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First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dacic will be in Sri Lanka, India and Nepal from May 2-8, the Serbian Foreign Ministry has announced. 

Dacic will be meeting with top officials from Sri Lanka with a view to strengthening overall bilateral relations. Furthermore, many agreements on modalities for improving cooperation in all areas of mutual interest will be on the agenda of the expected meetings. 

The visit to these countries will also be an opportunity for the first deputy prime minister to present the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as to convey the gratitude of the government of Serbia for their support to the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of our country, the statement said.

Rupavahini channel is said to have had to halt its live telecast of a religious sermon held at the Bingiriya Devagiri Rajamaha Vihara coinciding with the state Vesak festival as Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero had been called suddenly to attend the event.  

Not informed even during prior announcements of the event - Production Team 

According to the production team, they had been informed that a different monk would be attending the sermon prior to the event. However they say the organizers had at the last moment informed then that Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero will be attending the event instead. 

Therefore the team had halted the live telecast as the event was being held coinciding with the state Vesak festival and therefore after informing officials they were advised to stop the telecast. 

They say organizers should have been more responsible and informed them beforehand rather than at the last moment so the telecast could have continued without a hitch even with the attendance of the controversial monk. 

Despite several rounds of discussions were held recently among the Minister of Buddha Sasana and top Ministry officials regarding the festival, the Rupavahini production team says no mention was made about a sermon by Gnanasara Thero.

Why was his attendance hidden? : Had to halt telecast due to the risk of an issue being created as a result - Rupavahini Chairman 

When asked by isis.lk Chairman of the Rupavahini Corporation, Attorney at Law Ravi Jayawardene said that officials of the Buddhasansana Ministry had not informed them of the Thero’s attendance and therefore the last minute bomb shell news left the production team at a loss. According to him this was the cause of the serious issue.  

He also said as a state organization if a racist or extremist sentiment was expressed during the telecast this could have jeopardized the government. As the result the team had to seek advice from the Ministry and as a result halted the live telecast he said. 
 
Meanwhile expressing his views an official from the Ministry of Mass Media said the Ministry of Buddha Sasana must take the responsibility for the fiasco.. 

Issue is not him attending the sermon but it being done in a devious manner without being informed prior to the event : Government also had to take the blame once before - Ministry official 

He also said it is unfair that a different monk’s name was informed but then going on to inform that Gnanasara Thero would be attending instead.

The official also went on to say : 

At a previous time as well during the President’s visit to Japan the government was slammed with people alleging that Gnanasara was invited by the government. This was because he has been acting in an extremely racist manner in the recent past. Several race related incidents took place in the country recently as well. What if such a sentiment was expressed by him at the State Vesak fest? Government would have been slammed as a result. That is why this decision was taken to halt the telecast. There is still racist elements in the country and any time a fire can be stoked. Therefore we had no other option as the government must always be responsible. It cannot be helped if someone’s feelings were hurt. If a wrong sentiment was spread in the society government and the society would have been harmed. Therefore underhand things such as this should not take place.

Customs authorities in Sri Lanka arrested a Chinese woman who landed at the Katunayake international airport in Colombo for attempting to smuggle in Chinese cigarettes valued at USD 88,548.

She had tried to pass through the channel for visitors with nothing to declare.

Officials from Sri Lanka Customs said that she was the fourth Chinese to be arrested in April at Colombo's airport.

The 44-year-old woman, who had arrived from Dubai, was apprehended with more than 100 cartons containing 20,980 sticks of cigarettes on Friday, customs officials said. She was fined and the illegal cigarettes were confiscated.

On Saturday, April 14, a Chinese man was arrested while attempting to smuggle in cigarettes valued at Rs. 1.4 million at the airport. Customs spokesman Deputy Director Sunil Jayaratne said the suspect aged 44, arrived from Singapore. He was arrested with 28,000 sticks (140 cartons) of cigarettes.

On Thursday, April 12, two Chinese were arrested while attempting to smuggle in cigarettes valued at LKR 2.2 million into Sri Lanka.

Internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan film producer and film director Dr. Lester James Peiris has passed away at the age of 99 while receiving treatments at a private Hospital in Colombo. 

Dr. Peiris celebrated his 99th birthday on April 05 under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at his residence in Thimbirigasyaya. He has earned several honors and awards both locally and internationally including the Sri Lankabhimanya tile; Sri Lanka’s highest honor for a civilian. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at Ada Derana Sri Lankan of the Year 2017 awards ceremony.

Dr. Peiris who is considered as the father of Sinhala cinema revolutionized the Sinhala film industry with his globally acclaimed film “Rekawa” in 1956. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. With this film he revolutionized Ceylonese cinema, giving it a unique identity. It was the first Ceylonese movie to be shot outdoors. 

The internationally acclaimed film director, screenwriter, and film producer went on to produce 28 such award-wining movies as Sandesaya, Gamperaliya, Delovak Atara, Golu Hadawatha, Nidhanaya, Madol Duwa, Weera Puran Appu, Kaliyugaya, Yuganthaya, Baddegama, Wekanda Wallauwa and Avaragira. 

His movie Wekande Walauwa, starring Ravindra Randeniya and Malini Fonseka, was Sri Lanka’s first ever submission for the Academy Awards.

He was married to the equally renowned directress Sumitra Peiris since 1964.


Source : Derana

The new Cabinet was sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo a short while ago.  Deputy Ministers and State Ministers are scheduled to be sworn in tomorrow (02).

Mahinda Amaraweera - Minister of Agriculture 

Sarath Amunugama - Minister of Science, Technology and Research, Skills Development and Vocational Training, and Hill Country Heritage

Lakshman Kiriella - Minister of Public Enterprise and Kandy Development 

Duminda Dissanayake - Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Disaster Management

S. B Navinna - Minister of Internal Affairs and Wayamba Development 

Faiszer Musthapha - Minister of Sports, Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government

Thalatha Athukorala -  Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms 

Ranjith Maddumabandara - Minister of Public Administration and Management,  Minister of Law and Order 

Kabir Hashim - Minister of Highways and Road Development

P. Harrison - Minister of Social Empowerment

Daya Gamage - Minister of Social Welfare and Primary Industries

Mano Ganesan - Minister of National Co-existence, Reconciliation and Official Languages

Sagala Ratnayake - Minister of Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development 

D.M. Swaminathan -  Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Northern Development and Hindu Religious Affairs

Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa - Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy

Wijedasa Rajapakshe -  Minister of Higher Education and Cultural Affairs

Ravindra Samaraweera - Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka - Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development

The President is said to have decided to take over the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at the next cabinet reshuffle.

Accordingly Ministry of Samurdhi will be handed over to the United National Party in exchange. 

According to Minister AJith P. Perera the UNP has requested for the Ministry in order to elivate poverty in the country. Many Ministerial portfolio exchanges between the parties are also expected when the cabinet reshuffle happens on May 1. 

Perera says the UNP will ensure the country goes to a new direction by getting the Ministry of Samurdhi. 

According to government sources Ministry of Labour will also be handed over to the UNP while Cultural, Government administration Ministries will be handed over to the SLFP.

President Maithripala Sirisena pardoned 432 prisoners serving time around the country for minor offences on the occasion of Vesak.

Prisons Department spokesperson Thushara Upuldeniya said 432 short-term prisoners who were detained in 29 prisons in the country and had failed to pay their fines, were released on the pardon of President Maithripala Sirisena.

Four women are among the prisoners released, the Prison official said. The President has given the order after the Ministry of Prisons Reforms recommended the release.
 
Source : Colombo Page

A suspicious individual at the recent State Vesak Festival at the Bingiriya Dewagiri Maha Vihara attended by President Maithripala Sirisena was arrested by the President’s Security Division. 

According to sources the individual identified as a resident of Maligawatta, Colombo was arrested on a tip-off by state intelligence officer on duty there. 

He was later handed over to the Bingiriya Police for further investigations.

The 20th amendment that will see the abolishment of the executive presidency will only gain the support of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) if a solution for the national problem can be provided, TNA parliamentarian M.A Sumanthiran said. 

The MP had noted that while the same promise was given at the 2015 election this was now followed through. 

According to him just as the executive Presidency introduced in 1978 the national problem which began in 1948 should also be addressed as its an issue that resulted in the deaths of many. Therefore a decision needs to be taken to end this he said.

Wife of underworld figure Osman Gunasekara was arrested yesterday by a special police team during a raid carried out. According to the Police a special raid was carried out yesterday morning by SP 1 of Gampaha and the Special task force on the Gunasekara residence in Gampaha through a search warrant granted by the courts. 

During the raid officers discovered 46 live bullets (9mm) and a handbook on armed weapons. While Gunasekara’s wife was arrested she was later admitted to the hospital due to a medical condition. Osman Gunasekara is currently said to be abroad. 

Gunasekara recently survived several attempts of his life by rival gang members. He is a suspect of several murder cases since 1979.

A Sub-Inspector attached to the Eppawala Police has been interdicted, the Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said. 

Earlier today the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara had instructed the DIG of North Central province to take disciplinary action against the police personnel who assaulted females at a temple in Eppawala.

Recently, several female protesters at a temple in Nallamaduwa, Eppawala were assaulted by police personnel following tensions arising when the police tried to disperse the crowd. The protests were held against a priest who lives in the said temple.

The Ramanathapuram district court in India has convicted two supporters of the proscribed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who had procured cyanide capsules in a bid to revive the militant organisation, under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act, 1967 and awarded them 10 years imprisonment, The Hindu newspaper reported.

Passing orders in the three-year-old case, Principal District Judge A. Kayalvizhi convicted the accused K. Krishnakumar (42) and his accomplice V. Subashkaran (41), holding that the prosecution – the Q branch police had proved the case that the duo had indulged in unlawful activities in the State in a bid to revive LTTE (after it was defeated by the Sri Lankan forces in the civil war in May 2009).

The Judge convicted the duo under sections 120 (b) of IPC read with sections 10 (a) (i) and (iv) and 38 (1) of the Unlawful activities (prevention) Act, section 3, read with 12 (1) (a) of the Passports Act, 1967, section 14(c) of Foreigners Act, 1946, section 6 of Poisonous Act, 1919 and section 419 of IPC.

The judge awarded sentences ranging from six months to 10 years and said the sentences would go concurrently. She also imposed fine of ₹ 45,500 each. Krishnakumar attempted to clandestinely sail to Sri Lanka after procuring 600 gms of cyanide powder and 75 cyanide capsules on July 20, 2015, when the police intercepted his car at Uchipuli and arrested him.

He was also found in his possession, four Global Positioning System (GPS) sets and seven mobile phones and Indian and Sri Lankan currency notes and Indian and Sri Lankan driving licences.

They pleaded not guilty when the judge sought their views after convicting them.

The judge also convicted R. Rajendran (47), a Sri Lankan Tamil, cited as third accused in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and awarded him 10 years imprisonment. However, the court offered to clarify on the sentence when his counsel K. Thirumurugan pointed out that he was not facing a charge under the Act. Otherwise, the accused was awarded five years imprisonment under the Passports Act.

The Judge also convicted R. Sasikumar (31), a local Tamil and driver, under section 120 (b), IPC and awarded six months imprisonment. Senior counsel N. Somasundaram, who appeared for the prosecution, said a separate charge sheet had been filed in respect of the fifth accused in the case and the sixth accused was absconding.

Source : Colombo Gazette