News

Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a special communique released today said that former President and Kurunegala District MP, Mahinda Rajapaksa who is responsible for ruining this country by allowing his family relatives and cronies to plunder the country’s economy and, his siblings, former defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who unleashed terror through the white van culture that isolated the country internationally now seem to be engaged in an untiring effort to throw the country again into “Vipath Maga”, the destructive path.

Former President and Kurunegala District MP, Mahindra Rajapaksa who is responsible for ruining this country by allowing his family relatives and cronies to plunder the country’s economy and, his siblings, former defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who unleashed terror through the white van culture that isolated the country internationally now seem to be engaged in an untiring effort to throw the country again into “Vipath Maga”, the destructive path.

 
02. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who invented white van terror in Sri Lanka that attracted world attention has said recently that the rulers and the public officials should be free of corruption. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa who could be considered as the most corrupted and dangerous public officer ever appointed in this country, is now talking like a child after rebirth. Several cases being heard in Courts and investigated by Police

·         The corrupt MIG deal
·         Plundering public money to construct memorial museums and name them after his parents
·         Unleashing assault on journalists and enforced disappearance some of them
·         Instigating corruption and terror and
·         Maintaining illegal armory thereby depriving the Government of its due income, are some of them.
 
03. Instead of proving himself his innocence before Courts against such charges that have already been leveled against him, he has retained leading lawyers to obtain anticipatory bail orders against those charges. Not only such charges against him are being investigated, charges of the kind are being investigated against the other members of the Rajapaksa family as well. It is crystal clear that Rajapaksa siblings have been endeavouring  to grab ruling power once again by misleading the public because they are impatient to put these legal cases against them under carpet and exploit the national resources once again, and it is not for their special love for the country.
 
04. Not only that, they have been envious of this Government as we were able to strengthen the local economy despite many challenges after 2015 and, they have also been fabricating statistics and distorting the truth in an attempt to mislead the public.
 
05. Even in the face of such challenges, the government has been able to strengthen the economy of the country and its administration better than in the past.  When there was an economic development program supported by the private investment in the 1990s,the export earnings were 30%  the Gross Domestic Product. But they never say that our government was compelled to take over an economy with a dwindling export income of 12% in 2014. Not only that, they do not say that our government took over a debt-ridden economy.
 
06. Kurunegala District MP, Mahinda Rajapaksa has charged the Unity Government has to make the highest recorded debt repayment of US$ 4.2 billion in 2019 in the history due to the debt crisis created by the Yahapalana government. The following fact file would help Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa to restore his already lost memory and regain his mindfulness.
 
07. After Independence in 1948, the highest amount of foreign debt has to be paid in 2018. The total foreign debt to be paid this year is US$ 2,845 million and of which US$ 1,789 million has to be paid for foreign debts which were borrowed before the year 2015. Only an installment of US$ 1,056 to be paid for the foreign loans borrowed after 2015.    Accordingly, 63% debt installments to be paid this year are repayments of debts that had been borrowed during Mr. Rajapaksa’s tenure as finance minister. It was at the level of 75% in 2017.
 
08. This crisis will further worsen next year. US$ 4,285 million have to be paid in 2019 and of which UD$3,315 or 77% of the repayment are for the debt obtained during the tenure of the Rajapaksa regime.
 
09. Another US$3,768 million will have to be paid as loan installments and the interest in 2020 and of which 77% or US$2,905 million is the debts that were borrowed before 2015. Only US$ 863 million have to be paid for the debt that was borrowed after 2015. In 2021, 83% of the foreign debt installments will have to be paid to repay the debt taken before 2015. In addition, even in 2030, 73% of the repayments will go to pay the debt that were obtained during Rajapaksa regime for the waste, fraud and corruption committed by the oligarchies of the Rajapaksas.
 
10. The loan installment to be paid in 2019 includes a US$1,000 million which was obtained on January 6th, 2014 at 6% interest to be paid within five years and, a US$500 million obtained on April 7th, 2014 at 5.1% interest to be paid within five years. As these two loans that amounts to US$1,500 million that have been obtained at commercial rates will be matured in 2019 and the entire loan should be repaid in bulk with full interest at one stretch. The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime obtained these loans in a hurry in 2014, not for the development work but for the election where they lured unsuspected voters thereby distributing cheap items such as “Sil Redi”.
 
11. After this Government was voted to power, it has obtained foreign debts of US$ 12 billion during the last three years and, 6 billion out of which was from International donor Agencies and under bilateral agreements at concessionary interest rates. They have been spent for various projects. These loans were taken neither under commercial basis nor for consumer purposes as Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa attempts to interpret.
 
12. 48% out of the total foreign debt obtained after 2015 have been used to repay the debts that were borrowed by the Rajapaksa regime. Although this government was destined to shoulder such a heavy debt burden in 2015, it has been able to take steps to implement development activities at a fast pace than that of the Rajapaksa regime thereby assuring more direct benefits to the people.


13. The allocations made by this government for education, health and housing are the best proof to such claims.


Although 1.8% of the GDP was spent for education in 2014, it was gradually increased up to 1.9% in 2017. It will further be increased up to 6% in the next few years.  The allocation for health will be increased up to 3.5% of GDP in the next few years. The allocations for public welfare have been increased to 265 billion rupees in 2017 from 165 billion rupees in 2014. It is an increase from 1.6% to 2% of GDP. 

14. Soon after this Government came to power, it pledged the public servants to increase their salaries by 10,000 rupees because their salary was not increased by at least one cent since 2006.   This Rs.10, 000.00 increment has been transformed according to 1:4 scale thereby the salary of all public servants will be increased by 107% in 2020 to that of their salaries in 2014.
 
15. Comparing to the prices of powdered milk, domestic gas and fuel in 2014, they are still at a lower level and, when public servants’ salary is inceased by 107% in 2020, I reiterate that it will help people to increase their income and maintain the cost of living at a low level. Althoug prices of diesel, petrol and kerosene were increased recently, people do not forget that even the current prices of such items are lower than that of the prieces prevailed during Rajapaksa regime.  
 
16. The economy during the previous government, handled by their cronies and henchmen didn’t have any proper system in place to implement the economic development in a manner that would bring direct benefits to the people. The Rajapaksa siblings who ruled this country under such a background have been attempting to regain power by throwing the people into “Vipath Maga” the destructive path. Therefore, we urge the people to defeat such attempts and rally round the Government’s agenda to build a strong economy and a rich country by the year 2025.

Nearly 600 Sub-Inspectors (SI), who have not received promotions in a long time, have been promoted to the rank of Inspector of Police (IP), the police spokesman said.

SP Ruwan Gunasenara said that 595 sub-inspectors including 56 Women Sub-Inspectors (WSI) were promoted to the rank of Inspector on the orders of the IGP and under the supervision of the National Police Commission (NPC). 

He said that some of the promoted police officers have not received a promotion in 14 years. The promotions have been made effective from the date of 31-5-2016.

Source : Ada Derana

Holding its second public meeting, with the families of disappeared persons in Matara yesterday, Chairman of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP), Saliya Peiris PC said the OMP will not bow down to any political pressure in executing its duties.

“We will work independently without being subjected to any undue political influences,” he said, addressing the families of the disappeared.

Commissioner of the OMP, Dr. Nimalka Fernando said the OMP will not be made a public spectacle leading up to the UN Security Council meetings, replying to concerns raised by families regarding the subject only being taken up at critical political junctures such as the Human Rights session in Geneva held in March and September every year.
 
Almost 150 family members of persons in the South who went missing since the late 1980s following the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) uprising, attended the public meeting at the Matara District Secretariat where they voiced their concerns regarding the OMP and its functions along with their grievances.
 
The families were from the Matara, Galle and the Hambantota districts. Notably missing were families of those missing in the security forces probably due to the war commemorations held yesterday. At the meeting many families raised their grievances and claimed that proper compensation was not provided.

Economic grievances dominated the meeting with those affected requesting a quick response in this regard while many appeared to have accepted that their missing family members are no more. The OMP announced they will establish 12 regional offices in the near future including an office in Matara to receive information and complaints from families and other individuals. With information on the missing lacking, the OMP is also set to compile an extensive database of missing persons across the island.
 
“There is no proper list of those who have disappeared since the 1970s,” Peiris said, adding that, therefore, the OMP will compile a informative database to assist them during their inquiries.

Units to assist in investigations, tracing, and witness protection will also be set up, the OMP said.

Peiris, refuting allegations that the OMP is limited to those in the North, clarified that it will also inquire into missing persons in the South, including that of 5,100 missing soldiers and police officers during the war. 
 
Source : Sunday Observer

Colombo Mayor, Rosy Senanayake instructed the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner to suspend all fines charged from parking meters in the city, today.

The Mayor through her official Twitter account tweeted, “With regard to the recent complaints on parking meter fines. Pending council approval I have given instructions to the commissioner to suspend all fines charges relating to parking meters”.

The new parking meters set up around Colombo have caused a stir among the general public with not only the system of payment but also with many not being aware that a parking meter functioned in the area, thus running fines amounting to several thousand.

The media recently reported an incident where a man in Wellawatte who had failed to pay his parking fee of Rs 30, had been fined Rs 10,120 after a lapse of 13 days. His complaint went viral on social media with the mayor as well as opposition members assuring that the matter would be resolved.

CMC member Milinda Rajapaksha on his twitter on May 15 stated that the CMC had discussed the issue of parking meters at its council meeting and that they had discussed the need to restructure the fine and operating system of the parking meters.

In 2015, the CMC signed a public-private partnership agreement with Tenaga Car Parks (Pvt) Ltd to manage several parking locations in Colombo. The company has been authorized to manage the parking meters and collect the fines.

Tenaga accordingly manages to park along Galle Road (from the Galadari Junction to the Dehiwala Bridge) and Duplication Road (from Liberty Plaza Junction to Dharmarama Road), including all intersecting by-lanes.

Source: Daily News

There has been a cyber attack on the website of the Ministry of Tourism Development And Christian Religious Affairs. It was reported that a group called the ‘Tiger Eelam Cyber Force’ is behind the attack.

Ministry said that the website was restored within a short period of time after the attack.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) said that many cyber attacks on certain websites have been reported during the past few days. SLCERT Media Spokesman, Roshan Chandragupta, said that more attention should be paid to the safety when maintaining a website.

Source : Ada Derana

On the ninth anniversary of the end of the war, Sri Lanka has made welcome progress on the issue of disappearances with the criminalisation of enforced disappearances in March 2018, thereby giving partial effect to the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance and operationalising the Office of Missing Persons, Amnesty International said in a statement today.

However, the human rights group said that the Sri Lankan government must support the spirit of these measures by proactively supporting truth-seeking efforts by the families of the disappeared to get answers, almost a decade after the end of the armed conflict. Likewise, Sri Lanka should promptly recognize the competence of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of victims or their relatives.

Amnesty International also called on the government of Sri Lanka to provide information to the families of the disappeared, with detailed lists and information of persons who surrendered to the armed forces in the final phase of the war.

Secret links between Wimal Weerawansa during his time as the Propaganda Secretary of the JVP in 2004 and Heads of security forces along with elite government officials has now been revealed. 

It was revealed by Weerawansa himself at a war commemoration event held at the Panadura Malamulla War Heroes memorial. 
 
At the event he said discussion the events in 2004 he met Sarath Fonseka at the time where Fonseka requested of him that Fonseka be appointed as the Army Commander. 
 
“This incident occurred during the time of President Chandrika Bandaranaike and when I was the propaganda secretary of the JVP.  I was told by a media personnel that Army officer Sarath Fonseka has requested a meeting with me. I agreed to it and I met him at his Army quarters. It was during the time where we were in discussions with the President. During the conversation he requested that after gaining of power to appoint him as the Army Commander. I assured him we would but because the President would be cautious of a request by the JVP we asked her opinion through third parties”
 
Accepts war could not have been won without SF !
 
However according to him, Kumaratunga had claimed if Fonseka is appointed he will stage a coup and come in to power. Many in the political arena felt that way about Fonseka. In the end he was appointed just one month before he retired due to the request made by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa from his brother President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This is why the Army officer no one liked to become the Commander gained the post, because he was needed to win the war and eradicate terrorism.

The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) which commenced its outreach program with a meeting in Mannar on May 12th, will hold its next regional meeting in Matara on Saturday May 19th. 

The seven commissioners of the OMP met with families of the missing and disappeared, civil society organisations and activists working on the issue of disappearances and the media in order to share the OMP’s organizational plan and strategies, as well as to hear public views and incorporate suggestions on OMP measures in the future. The meeting in Matara will be held at the District Secretariat. 

Chairperson of the Office of Missing Persons, Presidnet's Counsel Saliya Pieris said that they will first meet with families of the disappeared first to be followed by meetings with the civil society organisations working on the disappearances and media.

To coincide with the National War Heroes' Day (May 19), His Excellency, the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, yesterday morning (19) awarded the prestigious Vishishta Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) decoration that recognizes unblemished service to 50 Army, Navy and Air Force Senior Officers during a ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat.

 Amidst a gathering of distinguished invitees, including State Minister of Defence, Secretary to the President, Defence Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff, Tri-Service Commanders, and several others, President awarded the VSV Medal that recognizes the outstanding and unblemished service of 25 years of service to respective forces. The Medal is also considered the highest military decoration and a tribute that can be achieved during the course of an officer’s career.
 
25 Sri Lanka Army officers, including the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, 23 Sri Lanka Navy Officers including the Commander of the Navy and 2 Sri Lanka Air Force Officers, including its Commander received those decorations from their Commander-in-Chief, President Sirisena.
 
The list of VSV recipients:
 
SRI LANKA ARMY
Lieutenant General NUMMW Senanayake RWP RSP USP USACGSC
Major General WBDP Fernando RWP RSP USP psc
Major General A Kariyakarawana USP ndc
Major General GRH Dias USP ndc psc IG
Major General DDUK Hettiarachchi RSP USP ndu psc
Major General LHSC Silva WWV RWP RSP USP ndc psc
Major General MKD Perera RWP RSP USP ndu
Major General CP Gallage WWV RWP RSP USP USAWC
Lieutenant General MCMP Samarasinghe (Retired) RWP RSP USP ndc psc
Major General JJPST Liyanage (Retired) RSP USP ndc IG Ldmc
Major General DMD Alwis (Retired) USP psc
Major General SMAWB Padeniye (Retired) USP
Major General GS Padumadasa (Retired) USP
Major General GPR de Silva (Retired) USP ndu
Major General LAD Amaratunga (Retired) RSP USP USAWC
Major General BA Perera (Retired) RSP USP ndu psc
Major General TN Jayasuriya (Retired) USP Hdmc
Major General KMU Wijeratne (Retired) USP ndu
Major General AKP Wickremasinghe (Retired) USP
Major General KRP Rowel (Retired) RWP USP ndu USACGSC
Major General AS De Z Wickramaratne (Retired) USP ndc psc IG
Major General CK Rajapakse (Retired) USP
Major General JCP Pakshaweera (Retired) RSP USP
Major General PWB Jayasundara (Retired) USP ndc USAGSC IG
Major General DSNK Senadeera (Retired) WWV RWP RSP USP ndu
 
SRI LANKA NAVY
Vice Admiral SS Ranasinghe WWV RWP USP ndc psc AOWC
Rear Admiral NBJ Rosayro RSP USP ndc psc
Rear Admiral KKVPH De Silva WWV & Bar RWP RSP USP ndc
Rear Admiral DMB Wettewa RSP USP ndc psc
Rear Admiral JJ Ranasinghe USP psc
Rear Admiral GDAS Wimalathunga RWP USP nswc
Rear Admiral DNS Ulugetenna RSP & Bar USP ndc psc
Admiral TJL Sinniah (Retired) WWV RWP RSP USP psc ctf – ndu
Rear Admiral JD Amaranayake (Retired) USP
Rear Admiral WMPL Weerasinghe (Retired) USP psc
Rear Admiral MA Ananda (Retired) USP
Rear Admiral MUKV Bandara (Retired) USP
Rear Admiral S Jayakody (Retired) RWP RSP USP ndc psc
Rear Admiral DEC Jayakody (Retired) RSP & Bar USP ndu NWC psc
Rear Admiral WMAV Fernando (Retired) USP psc
Rear Admiral JADA Perera (Retired) USP
Rear Admiral DMS Dissanayake (Retired) RWP RSP USP ndu ADIDSS hdmc
Rear Admiral NKD Nanayakkara (Retired) RSP & Bar USP
Rear Admiral DC Gunawardena (Retired) RWP & Bar RSP USP nswc psc
Rear Admiral KKJ De Silva (Retired) RSP USP ndc psc
Rear Admiral SWC Mohotty (Retired) RSP USP
Rear Admiral CR Kulasekara (Retired) USP psc
Rear Admiral PMND Fernando (Retired) USP
 
SRI LANKA AIR FORCE
Air Marshal KVB Jayampathy WWV RWP RSP & Three Bars USP fndu qhi
Air Vice Marshal MLK Perera (Retired) USP

Source : SL Army

Hundreds of Sri Lanka's wild elephants now scavage at rubbish dumps, risking their health due to plastic scraps mixed with rotting food.

At a garbage dump in central Sri Lanka a herd of wild elephants forage among a mountain of rubbish, swallowing dangerous scraps of plastic mixed with rotting food in what experts warn is an increasing problem for the revered animals.

Due to illegal dumping near wildlife sanctuaries, hundreds of Sri Lanka's estimated 7,500 wild elephants now scavenge at rubbish tips and many are being made sick by what they eat, Jayantha Jayewardene, an expert on Asian elephants, said.

"Sri Lanka considers elephants to be a national treasure, but we see these animals reduced to eating rubbish," Jayewardene told AFP Thursday.

"They have become docile and got so used to tractors bringing them garbage."

A herd of 20 wild elephants at Habarana in the east of Sri Lanka has become totally dependent on rubbish and behaved almost like domestic animals waiting for tractors to tip the garbage.

Some wild elephants have become accustomed to scavanging in rubbish dumps instead of foraging in the jungle  

"These elephants no longer forage in the jungle. They are like zoo animals. It is a sad sight to see national treasures picking through rotting rubbish," he said.

The animals can be seen covered in smelly garbage and rooting among piles of plastic bottles, a far cry from the majestic jumbos portrayed in travel brochures.

Jayewardene said the solid waste included plastic scraps despite a government ban on non-biodegradable polythene. Hundreds of elephants elsewhere are also known to forage at dozens of rubbish tips near elephant habitats.

"Elephants are getting sick by eating plastics," he said. "We don't, however, have post mortem evidence yet of polythene causing deaths, but this is a real concern."

The government last year banned the open dumping of garbage near wildlife sanctuaries to discourage elephants from risking their lives by foraging for rotting food.

Electric fences have not stopped elephants from searching rubbish dumps for food. 

At one dump in Digampathana, 160 kilometres (100 miles) northeast of Colombo, an elephant was recently seen trying to open a plastic sack to get at an onion and ended up swallowing the plastic as well.

The government has ordered electric fences be erected around more than 50 dumps near elephant habitats to keep the roaming beasts away. Some have not been put up while others are ineffective, according to local residents.

"Around 300 wild elephants are hanging around them (dumps)," the government said in a statement issued last year. "When elephants consume bacteria-infested waste... it shortens their lifespan."


Prosecutions been threatened for illegal dumping but enforcement remains a problem.

The problem is worse for a herd of spotted deer at Koneswaran in the northeastern district of Trincomalee where frequent deaths have been reported due to plastic poisoning.

Local wildlife officials told AFP that there was no effective enforcement of the garbage ban.

Sri Lanka cracked down on haphazard disposal of garbage after 33 people were buried alive when a huge 90-metre (300-foot) rubbish tip at the edge of the capital Colombo collapsed destroying more than 100 homes.

Since then, plastics have been banned and prosecutions been threatened for illegal dumping. But enforcement remains a problem.

Elephants are venerated in Buddhism, the majority religion in Sri Lanka, and are protected by law.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap, in the presence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, launched a LKR 2.2 billion program (USD 14.1 million) Market-Oriented Dairy Project on May 17 funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  

This initiative will benefit more than 15,000 Sri Lankan farmers and will focus on the commercial sustainability of the dairy sector and the quality and safety of dairy products. 

“Activities funded through this Food for Progress Program will help small scale farmers strengthen livestock management capacity and adherence to quality and hygiene best practices, while expanding access to veterinary services,” said Ambassador Keshap. 
 
The project will enhance the capabilities of Sri Lanka’s dairy farmers and partners and is intended to lead to an average annual growth of 18 percent in milk production by 2022.  During the course of the four-year project, milk production is expected to grow by 94 percent overall. 

Strengthening the dairy sector will also contribute significantly towards the national initiative of reaching self-sufficiency in dairy production. 
 
Approximately 80 percent of the beneficiary farmers will receive a quality-based price premium for their milk.  Additionally, participants will receive training to help them create sustainable and profitable businesses.  The project will also facilitate financing and investment opportunities and provide support to the newly created All Island Dairy Association under the aegis of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera has instructed State media heads to send non-performing officials in their respective organisations to a ‘Siberia’ within the organisation while commencing their work with talented individuals. 

The Minister made these comments at an event held to hand over appointments to several new State media institutions. He was also quoted as saying that despite holding the Media portfolio several times before, the current tenure as the Minister in charge of media under the Yahapalana government has been the most challenging one yet.

Managing media under the Yahapalana government a challenge 

According to him, with two ideologically different parties now heading the government, holding the portfolio of Media Minister has been a tough challenge as it must be controlled in a manner where no party is treated unfairly. The Minister called on the heads to act in the same manner going forward. 

He also said that despite some Ministers accusing State media for not promoting the government's work, they should not proceed to violate media ethics or whitewash the government. Samaraweera said that State media should not be a 'mouthpiece' for the government as seen during the Rajapksa regime where blatant disregard to media ethics was rampant.

Send non performing staff to Siberia

Samaraweera asked the new media heads to send non performing officials to Siberia just like the Soviets once practiced with non performing officials. Furthermore, he reiterated the need to work with talented and dedicated individuals. 

News and current affairs heads warned! 

Samaraweera also said that he cannot be satisfied with the news and current affairs divisions of the channels over the last three years. He said these failures must be addressed while asking for a report to be submitted regarding the action to be taken on under-performing divisions. 

The list of new State media heads are as follows : 

Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation:

1. Chairperson             - Inoka Keerthinanda
2. Working Director -  Nawaz Mohammed 
3. Director                - Saranga Wijeratne 

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation:

1. Chairman - Siddhi Farook 
2. Working Director        -  Dr. M.J.R David 
3. Director                      - Naveen Shanaka
4. Director                       - Mahishini Colonne 
5. Director                        - Saman Muthukumarana

Independent Television Network  :

1.  Chairperson  - Thilaka Jayasundara
2. Working Director - Wimal Katipearachchi
3. Director          - Nalin Aponsu 
4. Director                     - Methsiri Paranavithana
5. Director                      -Selyna Peiris 
6. Director                     - Subash Pinnapola 

Selacine Television Institute :

1. Chairperson            - Uma Rajamanthri 
2. Director               - Thushara Wanniarachchi 
3. Director                 - Yureka Welaratne