Lawyers for Democracy Urges Government to Avoid Repression
2011-06-03
Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) is shocked at the violence meted out to protesters at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and calls for an immediate halt to such violent practices and an independent investigation as to what transpired.
Gradual erosion of judicial independence in Sri
Lanka concerns IBAHRI
2011-06-03
The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is concerned about
the increasing erosion of judicial independence in Sri Lanka. In a confidential letter, dated 19
May 2011, the IBAHRI outlined its concerns to the Government of Sri Lanka in regard to the
18th Amendment to the Constitution and the proposed 19th Amendment – which limits the
term of the Chief Justice to five years and gives the President of Sri Lanka the authority to
appoint the Secretary to the Judicial Services Commission.
Angered by the crisis that has arisen with regard to the proposed private sector pension scheme, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had reprimanded Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera a few days back, sources from Temple Trees said.
Sending IGP Mahinda Balasuriya on retirement
To be used to mislead the international community
2011-06-03
Members of the Rajapaksa administration who are faced with many difficulties before the Human Rights Commission in Geneva it is learnt is trying to mislead the international community by highlighting the quick action taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to send the IGP on retirement following the police attack on a group of protestors in Katunayake.
Gota agrees to get the retired IGP appointed as an ambassador
2011-06-03
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has promised to personally look into the welfare of former IGP Mahinda Balasuriya who retired following a request made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and himself and has promised a diplomatic posting for Balasuriya as well, sources from the Police Headquarters said.
Karuna Amman displeased with Chagi Gallage’s statement
2011-06-03
The Karuna and Pillayan factions have raised objections to the statement made by the head of the Presidential Security Division and former commanding officer of the 1st Task Force, Major General Chagi Galalage at the conference “Defeating terrorism: The Sri Lankan experience” that members from the Karuna faction were not used at tactical or operational levels during the operation to liberate the East, sources from the Army headquarters said.
A pregnant journalist in the features section of the Dinamina newspaper is being harassed by two lady friends of the Lake House Chairman, it is learnt. In order to overcome the harassment from one of the chairman’s lovers in the widow’s division, the pregnant journalist has joined the medical supplement section of the Dinamina newspaper.
Sajin de Vaas Gunawardene buys Hasaliya Tea Factory for Rs. 20 million
2011-06-03
President Mahinda Rajapakse’s secret treasurer and personal advisor on financial and ex-marital affairs Sajin de Vaas Gunawardene, MP, has bought Hasaliya tea factory in Baddegama for Rs. 20 million, Lanka News Web reliably learns.
Retired Major General Parakrama Pannipitiya, who was called the Thoppigala Hero for commanding the operation to liberate the East from the LTTE during the last Presidential election, is now making critical comments about the Defence Secretary in certain circles, military sources said.
Twenty one year old Roshain Shanaka shot by the police in Katunayaka, Sri Lanka lost his life on the first of June after two days of suffering in the Intensive Care Unit of the Ragama hospital. He was among the tens of thousands of factory workers and trade union activists who called for the withdrawal of the private sector pensions bill on Monday the 30th. Roshain was fatally injured by live bullets fired by the police. The Joint Trade Union Alliance (JTUA) held a massive demonstration in the capital Colombo on June first condemning the brutal police attack.
Hashan Thilekaratne tells the President
Aravinda, Sanath and Thilanga involved in match fixing
2011-06-02
UNP Western Provincial Councilor Hashan Thilekaratne has met with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and revealed to him that two former senior cricketers, Aravinda de Silva, and Sanath Jayasuriya and former President of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board, parliamentarian Thilanga Sumathipala have been involved in fixing international matches.
Joint Action: Sri Lanka - Invitation to the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression
2011-06-02
The International Federation of Journalists, co-author partner organisation International Media Support, and 37 signatory members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), including co-authors the Writers in Prison Committee – PEN International, Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters sans Frontières, endorsed the following letter at IFEX’s General Meeting held in Beirut, Lebanon on May 30 and 31.
Sri Lanka’s defeat against England - a conspiracy to undermine Dilshan’s captaincy?
2011-06-01
International sports analysts have raised suspicions whether Sri Lanka’s pathetic batting display in Cardiff on Monday was a planned conspiracy against the newly appointed captain Tillakaratne Dilshan by the most senior players in the side.
Survival of youth shot during Katunayake protest slim
Dullas asked to make funeral arrangements
2011-06-01
A 22 year old youth called Roshan who was injured during the protest at Katunayake on Monday (30) is being treated at the ICU of the Ragama Hospital and is surviving with the aid of respiratory machine. One of his legs has already been amputated due to the injuries sustained by him.
Democracy in Sri Lanka
Senior Presidential advisors also doubtful
2011-06-01
Senior Presidential advisor on international affairs and former Minister Milinda Moragoda in an article to the Lankadeepa has stated that there were doubts if there was democracy in Sri Lanka.
On an order by the Presidential Security Divsion
Tamil officers removed from the Victory Day military parade
2011-06-01
The BBC news service has revealed that 26 Tamil police officers from the North had been removed from the Victory Day military parade following an order from the Presidential Security Division.
Nine female and 17 male Tamil police personnel who were employed to the police force from the North were summoned to Colombo to participate in the second anniversary celebrations of the end of the war.
Channel 4 is to screen Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, a special one-hour investigation which features devastating new video evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Sri Lankan government forces and the Tamil Tigers at the UN this Friday 3 June.
The film will be screened on the margins of the UN Human Rights Council session. It will air on Channel 4 on 14 June.
Featured in the film will be a video first aired by Channel 4 News which shows government troops executing Tamil prisoners - described today by the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heynes, as reflecting "definitive war crimes."
Presented by Channel 4 News journalist Jon Snow, the film features footage captured on mobile phones, both by Tamil civilians under attack and government soldiers as war trophies. It shows: the extra-judicial executions of prisoners; the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian camps and dead female Tamil Tiger
Military officers involved in the operation confined to their seats
Jayasuriya who distributed fuel speaks of how the war was fought
2011-06-01
Senior military personnel have found it quite humors to see Army Commander Lt. General Jagath Jayasuriya speak gallantly of how the military carried out the operation to liberate the East when all he had done was to handle the distribution of fuel and food to the conflict areas.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had not attended the opening ceremony of the conference “Defeating terrorism: The Sri Lankan experience” due to the non participation of key nations in it, sources from the Presidential Secretariat said.
Action to be taken against Mohan discussed at Sarath’s farewell party
2011-06-01
Additional Director General of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), Devapriya Abeysinghe and several others have discussed as to the measures to be taken get rid of veteran media personality and newly appointed head of the SLRC, Mohan Samaranayake from the post if he interferes in their private business endeavors.
Wimal asks Bank of Ceylon
To give propaganda work to a director at the Dalada Maligawa
2011-06-01
Minister Wimal Weerawnasa has asked the heads of Bank of Ceylon to hand over the coordination of the bank’s advertising to the media and special projects director at the Dalada Maligawa, Krishantha Hiswella’s Sera Idea advertising company.
Police was sent to the Katunayake FTZ following Defence Secretary’s orders
– IGP
2011-06-01
IGP Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya has told a former IGP today morning that Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa after ordering him to send policemen to attack and chase away the JVPers has now saved his skin by placing the blame on the IGP.
