UNP MP said.
New Left Front Leader Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne says the current administration is trapped by powerful nations and the country has therefore lost its independence.
People's Bank worked during the holidays to bring Mahinda to the top of Time poll
2011-04-19
A group of officers in the computer unit of the People's Bank headed by Karunajeewa had worked tirelessly during the New Year holidays in order to make President Mahinda Rajapaksa one of the most influentuial people through the Time magazine, sources from the Bank said.
On Sri Lanka, UN Withholds Report Which Was Leaked "Shortly After" Gov't Got it For Review by Adviser Nambiar
2011-04-19
Ban depicted in camp with gun, full report still not shown
Three full days after portions of the Sri Lanka war crimes report was leaked, presumptively by the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, to The Island newspaper, the UN still at its Monday noon briefing did not release the full report.
Lt. Colonel Lalith Jayasinghe killed in face to face combat with the LTTE
Vehicle given to Lt. Colonel Lalith Jayasinghe's wife taken back on a Defence Ministry directive
The Executive Summary of the ‘Report of the Advisory panel of experts on accountability in Sri Lanka Allegations’ that was presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
UN Expert Panel Finds Allegations of War Crimes in Sri Lanka Credible,
Calls for Independent International Inquiry
2011-04-18
The Australian Tamil Congress welcomes the recent report on war crimes in Sri Lanka submitted to the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon by a UN Expert Advisory Panel.
Body of the fourth missing Indian fisherman
Recovered from Sri Lankan waters
2011-04-18
The Indian media has reported that the body of the fourth Indian fisherman from Rameswaran in Tamil Nadu has been recovered. Relatives have identified the body to be that of one Marimuttu from Rameswaran.
Manoj Abeydheera who criticized the US given a full scholarship to America
2011-04-18
Manoj Abeydheera from the Divaina newspaper who has constantly criticized the US government in his political analysis has been given a scholarship to the US. A senior journalist from the Divaina newspaper said that he is currently in the US on a full scholarship granted by the political division of the US embassy in Colombo.
Face UN censure taking Tamil people on your side
- Mano Ganesan tells government
2011-04-18
Government should face UN and international community taking the Tamil people on its side. Choosing the line of triumphalism based on the victory against LTTE to counter UN censure on accountability will be a political error. It is time to leave the war victory to history and start addressing the political aspirations of the Tamil speaking people. It is the only way to win Tamils to the government side says DPF leader Mano Ganesan. Ganesan said further in the brief statement issued by DPF media office,
Country needs genuine democracy to defeat imperialist agenda – JVP
2011-04-18
The report of the ‘Panel of Experts’ of the Secretary General is an attempt to intervene in internal affairs of Sri Lanka for various political interests states the JVP and emphasizes that the imperialist intervention against Sri Lanka should be defeated. In a communiqué issued by its Political Bureau the JVP further states the anti-social and undemocratic role of the present regime has paved the way for such interventions and this too should be defeated.
As close confidants of Mahinda Rajapaksa are pouring over Marzuki Daruzmaan report, which UN Secretary General so thoughtfully forwarded to the President on a national holiday, an event of no less magnitude that took place in neighbouring India thirty-six years ago appears as a flash before the mind’s eye. That incident took place also on a national holiday, in Hyderabad. A top functionary of ‘Asian Iron lady’ Indira Gandhi’s government flew into the city of Hussain Sagar, man made lake, and summoned the official publicity officers and the local journos. Without much ado, he came straight to the point. And in so doing laid a new set of ground rules, which fit the needs of dictators and democratic despots all over the world.
Ban Ki-moon's report
Government prepares to release a joint statement with Ranil
2011-04-16
The President is looking at issuing a join statement by the government and the opposition on the report presented by the panel of experts appointed by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon on Sri Lanka, sources from Temple Trees said.
In order to oppose Ban Ki-moon's report
Opposition to ask for Fonseka's release
2011-04-16
Several opposition parliamentarians have requested the President to release Sarath Fonseka from jail in order to justify any decision by them to object to the report presented by the panel of experts appointed by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon on Sri Lanka, sources from Temple Trees said.
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon would officially make his Advisory Panel's report on Sri Lanka public, on Monday 18 April afternoon, according to media sources in New York.
Mahinda Rajapaksa listed on Time 100 for notorious anti-democratic power grab
2011-04-16
Hamid Karzai, Moqtadar Al Sadr and Rajapaksa listed for notoriety; President's supporters urge friends to vote online believing the listing would be positive for Rajapaksa
President orders Nishantha to respond to Arjuna's accusations
2011-04-16
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee Chairman Nishantha Ranatunge to respond to the accusations leveled against Sri Lanka Cricket by parliamentarian Arjuna Ranatunge, sources from Temple Trees said.
A senior official at the Coconut Development Ministry says that coconut plants would have to be imported to the country to due to a shortage in coconut plants in the country.
Don't give statements about Ban Ki-moon's report – Karu tells “voice cut MPs”
2011-04-16
Acting leader of the UNP, Karu Jayasuriya has ordered the “voice cut MPs” in the party not to make any statements to the media about the report on Sri Lanka handed by the panel of experts appointed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon until the party arrives at an official stance on the report, it is learnt.
Ban Ki-mmon ruined my New Year – President tells senior journalist
2011-04-16
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told a senior Lankadeepa journalist on the 14th morning that Ban Ki-moon ruined his New Year. The journalist had telephoned the President to wish for the New Year and had then inquired about the UN report. The President had angrily made the statement when asked about the UN report.
