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The Attorney General (AG) has instructed the Acting IGP to expedite the police investigations into several high-profile cases and to conclude them soon.

The high profile cases referred to by the Attorney General include the murders of Editor of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, Sri Lanka rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, the 17 aid workers in 2006 and the abduction of journalist Keith Noyahr as well as the abduction and disappearance of 11 Tamil youths.

The Attorney General has instructed the Acting IGP to conclude investigations into the cases without delay and to submit the completed filed to the Attorney General’s Department for the filing of charges.

Ahimsa Wickrematunge, the daughter of the slain Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge in a letter to United National Party (UNP) Leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has charged that the latter has used Lasantha Wickrematunge’s name only to win votes and has actively worked to protect his murderers.

She notes that there would not be any justice for Lasantha as long as the country remains at the mercy of the likes of Wickremesinghe and former Defence Secretary and presidential hopeful, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

“Will you apologise for spending the last four and a half years protecting and cavorting with the man you today call a mass murderer (Gotabaya)?” Ahimsa questions in a hard hitting letter to Wickremesinge.

She further notes, “You brought President Sirisena to power and won control of Parliament for the UNP, all by promising justice for my father’s murder.”

Ahimsa alleges that Wickremesinghe’s priorities changed once in office, “As soon as you came to power, your priorities changed. When I met you at Temple Trees in February 2015 to appeal for your support in making sure my father’s killers saw justice, you told me that there were “other priorities” and that justice was “not just about Lasantha.”

Ahimsa has also taken a swipe at Wickremesinghe’s Chief of Staff, Minister Sagala Ratnayake. “Because it is election season, you are publicly attacking him (Gotabaya) as a killer. But even as you do so, your Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake and other ministers are visiting him and spending hours at his residence.”

She adds, “your government is allegedly issuing him irregular identity cards and passports and your senior aide and niece is openly promoting Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s campaign propaganda on social media.

The letter sent by Ahimsa Wickrematunge to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is found below.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s name has not been included in the official US Government publication “Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate”, or renounce US citizenship, in the 2nd quarter of 2019 - covering 1 March to 30 June.

Gotabaya’s name did not appear in the 1st quarter list and it was stated by his loyalists at the time that he had submitted his papers end of April and therefore did not make it to the list. They stated that Gotabaya’s name would appear in the 2nd quarter list. However, the latest 2nd quarter list does not include the name of the SLPP presidential candidate casting doubts over his candidacy since it seem he still remains a citizen of the US.

Gotabaya claimed that he received official confirmation on May 3 from the US Government that he was not considered a US citizen.

A document was then published by some media organizations, which he said confirmed he has renounced his citizenship.

However, the US Government, in its Federal Register - the equivalent of the Gazette published by the Sri Lankan Government - publishes a list of US citizens who have lost or given up their citizenship in the previous quarter every three months.

Accordingly, the most recent filing, a 17-page document, dated August 7, 2019 and covering the 2nd quarter does not include Gotabaya’s name.

The document states, “the listing contains the name of each individual losing United States citizenship, with respect to whom the Secretary received information during the quarter ending 30 June 2019.”

According to Article 91 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no person can contest the Presidency or serve as President if they are a citizen of any country other than Sri Lanka.

Citizenship issues

Meanwhile, Gotabaya told the media that a further confirmation of his renunciation of the US citizenship was the new Sri Lankan passport obtained by him, without the dual citizen stamp.

He claimed that the Immigration and Emigration Controller General has accepted him as a Sri Lankan citizen.

However, details then started to emerge on the irregularities involved in the manner in which the Sri Lankan passport was issued and Gotabaya’s dual citizenship issues.

It has also been revealed that Gotabaya has not made an application under the Citizenship Act and that his new passport has been issued under a new National ID that is unconnected to border control records.

It is also learnt that Gotabaya’s passport application was received and processed by the Immigration and Emigration Department on an urgent basis on May 7, this year after 3.00 p.m., which is the cut-off time for new applications.

Also, Gotabaya had not appeared at the Immigration Department to be finger-printed, and the passport was issued in a matter of hours under a new National ID card number that is not connected to Gotabaya’s previous NIC or border control records.

Gotabaya has reportedly obtained the new passport from the Immigration and Emigration Department in May without the dual-citizen stamp.

According to Gotabaya, this new Sri Lankan passport was proof that he was no longer a dual citizen under Sri Lankan law.

According to immigration officials, persons with dual citizen status are required to make a formal application under the Citizenship Act if they wish to regain regular Sri Lankan citizenship. However, Gotabaya it is learnt had not followed this regular process, but had obtained a passport which did not indicate his dual citizenship status.

It is also learnt that the use of a new National ID card number for Gotabaya when obtaining the new passport had prevented the immigration computer systems from automatically noting that he was on record as a dual citizen.

Minister's powers

An immigration official has noted that the dual citizenship is a ‘status’ granted by the Sri Lankan government to former Sri Lankan citizens allowing them to exercise all the rights of a Sri Lankan citizen. Hence, granting of a dual citizenship is most often a political decision with the Minister in-charge holding unquestioned authority to approve, deny or revoke dual citizenship as he decides is in the national interest.

According to Section 19 of the Citizenship Act, the Minister may only grant dual citizenship “if he is satisfied” that doing so “would, in all the circumstances of the case, be in the best interests of Sri Lanka.”

Section 19 (7) states that “the Minister may, at any time, revoke” a declaration of dual citizenship status if a dual citizen “has so conducted himself that his continuance as a citizen of Sri Lanka will not be of benefit to Sri Lanka.”

However, in the event a dual citizen wishes to become an ordinary Sri Lankan citizen and if the status has not been revoked, they must then apply under the Citizenship Act for a declaration that they are again full Sri Lankan citizens.

Once again, this decision is also delegated to the Minister in-charge of citizenship matters.

Dual citizenship

According to an affidavit filed by Gotabaya before Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, he had returned to Sri Lanka in 2005 to assist with his brothers presidential campaign.

When he arrived in Sri Lanka in 2005, he was an American citizen and not a Sri Lankan citizen. Furthermore, immigration records have noted that he had arrived in Sri Lanka on his American passport with an on-arrival tourist visa in order to campaign for his brother - then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He had applied for dual citizenship on November 18, 2005, which is interestingly, the day his brother was sworn in as the President of Sri Lanka.

Missing file

It is now learnt that files on Gotabaya’s dual citizenship are not at the Immigration and Emigration Department.

The only record available is one that indicates he had applied for dual citizenship on November 18, 2005.

However, records show that his application was approved by the Minister on the next working day, Monday, November 21, 2005. Interestingly, the approval was granted by the ‘Minister’ although there was no Minister appointed at that time.

Gotabaya’s application was given top priority although there was a large backlog of applications over several months. The computer system at the Immigration and Emigration Department has noted that while the dual citizenship was granted in November 2005, the data pertaining to Gotabaya was only entered into the system on January 13, 2014.

When inquiries were made to observe the original documents, it had been revealed that there are no copies of the application, receipt of payment, or the dual citizenship certificate granted to Gotabaya in the Department file.

Also, dual citizens are usually required to present their dual citizenship certificate when obtaining a new passport. However, there are no records of Gotabaya presenting his dual citizenship certificate when obtaining the new passport.

Probe

All this resulted in two civil activists writing a complaint to the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) calling for an investigation in to the alleged irregularities.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is now conducting an investigation into the complaints and has uncovered many irregularities Gotabaya’s citizenship issue.

The complaints were lodged by Professor Chandragupta Thenuwara and Gamini Viyangoda calling on the Acting IGP to probe the allegations of “possible criminal activity” by Gotabaya in obtaining the passport, declaration of dual citizenship and the disappearance of government records pertaining to these allegations.

Puravesi Balaya Convener, Viyangoda in his complaint has noted that Gotabaya has publicly declared that he intends to contest the Presidential Election. “As you are aware all criminal proceedings against a person will cease upon their being elected as President,” he has stated.

Viyangoda has also called on the Acting IGP to investigate saying “it is of Paramount importance to Sri Lanka’s National Security and system of Justice.”

According to Viyangoda, the Police should investigate whether criminal offences are disclosed by this information and whether Gotabaya did indeed legally obtain dual citizenship in Sri Lanka after renouncing his allegiance to the country of his birth and pledging fealty to the United States of America in 2003.

The complaint lodged by Prof. Thenuwara, which does not name Gotabaya, has noted that the “individual concerned” has had criminal proceedings instituted against him by both the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and the Attorney General for the alleged misappropriation of public funds and corruption.

Meanwhile, Internal and Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena has told the media that Gotabaya had not officially informed his Ministry about renouncing American citizenship.

The issue of granting dual citizenship, its renunciation and re-application for Sri Lankan citizenship fall under the purview of Abeywardena.

 The Quarterly Publication of Individuals, Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, or Renounce US Citizenship, in the 2nd quarter of 2019 - covering 1 March to 30 June released by the US Government is found below:

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The Tamils feel betrayed by the international community, says Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran.

Sumanthiran’s comments come after former Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa was named as the presidential candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) on Sunday (11) by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Controversy meanwhile surrounds the renunciation of Gotabaya’s US citizenship.

However, concerns have been raised as to how the US had permitted his renunciation of citizenship when he was facing litigation in the US and also faced allegations of human rights violations among others before the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Sumanthiran has further noted that the Tamil community in the country is more united than during the war and would stand together at decisive moments.

He has further stated that the TNA played a crucial role to ensure the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government was defeated in 2015 and once again in defeating the 52 day political coup last year.

According to the MP, if the political coup last October was not defeated then, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would have come to power.

Sri Lanka is to receive €8.5 million from the European Commission (EC) to support the country’s efforts to prevent violent extremism, build community resilience, and promote peace and tolerance.

It is also aimed at contributing to the ongoing peacebuilding process through internally displaced persons and refugees being able to return to their land.

This allocation comes after High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini’s meeting earlier this month with Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, where she underlined the European Union’s readiness to support Sri Lanka in the face of the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism.

The €8.5 million Commission support will follow a three-pronged approach: It will support Sri Lankan policy makers, competent authorities and the security and judicial branches in their mission to prevent and respond to terrorist threats and attacks in a human rights compliant manner; it will focus on the prevention of violent extremism and will support relevant local stakeholders to develop and disseminate positive awareness raising campaigns, notably via partnerships with global social media actors; and it will contribute to the last stages of mine clearance in the three northern districts of Sri Lanka, and focus on peacebuilding to reinforce national cohesion and reconciliation.

According to the EC, the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka in April killed 258 people and injured many more and preventing and responding to terrorist attacks like this is an additional challenge for the country along with numerous other challenges.

These challenges are in transitioning to durable peace after many years of conflict, such as refugees, internally displaced persons, and land identified as potentially contaminated with mines and explosive remnants.

General Secretary of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), MP Mahinda Amaraweera says the party’s Central Committee (CC) would decide on the SLFP candidate at the next presidential election.

Amaraweera said the party’s Central Committee is due to meet in the coming week to discuss the matter.

He added that the Committee would also decide on whether the SLFP and the Rajapaksa led Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) would work towards forming a political alliance.

Amaraweera made this observation in response to a question posed by journalists at the SLFP headquarters.

The Supreme Court (SC) has fixed Friday (23) to take up the request presented by President Maithripala Sirisena seeking the Court’s observation on the possibility of holding the delayed provincial council (PC) polls under the old electoral system.

The President has sought the Supreme Court’s observation on holding the provincial council elections under the old electoral system since the delimitation report has not received parliamentary approval. The request has been made under Clause 129 (1) of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court has in writing informed the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) about the request made by the President and has sought the BASL to send in any observations of its own on the matter to the Court before Wednesday (21).

The Supreme Court is to take up the Presidential request for consideration at 10 a.m. on the 23rd.

Accordingly, the observations are to be sent to the President before the 30th of this month.

The forthcoming presidential election during the end of this year and the possibility of holding several elections during the early part of 2020 has resulted in the Cabinet of Ministers deciding yesterday (13) to present a supplementary estimate to parliament to make allocations for funds required for the first few months of 2020 without the presentation of a budget proposal for next year.

The Cabinet has yesterday granted approval to the Cabinet paper submitted by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera on the matter.

Therefore, there will not be a presentation of budget proposals for 2020 during the end of this year.

Instead, the supplementary estimate will be presented to parliament around mid November.

All arrangements have been made to hold a massive public rally under the patronage of United National Party (UNP) Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa at the Sanath Jayasuriya Stadium in Matara on Friday (23).

The rally is being organised by the UNP Matara electoral committee under the guidance of Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera and a large number of UNP ministers and parliamentarians are scheduled to participate at the event.

After the Matara public rally, arrangements have been made to hold a massive rally at the Galle Face Green during the first week of September to announce the presidential candidate of the United National Front (UNF).

Kabir’s hint on UNP candidate

A large number of UNP activists at grass root level are now making statements to the media stating that the UNP has to field Premadasa if the party wants to win at the next presidential election.

Meanwhile, a group of former local government representatives of the UNP has adopted a motion calling for the announcing of Premadasa as the UNP’s candidate at the next presidential election.

It is in such a backdrop that UNP Chairman, Minister Kabir Hashim has issued a statement saying that the party will take steps to select its presidential candidate in a democratic manner and announce the decision to the public shortly.

The statement further notes that the candidate of the UNP will not be one who is facing litigation before court nor have any public allegations leveled against him.

According to the statement, the UNP candidate will be one who will be able to steer the country in to the future, understand the grief of the poor and an educated as well as a law abiding citizen.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on Sunday (11) addressing the SLPP convention in a bid to win over the nationalistic forces in the party said he would not allow any country to threaten Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.

However, he has remained silent on his stance on the US Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) causing a problem for the nationalistic forces in the SLPP.

Several political parties supportive of the Rajapaksas have already expressed their objections to the two US agreements – SOFA and ACSA. Some ‘joint opposition’ leaders have continuously maintained that the greatest challenge before the patriotic people of the country is to defeat the SOFA and ACSA agreements that permit US forces to enter Sri Lanka and not be ruled by Sri Lankan laws.

“We must maintain healthy relationships with all friendly countries. However, we will never betray our independence at the behest of any foreign power. Through resuming proper diplomatic relationships with other countries, we will ensure that we will interact with other nations on equal terms, and maintain our national sovereignty and our dignity as a nation,” Gotabhaya said at the SLPP convention, but remained silent on the two pending agreements with the US

US officials meet MR

A few hours before the SLPP convention on Sunday, US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice G. Wells along with the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz held a discussion with former President and incumbent Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa at his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha in Colombo 7.

The sudden meeting between the US officials and Rajapaksa was quite suspicious and it has been made worse with the US Embassy in Sri Lanka as well as Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family remaining tight lipped about the details discussed at this meeting.

Meanwhile, social media discussions have focused on whether Gotabhaya has remained silent on the signing of the SOFA and ACSA agreements since he did not want to anger the US due to unresolved issues related to his US citizenship.

Some social media posts have questioned whether his US citizenship issues would compel him to sign the controversial SOFA and ACSA agreements if elected to power.

JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has previously informed parliament that it was the Rajapaksa regime in 2007 that first signed the ACSA agreement with the US permitting the Americans to freely use our air and sea limits. It was Gotabhaya, in his capacity as the then Defence Secretary, who signed the ACSA agreement with the US in July 2007.

Dr. Jayatissa said that US naval ships still call in Sri Lankan ports as a result of this agreement and that the parliamentarians, who are now objecting to the agreement, were silent at the time the agreement was first signed.

Meanwhile, MP Vasudeva Nayakkara also speaking in parliament said that he had questioned then President Rajapaksa about the signing of the agreement.

According to Nanayakkara, Rajapaksa has asked him not to be too worried since the agreement was not a valid one as it is signed by the Defence Secretary with an ambassador and not by the head of state.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ahmed Shaheed is to visit Sri Lanka tomorrow (15) on a 12 day official tour that will end on Monday (26).

“I will look at how Sri Lanka promotes and protects the rights to freedom of religion or belief. The visit will be an opportunity for me to have an open exchange with the Government to try to gain a better understanding of how it upholds these rights,” Shaheed said.

“I also look forward to learning about the efforts of the Government in developing and maintaining peaceful coexistence among different religious communities.”

Shaheed is to examine the progress made by Sri Lanka in the implementation of recommendations made by former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Asma Jahangir, who visited Sri Lanka in 2005.

Shaheed will also aim to identify any existing or emerging obstacles to the enjoyment of the freedom of religion or belief in Sri Lanka by all and will present recommendations aimed at overcoming such obstacles.

During his Sri Lankan mission, Shaheed is to meet government officials, representatives of religious or belief communities, civil society organisations and the UN and is to also visit areas out of Colombo.

After more than a century of merchandising and deal-making, traders in Sri Lanka’s retail and wholesale ‘Pettah Market’ hub are vying for a bigger domain as they prepare to ink many Chamber to Chamber MoUs-and also venture into global trade.

“Once we link with the Chamber by affiliation, next we will go to international affiliations” revealed the President of Colombo Business Association (CBA) Dr. D. Venkateshwara on 10 August in Pettah

CBA President Dr. Venkateshwara was speaking after the launch of Pettah Fiesta 2019 in Colombo on 10 August, joined by the Minister of Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training Rishad Bathiudeen and his Ministry Secretary KDN Ranjith Ashoka, CBA Chief Secretary Chaminda Vidanagamage, and State Minister of Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training Buddhika Pathirana.

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen (second from right) receives a CBA souvenir from CBA Chief Secretary Chaminda Vidanagamage (far left) as the President of CBA, Dr. D. Venkateshwara (second from left) and State Minister Buddhika Pathirana (far right) look on at the launch of Pettah Fiesta on 10 August.

Many think that Pettah trade to be just pavement hawkers and peddlers, which is far from its real strength. We, the Colombo Business Association (CBA) are a 55,000 member strong trade focal point centred around Pettah and Colombo Fort markets. We are the largest Chamber of retail businesses in Sri Lanka and we also have wholesale trade members. The membership of CBA constitutes 23 business and trade associations around the country and packs 55000 retail and wholesale businesses of all scales-from large to micro, most of them operating in Pettah and Colombo while many are also from other parts of the country such as Kurunegala, Kandy and Northern Province. Some of our members, despite known for dealing in retail, are also into import and export trade” said the President CBA Dr. D. Venkateshwara.

He added: “As we expand and grow, our members call for a bigger role, recognition. The Pettah Fiesta 2019 we launch today is the first such special trade exhibition and carnival in the heart of Sri Lanka’s premier business hub in recent times and the first such trade fiesta in the 30 year history of CBA. This is to promote the contribution of our members to the consumers and to revive their trade. Also as we have now grown to become a national level Chamber, and very soon CBA will be linking with the Chamber of Commerce though an MoU-negotiations have already begun in this regard. As a result, CBA will be an affiliated Chamber to it in a few weeks’ time. Once we link with the Chamber by affiliation, next we will go to international affiliation. We will be inking a pact with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) also for which talks are continuing at present. We expect to sign MoUs with them before this Christmas. Once we link with ICC, we will send our delegation to overseas and international retail delegations can also visit us in turn. These exchanges could transform our Pettah retail hub to an international business hub and elevate our membership’s profile. These exchanges will not be restricted to FMCG segments but will expand to medical tourism, wellness/Ayurvedic tourism, agro sector, and infrastructure development. We are not limiting ourselves to these Chambers only but are also directly and in parallel negotiating with foreign chambers even at this moment. The overseas chambers we are talking to are the Turkish Chamber, and Chambers of Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. As soon as we conclude talks with them we will sign the MoUs at any moment. We are not able to do so right now simply due to this festival’s activities and the coming Christmas festival’s activities. But these MoUs are coming.”

The Minister of Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training Rishad Bathiudeen said that the government is keen to empower small businesses in Colombo to overcome effects of recent bomb blasts. “I commend CBA for organizing this two-day trade fair to support the wholesale and retail trade of the area, which was badly affected by the Easter Sunday bomb attacks. Businesses belonging to all ethnicities were affected and our government is keen to see that they are revived- this effort showcases businesses and stalls of all traders -belonging to Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and others-and we are promoting a united Sri Lankan business revival effort here.”