Sri Lankan News............

recording tape has been made to match Gen. Fonseka’s voice

2009-12-27T08:26:00.000+05:30

JVP M.P. Anura Kumara Dissanayake told media that from the high places of the Govt. arrangements are being made to prepare a bogus voice recording to match the voice of Gen. Sarath fonseka purporting to be statements of Gen. Fonseka made to Sunday Leader Editor on the 13th.

Despite the General making it abundantly clear on the following day itself that the statements attributed to him were not made by him and were misleading, the Govt. had been blowing this episode out of proportion to cash in on it.

The Sunday Leader Editor had been challenged two weeks ago to reveal the recording to corroborate her report, but so far there has been no response. As the opposition is intensifying the pressure for the recording, the Govt. is seeking to prepare a bogus recording. As the govt. can mislead with a portion of the recording by bogus voicing, the Opposition has demanded that the whole recording be forwarded, Dissanayake noted.

Registration of Tamils traveling to Colombo relaxed

2009-12-23T09:29:00.000+05:30

Registration rules for expatriate and local Tamils traveling to Colombo have been temporarily relaxed according to a statement released by the police today.

Senior DIG Nimal Madiweka told Media a short while ago that the rule has been relaxed with immediate effect but gave no time frame for it. DIG Madiweka explained that all Tamils, whether they are from abroad or from the North and East, will not have to register themselves with the police as per earlier regulations if they are staying for a short periods. However according to Mr. Madiweka, Tamils planning long haul stays will have to register.

Mr. Madiweka said, “Tamils can stay in Colombo for up to one month without registering themselves but if they exceed that period then they will have to register.”

LTTE shot them –Kohona

2009-12-23T09:27:00.000+05:30

It was Palitha Kohona, when he was the Foreign Ministry secretary who instructed the LTTTE Police chief B. Nadesan and chief of the Peace secretariat of the LTTE, S. Pullidevan to surrender to the Army carrying white flags with them.

Although the Govt. made a big din about a statement allegedly made by the Opposition common Presidential candidate Gen, Fonseka as reported by the Sunday leader newspaper on the 13th as a betrayal by the General, the Govt. has not given any publicity to the enunciations of Kohone in that connection.

Palitha Kohone had told a France news service, AFP on 21 May 2009 that when they tried to surrender coming forward, they were shot at from behind.

The IRC spoke to me and told the Two LTTE cadres wanted to surrender. II asked them to go forward slowly with white flags towards the army without any show of aggression or threat. However when they tried to advance forward they were shot by the LTTE from behind.

Fonseka’s official photographer attacked

2009-12-23T09:26:00.000+05:30

Opposition common Presidential candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s official photographer who was at the Gen. Fonseka’s public rally today (22), at Mayurapadhi playground, Mawanella covering the event was attacked by a group of UPFA supporters.

The victims of this assault are Vishwanath Thenuwara, the official photographer of Gen. Fonseka and official videographer Sandun Jeewaka, a media personnel.

Eye witnesses to this incident said, a group who came in a vehicle bearing NO. JB 2616 launched this assault. There had been a large number of posters of President Rajapakse inside this vehicle.

Rajapakse has spent more than Rs.13 million

2009-12-23T09:24:00.000+05:30

The ‘Media Meeting’ organized by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party- Mahajana Wing headed by Mr. Mangala Samaraweera was held on Today (22). This is a short summary of some of the key points that were discussed during the meeting.

In the face of certain electoral defeat the government is stepping up Mugabe-style tactics to disrupt the common candidate’s campaign. The tactics that have been used have been deplorable and sad, while the police have done nothing to curb such actions. The government and its followers have used methods such as intimidation, death threats and assaults to discourage the UNF from carrying out its successful convention in Matara. All these attempts have failed in the face of our resoluteness. We in fact carried out one of the most successful conventions of all time. President Mahinda Rajapakse is now loosing ground in the whole Southern province.

On 19th December some young activists who were engaged in putting up street signs in Matara town for the Matara District convention were attacked by a group of armed thugs who traveled in a white Toyota Prado and who also shot rounds in to the air. Last night (21st of December) the UNF office that is situated at the ancestral home of Mr. Mangala Samaraweera was attacked by a group of thugs. They shot at a large banner of the UNF leaders and removed all the decorations in the area. Other cutouts throughout the Matara town were taken out and then left in front of the home of the Opposition Leader of the Southern Province. This was all happening under the eyes of the police officers who were there to ‘protect’ the cutouts of President. Even though we have lodged complaints against the parties who have committed these crimes, no action has yet been taken. In due time we will take all the necessary actions against both the perpetrators of these crimes and the police officials who have turned a blind-eye to them. We have reason to believe that the vehicles of Mr. Anura Gunarathne, who is a PC Minister, and Mr. Dilshan Gunesekara were used during these attacks. Furthermore, we believe that the Commanding Officer of Matara army camp, Captain Baratha Kodithuwakku, was responsible for planning some of these attacks.

We have to acknowledge the clear statement made by the Election Commissioner against the President’s habit of feedings thousands of individuals just before an election, and we want to thank him for such a statement. According to the receipts sent by Fingara Town and Country Club (caterers for the President) to Temple Trees, the total bill for feeding thousands of guests has been Rs. 13 million just in the last four months. Furthermore, we would like to ask the President how he has acquired these funds to feed so many people, especially on a public servants salary. We also request the President to divulge his personal assets as Sarath Fonseka has done.

Police team search house where Fonseka made a stop-over

2009-12-22T20:12:00.001+05:30

The owner of a house where presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka stayed over for several hours over the weekend while on his way to a rally in Ambalangoda has lodged a police complaint saying his house was searched by a special police team this morning.

According to the police complaint the police team searched the house for at least one hour and the search was conducted without a court order. Police media spokesman SSP I.M Karunaratne confirmed that there was a police complaint to that effect.

Fonseka claims aide was abducted

2009-12-22T20:11:00.001+05:30

Presidential Candidate General Sarath Fonseka informed the Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayaka at the Elections Secretariat a short while ago that one of his aides, who is a retired army captain and was in charge of his internal security and campaign security, had been abducted two days ago, held at an unknown location and later released after being threatened, sources close to the General told media.

The source said that upon his release the officer who was abducted had claimed that he was threatened for being part of General Fonseka’s team.

The Temple Trees ‘Dansalas’

2009-12-22T20:02:00.000+05:30

A colossal sum of Rs.13, 199, 744.67 is owing to Fingara Town and country Club Ltd, at Old Kesbewa Road, as a result of the Sumptuous feasts, dinners and parties given to various groups at temple Trees during the period August to December.

The relevant Co. has forwarded its bills to Temple Trees for payment. The name of the customer mentioned in connection with these supplies is the Secretary at the temple Trees.

The bill amount in the month of August was Rs. 1,663,967.67. In the month of September was Rs.2.441,525.00. In October it was Rs. 1,747,450.00. In November it was RS. 3,930,525.00 and in December it was Rs. 3,416,279.00. In other words, the total expenditure is nearly Rs. 13.2 million.!
While the Presidential election has been announced, the President was inviting various groups of people and feeding them by throwing lavish parties and feasts.

In this connection the President recently said, he does not see anything wrong in giving feasts and dinners to those who come to a house. These traditions have been in existence even in the past. It is only a wrong if the Govt. is bearing the cost.

29/11/2009 : General Sarath Fonseka

2009-11-29T14:30:00.002+05:30

Fonseka acknowledges political role in winning the war

2009-11-29T12:39:00.000+05:30

General Sarath Fonseka speaking to reporters a short while ago acknowledged that political leadership did play a key role in the victory over the LTTE. He however said he was not happy at the way the displaced are being treated. The General, while reiterating he will run for Presidency, said he will keep his promises as the he did when he led the Army during the war.

General Sarath Fonseka says he will contest under the “Swan” symbol when contesting as a common candidate for the Presidency. He also said that he will run for Presidency under a newly registered party.

27 politicos got money from the LTTE

2009-09-06T07:20:00.001+05:30

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy claimed he had ‘official evidences’ that 27 political leaders belonging to various parties in Tamil Nadu received money from the LTTE.

Speaking to reporters in India, he said he would go to the court with the evidence if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh failed to take action against ‘those leaders’.

‘I have received official and authentic evidences from Sri Lanka that 27 political leaders in the State received money from the Tigers. I am ready to unveil the details in the court if the Prime Minister of India failed to initiate action against them,’ he said.

Swamy also named some leaders, including some popular ones, and alleged all of them were paid by the LTTE seeking their support.

‘Four hundred babies born at Menik Farm every month’

2009-09-06T07:15:00.001+05:30

‘Four hundred babies are born every month in IDP tents at Menik Farm, Vavuniya, and they are in need of considerable assistance and care’, Sarvodaya leader Dr A.T. Ariyaratne said yesterday while making a commemorative address in honour of Mother Theresa of Calcutta, at the SEDEC centre, Colombo.

Ariyaratne said that at the request of the health authorities at the Farm, Sarvodaya was able to put together and supply some 800 cots for the infants in a short period of time, although the initial requirement was 400 cots. ‘If Mother Theresa were alive today, she would have rushed to the IDP tents in Sri Lanka, to help the inmates there’, he quipped.

Stressing that Mother Theresa served the poorest of the poor in India, irrespective of communal and religious differences, Ariyaratne explained that the Mother mostly served Hindus and Muslims and that she ‘wanted them to practise their religions better.’ She never sought to convert them to Christianity, he pointed out. ‘This notorious act of converting people by giving them handouts or all kinds of favours is a shame and has led to many religious conflicts and violence in many countries. We should oppose and do away with this evil practice and help people to practise their religion better’, he explained.

In an informal exchange with this journalist, the Sarvodaya chief said that the situation of the Northern IDPs had improved over the months, although conditions were difficult when they rushed to the camps at the closing stages of the military conflict. Sarvodaya is helping out in the camps at present, he said.

30,000 IDPs to be resettled

2009-09-06T07:13:00.000+05:30

All arrangements are in place to resettle 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 35 villages in the Vavuniya District, Northern Province Governor G.A Chandrasiri said.
The Governor, who was on an inspection tour in those villages pointed out that, 7,795 families will be resettled in 35 villages on the directions of the Chairman of the Uthuru Vasanthaya Task Force, Senior Presidential Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa.

The Governor inspected the Grama Niladari divisions in Maruthankulam, Norochchchimodei, Pranddikal, Salampaikulam, Pampemadu and Salampaikulam village and addressed the officials on the needs of the people.

Meanwhile, the government has taken steps to clean up these villages and provide water, electricity and roads. These villages have been affected by the LTTE for nearly 20 years.

Major General Chandrasiri also said the resettlement programme will be completed within the next few weeks and expressed his gratitude for the officials and the security forces for their cooperation.

Brigadier Priyantha Napagoda, SLFP Chief Organiser in Vavuniya, Premarathna Sumathipala, Vavuniya DIG and relevant government and security forces officials participated in this event.

Visa-less passenger had won UK court ruling against eviction

2009-09-06T07:05:00.001+05:30

The British High Commission last week explained the circumstances under which Ms. A. Krishnapillai had been assisted by its staff to travel to the UK without a visa.

She had won a UK court ruling about her previous eviction from that country under its immigration procedures and the (UK) Court of Appeal ruling in her favour had asked the UK Border Agency to reconsider the case.

This agency instructed that Krishnapillai be returned to the UK. She traveled without a visa because there was no category of visa that could be issued to her and the high commission had facilitated her return through the BIA with the full authority of Sri Lankan immigration officials to whose satisfaction the matter had been explained.

The high commission said that there is discretion within UK legislation to allow the visa requirements to Sri Lankan nationals to be waived in certain cases and this was one of those.

Sri Lanka sends full report to EU on Tissanayagam case

2009-09-04T13:31:00.001+05:30

Sri Lanka yesterday said that it has sent a full report to the European Union on the judgment and the circumstances that led to the conviction of journalist T.S. Tissanayagam following some local and foreign elements were on a mischievous attempt to intimidate the independence of Sri Lanka’s judiciary.

"Nobody had the right to question the independence and rationale of the judgment by a court in a democratic country," Cabinet spokesman Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

Similar judgments have been delivered on such charges against journalists in the US and UK and many other democracies but those judgments have never been an issue for protests or controversies, he charged.

He also said that the government has not in any way influenced the judiciary and the judgment was an independent decision of the court.

The EU Thursday said that it is troubled by the severe sentence given to Tissanayagam, who was found guilty under the Prevention of Terrorism Act of Sri Lanka, of abetting terrorism and supporting the terrorist organization LTTE.

Sri Lankan government has stressed that the verdict has been reached by the judicial process following the due process and does not pose any restrictions on the media freedom.

TNA to meet President

2009-09-04T13:27:00.000+05:30

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa next Monday.
The President who is currently on tour in Libya will be meeting the TNA delegation headed by TNA Leader R. Sambandan on September 7 to discuss several key issues according to party member P. Ariyanendra.

“There are two key issues they we wish to discuss with the President. One is the situation of the internally displaced people and about their resettlement in the north, which we feel is happening without due process and legal purview. The second point of discussion will be the issue of a political discussion that has been under consideration for a long time but has seen little of concrete importance emerge,” he said.

US disturbed by Channel 4 video

2009-09-04T13:26:00.000+05:30

The video footage allegedly showing Sri Lankan Government soldiers executing Tamil rebels aired on Britain’s Channel 4 is ‘very disturbing’, US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said yesterday.
Speaking at a press briefing of the UN Security Council she said that the US would like more information as they formulate their own national response. “These reports are disturbing and they are of grave concern,” she said.

Channel 4 News aired the unauthenticated video after obtaining it from a group of exiled journalists called Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka has declared the video as fake.

Rice, who holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council during the month of September, said it was not yet clear whether the council would take up the issue.
"I'm not aware of a council member proposing that this be discussed on the council agenda but obviously these reports are very fresh and that could change," she said.

The UN on Tuesday had said it has always taken reports and information on human rights violations, including those related to war crimes seriously and the Channel 4 video is no exception.

However, the UN is not in a position to ascertain the authenticity of the video in question and has noted its rejection by the Sri Lankan authorities, the UN said.

Media Minister orders ITN and Rupavahini Chairmen to take custody of video tapes amidst Channel 4 controversy

2009-09-04T13:25:00.004+05:30

The Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa had ordered the Chairmen of ITN and Rupavahini that all video tapes on the war scenes in the North during the final phase be immediately taken into the custody of the Chairmen.

Incidentally , it was only the ITN and the Rupavahini the only two State Institutions which were permitted to cover these war scenes.

This urgent order by the Minister to take into custody all tapes both telecast and not telecast has raised queries as to whether this action of the Minister has any connection with the airing of human executions in SL by men in military uniform by Channel 4 in Britain.

U.S. voices "grave concern" about Sri Lanka video

2009-09-04T13:25:00.003+05:30

The United States voiced grave concern on Wednesday about video footage that a Sri Lankan group says shows government soldiers summarily executing Tamil rebels in violation of international law.

"These reports are very disturbing, they are of grave concern," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice told reporters. "We'd like more information as we formulate our own national response."

Rice was reacting to video footage aired last week on British television which, according to a Sri Lankan advocacy group, shows government forces executing unarmed, naked, bound and blindfolded Tamils during the army's final assault to smash Tamil Tiger rebels earlier this year.

The Sri Lankan government has dismissed the video as fake.

Rice, who holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council during the month of September, said it was not yet clear whether the council would take up the issue.

"I'm not aware of a council member proposing that this be discussed on the council agenda but obviously these reports are very fresh and that could change," she said.

Previous attempts to formally raise the issue of Sri Lanka's conduct during the final months of its 25-year war against the Tamil Tiger rebels met resistance from Russia and China, who opposed official council discussion of an issue they said was an internal matter for the Sri Lankan government.

Philip Alston, U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, said on Tuesday he hoped the United Nations would launch an investigation to determine whether Sri Lankan soldiers did in fact summarily execute Tamils, which would be a violation of international law.

Alston acknowledged there was no certainty the video was authentic. Britain's Channel 4 television said it got the footage from advocacy group Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka.

"There's nothing on the surface to indicate that it is not authentic and, if that's the case, it would raise very grave concerns," Alston told Reuters in an interview.

HUMAN SHIELDS

A spokeswoman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the United Nations took all reports of serious human rights violations and war crimes with the "utmost concern" and that the Channel 4 video was "no exception".

Sri Lanka's government has repeatedly denied that its forces were guilty of war crimes or human rights breaches during the last months of its war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), whom it defeated in May.

U.N. humanitarian chief John Holmes has said several thousand civilians were killed during the final phase of Sri Lanka's war against the LTTE, when the rebels retreated to a narrow strip of coast in northeastern Sri Lanka.

The rebels brought hundreds of thousands of Tamils with them, whom U.N. officials said were used as human shields.

U.N. and Western officials accused Sri Lanka of using heavy artillery to shell areas that it knew were heavily populated with civilians, killing many of them in the process. Colombo denied the allegation.

By: By Louis Charbonneau
(Editing by Phil Stewart)

Lanka News Journalists not produced before Court

2009-09-04T13:23:00.000+05:30

he Police who took into custody three Journalists of the ‘Lanka News’ on the charge of attempting to trespass on a garden in Deniyaya, Matara had been handed over to the Colombo crime Division , Lanka News reports.

The three Journalists were to be produced before the Morawaka Magistrate today (03) , and their lawyers had also gone to the Morawaka courts this afternoon. Later however with the intervention of the DIG Anura Dissanayake of the CCD ,they were to be entrusted to the custody of the Colombo Police crime Division , the Lanka news had added.

SSP’s wife gets super comfort at Prison

2009-08-22T21:42:00.000+05:30

According to Prison sources, SSP Vaas Gunawardena’s wife , Shyamalie Priyadharshini Perera , one of the main suspects in the assault, abduction and illegal detention of IT student Nipuna Ramanayake who was remanded until 31 st August is receiving super exclusive comforts at the Welikada Prison.. From the moment she was remanded on 20th August she had been enjoying all the comforts and conveniences .

These facilities are being provided most secretly and this room had been allotted to exclusive women prisoners only. It has a fan and a bed and other conveniences that could be expected in a home. It is a Prison Hospital ward for women which has been transformed to give all these comforts. A politico’s wife who was awarded a death penalty too used this comfort laden room until she received the Presidential pardon, it has come to light through prison officials.

It has also transpired ,a woman prison Officer is responsible for providing all these comforts to the SSP’s wife , and she is the Officer who greeted the SSP’s wife when she stepped into the prison.

Move to exhume Bauddhaloka tamil girl victims

2009-08-22T21:41:00.000+05:30

The counsel appearing for the family of the deceased in the case of the two Tamil girls found in Bauddhaloka Mw, Jeewani and Sumanthi today moved in court to exhume the bodies of the two Tamil girls and hold a fresh autopsy as they were not satisfied with the one done earlier by the JMO.

The Magistrate had instructed the counsel to plead by way of an affidavit sworn by Move to exhume Bauddhaloka victimsthe parents on the next date of the case.

The parents allege that external injuries were observed, although the JMO had stated that the death of the two girls was a result of drowning.

Iran to fund Uma Oya project

2009-08-22T21:40:00.002+05:30

Irrigation Minister Jayatissa Ranaweera told Parliament yesterday that Surveys and geological investigations are being done for design and construction activities of the Uma Oya project.

This mega irrigation scheme estimated at US$ 590 million is scheduled to be completed by 2014. The Government ceremonially launched the construction work of this project on April 28, 2008 he said.

Of the total estimated cost of the project, US$ 450 million will be obtained from Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) as a loan while the balance US$ 140 million will be granted by the Sri Lankan Government.

The Minister was responding to an oral question raised by the JVP MP K.V. Samantha Vidyaratne.

Asked on the amount of money that has been obtained upto now, Minister Ranaweera said an agreement has been signed with Iran Government to obtain US$450 million.

In addition, Rs. 7060 million has been allocated by the Treasury for this project. The Uma Oya project consists of 45m high dam at Puhulpola on Uma Oya and the reservoir 30m high dam at Dyraba on Matotilla Oya and the reservoir, 3.8 km long link tunnel connecting Puhulpola and Dyraba reservoirs, 15.2 km long pressure tunnel from Dyraba to power station, underground Hydro-power station with 120mw installed capacity and 3.4 km long outlet tunnel from power station on Alikota-ara.

Meanwhile, the project has also planned to set up a power Transmission line from power station to grid sub station at Badulla and construct a 5 km long alternative road to replace the stretch of Welimada - Badulla road which will go under water due to creation of the Puhulpola reservoir," the Minister added.

Exam staff to be removed over paper distribution

2009-08-22T21:40:00.001+05:30

The examinations department has ordered the removal of examinations staff at an Advanced Level examination centre in Kotikawatte after they had mistakenly distributed papers for students this morning for an exam which was scheduled to be held this evening, a private radio station reported.

According to the report the staff had mistakenly opened the packet containing the exam papers in the morning and distributed it to the students when that particular exam was scheduled to be held this evening.

The Examinations department said that the staff at the particular centre will be removed on Monday.

Uma Oya Project inaugural ceremony cost Rs. 26 million

2009-08-22T21:38:00.000+05:30

The government admitted in Parliament today that it conducted the inaugural ceremony for the Uma Oya Project at a cost of Rs. 26 million even before the feasibility study was conducted.

Irrigation Minister Jayatissa Ranaweera revealed this in Parliament in response to a question by JVP MP Samantha Vidyaratne.

Of this expenditure, Rs. 8.5 million had been spent for advertisement and media, Rs. 2.9 million for refreshment, Rs. 1.6 million for cultural clams.

Besides, Rs. 5.5 million had been spent for the preparation of roads, repairing of buildings and decorations.Two monument towers had also been constructed at a cost of Rs. 5.5 million. The estimated cost for the project itself is US$ 590 million