News

Noting that in the Western World, Human rights has become almost like a religion Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith during a sermon today noted that Sri Lankan society has lived without this concept in peace and harmony. He was addressing a sermon at the St. Matthew's Catholic Church today when he made the comments. 

“They now act as if Human Rights is a novel concept and carry it on their heads” the Cardinal said adding that those Western countries only adhere to religion now when it suits them and its beneficial to them. 

“This is spreading now in Sri Lanka as well with people only going after material comforts” the priest said. However he also noted that if people follow our respective religions Sri Lanka does not need to speak specifically about human rights. “Religions consist of Human Rights, What else?” he said.

The Colombo Magistrate's Court has issued an order temporarily suspending investigations on former Minister Ravi Karunanayake on allegations that he had provided false evidence to the Bond Commission. 

The Court had earlier ordered the CID to conduct investigations into the matter. The Magistrate said that an order in this regard would be given on September 28.

Rather than provide employment based on personal connections employment is now being provided according to talents and qualifications thereby strengthening the country’s economy, Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera said. 

The Minister pointed out that providing jobs based on race, religions or political allegiance is now over. Samaraweera made these comments while providing appointment letters to 77 Grade II Customers Officers on Friday at the Ministry’s auditorium. 

“The customs is one of the main sources of income for the country along with the Department of Excise and the Department of Inland Revenue.

We provide free education because of these Departments. So you are joining one of the most economically important agencies for the country” the Minister further added. 

He also claimed that only talent was looked at in providing these positions after receiving almost 7400 applications. “In a different time 99 per cent of the jobs would go to Matara,” he said adding that however times have changed. “We didn't care for religions, race, area or political party to provide these jobs,” the Minister said.

The Colombo Magistrate's Court today ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take steps to expedite the investigations into the killing of national rugby player Wasim Thajudeen.

When the case was called before the courts yesterday, the Deputy Solicitor General Dilan Ratnayake who appeared on behalf of the CID informed the court that the investigation is a complicated procedure and therefore, needs more time to finish it.
 
In response, Colombo Additional Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara pointed out that it appears to him that there is a delay in the investigations.
 
The magistrate, pointing out that the investigations into the killing of Thajudeen commenced in 2012, said such a delay in the investigations would lead to a severe injustice against the aggrieved party as well as the defendants.
 
The Magistrate, noting that investigations have been carried out through various directions, said regardless of the direction, the investigations should be finished to enforce the law against the suspects in the crime. Accordingly, the Magistrate ordered the CID to submit a summary of evidence to the court on the next trial date.
 
The Magistrate also ordered the CID to present submissions on the charges to be filed against the suspects on the next trial date and fixed the case to be called again on the 29th of November.
 
Apprising the court of the progress of the investigations, Deputy Solicitor General Dilan Ratnayake told the Court that reliable information had been received about the use of a Defender vehicle that had been donated to the Siriliya Project to abduct Thajudeen.
 
Thajudeen died on May 17, 2012 in Kirulapone when his car crashed into a wall and caught fire. Earlier it was ruled as an accidental death but the investigations by the CID had found that the player was killed before the accident and the accident was staged.
 
Former Officer-In-Charge of Narahenpita Police Sumith Champika Perera, former Western Province Senior DIG Anura Senanayake and former Colombo Judicial medical officer Prof. Ananda Samarasekara have been arrested in connection with the cover-up after the murder. However, no suspect has been arrested yet for killing the rugby player. (Colombo Page)

Former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not qualified to receive protection, says Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka.
 
The Minister made this statement while speaking to the media following a public meeting held in Kelaniya, yesterday (22). “Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not a public servant anymore and he currently does no service for the public” Fonseka pointed out.
 
He further said that he only has 17 police officials for his protection while 25 army officials are deployed for the protection of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

A 21-year-old Army Soldier has been found stabbed to death at the Ambepussa Army Camp. According to Police sources, he was found killed in the guard room while on duty. 

The incident is said to have occurred around 4.40 am today. Camp sources say the soldier was on duty at the post between 2.00 am - 4.00am. Police are yet to identify any suspects in connection to the killing. Mirigama Police have commenced investigations into the incident.

Gunmen have opened fire on an Iranian military parade in the south-western city of Ahvaz, killing at least 24 people, including civilians, and injuring more than 50, state media say.

The attackers shot from a park near the parade and were wearing military uniforms, reports say.

An anti-government Arab group, Ahvaz National Resistance, and Islamic State (IS) have both claimed the attack.

The foreign minister has blamed "terrorists paid by a foreign regime".

Javad Zarif added that "Iran holds regional terror sponsors and their US masters accountable".

Iran has previously accused its regional rival, Saudi Arabia, of supporting separatist activity amongst Iran's Arab minority.

Meanwhile, an Iranian military spokesman claimed the attackers were not from IS but "were trained and organised by two Gulf countries", and had ties to the US and Israel.

Source : BBC

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga became the first Sri Lankan to be awarded the Prestigious Medal of Commander in the National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest rank of the National Order of France.

His Excellency Jean-Marin Schuh, Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, presented the Medal of “Commandeur de la Légion D'Honneur” on behalf of His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, at a special function held at the Residence of the Ambassador of France.

President Kumaratunga served as the 4th Executive President of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005. Prior to that, she has held the elected positions of Western Province Chief Minister and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

At present President Kumaratunga holds numerous Honorary positions including being a Member of Club de Madrid (the premier global forum of former democratic Presidents and Prime Ministers), a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation (led by former President of South Africa F. W. de Klerk), was an Advisor and Member of the Clinton Global Initiative, and is the Chairperson of the South Asian Policy and Research Institute and the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

She holds a Degree in Political Science from the prestigious Political Science Institute (Science Po) of the University of Paris and entered a Ph.D. Program in Development Economics at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, University of Paris, where she studied from 1970-1973
The event was attended by Diplomats, Ministers, Academics and Well-wishers.

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday appointed eight new Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) electoral organisers by removing the electoral organisers who failed to support the party’s reorganisation drive, SLFP General Secretary Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa said.

Prof. Piyadasa added that eight SLFP organisers representing the SLFP 15 Group, lost their organiser posts as they had failed to support the party’s reorganising drive by establishing electoral organisations in their respective areas.

He said that new organisers were appointed to five districts including Ratnapura, Kurunegala and Colombo.

They received their appointment letters from the President last evening.

Piyadasa added that electoral organisers should actively get involved in the Party’s reorganising process. “Establishing electoral organisations (Pradeshiya Balamandala) at electoral level is a part of this reorganising process and all electoral organisers should extend their fullest cooperation to the party reorganisation drive to achieve success. Eight Parliamentarians representing the 15 Group were expelled from the post of organisers for failing to form Pradeshiya Balamandalaya (Electoral Organisations) as part of the reorganisation drive.

Therefore, Parliamentarians Susil Premajayantha, W.D.J Seneviratne, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Chandima Weerakkodi and three others lost their electoral organiser posts. “So far, more than 150 SLFP Pradeshiya Balamandala have been established countrywide. Establishing Pradeshiya Balamandala is important so as to strengthen the party and to go to the next elections” he added.

When asked whether the SLFP hopes to go to the next elections by forming a broad alliance with the United National Party (UNP), Piyadasa said that such a decision has not been taken as yet.

The party is being strengthened to face the forthcoming elections, including the Provincial Council Elections to be held in January.

A delegation from the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), led by Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Nash, visited Sri Lanka this week to continue progress on the proposed MCC compact – a large-scale five-year grant program.  MCC is developing the compact in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka to promote inclusive economic growth that will benefit Sri Lankans.

During the visit, COO Nash met with senior government officials, including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera, State Minister of Finance Eran Wickramaratne, and Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam. 

“We are pleased that progress continues on the proposed MCC compact,” said MCC COO Nash. “Developed in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka, the proposed MCC Sri Lanka Compact is designed to spur economic growth and investment by the private sector to reduce poverty and increase economic opportunities for the people of Sri Lanka,” 

Based on an analysis of Sri Lanka’s economy and the constraints that are holding back private investment and growth, MCC expects to invest in projects proposed by the Government of Sri Lanka in the transport and land sectors.

The proposed compact would improve road networks and the bus system in the Colombo Metropolitan Region, and improve road connectivity between the central region and ports and markets in the Western Province. The compact would upgrade more than 300 kilometers of urban and interprovincial roads. In addition, the compact would improve land administration, and strengthen land rights and tenure security.

Sri Lanka’s Strategic Enterprises Management Agency (SEMA) set up to carry of public enterprise reforms in 2004 is to be closed down on a directive issued by President Maithripala Sirisena. 

This agency was almost defunct and it was not in the public domain during the past few years, official sources revealed adding that it had been operating under the Presidential secretariat to formulate strategic plans for the strategic sectors of the government. 

Ina letter sent to the Chairman of SEMA under the signature of the Additional Secretary to the President A.Muthumala Last Friday 14,  he requested him to close down all operations of the Agency with immediate effect. Mr Muthumala has also brought to the notice of SEMA Chairman / CEO Asoka Abeygunawardana that the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to close down the agency at their meeting held on 03-07-2018 and all financial transactions of the institution should be concluded forthwith.   

SEMA has been mandated to assist the state owned strategic enterprises to devise policy frame works for the long term sustainability of those state enterprises. The aim was to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the economy by upgrading these enterprises on par with their private sector counterparts while retaining state ownership.  SEMA has been entrusted with the task of improving thirteen key state enterprises under its purview to drill in reform and turn them into commercially viable entities.    

The State owned enterprises under SEMA supervision include State Banks, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC), Central Transport Board (CTB,) Ports Authority, Railways and plantation companies.

The Joint Opposition alleges that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is clearly not in a good mental health condition according to medical observations.

A group of Joint Opposition Parliamentarians stated this today (20), joining a press conference held in Colombo.

The IGP could be seen laughing and crying at times, then he assaults the employees on other occasions and these are symptoms of two mental disorders, the Joint Opposition claimed.

They further stated that, even if the IGP is removed from his post, it is assured that he would receive an Ambassador position at a Sri Lankan mission abroad.

The whole of the police department is contaminated with this mental illness, the JO members pointed out.

UPFA MPs Ramesh Pathirana, Tharaka Balasuriya and Thenuka Vidanagama participated in the press briefing. (Derana)