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June 2009 Blog Posts (95)

JHU to quit Government if ...

island.lk

The JHU yesterday announced that it would resign from the Government if it fully implements the 13th Amendment to the Constitution or attempts to bring in any other solution for the national crisis granting any more powers to provinces.

Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, announcing his party’s decision at a press conference held at the Public Library Auditorium said that some… Continue

Added by Editor on June 30, 2009 at 12:50pm — No Comments

Stop order to Peace Secretariat

dailymirror.lk

The presidential secretariat yesterday directed the closure of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) at the end of next month, Director General Rajiva Wijesinghe said.

“We have not been told of any specific reason for the decision although we have been discussing such a scenario since last week,” Prof. Wijesinghe said. “I don’t want to speculate on the decision neither comment on it… Continue

Added by Editor on June 30, 2009 at 12:48pm — No Comments

Curtains for Vaas, stage for Matthews

dailymirror.lk

Veteran fast bowler Chaminda Vaas may most likely have to rethink his future with the Sri Lanka team after he was dropped from the Sri Lanka squad to take on Pakistan in the first Test in Galle starting on Saturday.

Vaas, who has been one of the most hardworking servants of Sri Lanka cricket with more than 350 wickets in a marathon 15-year stint, has given way to a new face in the squad Suranga… Continue

Added by Editor on June 30, 2009 at 12:38pm — No Comments

Navi Pillai makes talks difficult for Sri Lanka

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Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said the newly appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillai was making it difficult for Sri Lanka to engage in dialogue with the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

“Her statements have not made it easier for us to gather the support of the people of this country to work closely with her office, which I want to do, or… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 11:38pm — No Comments

Now, US tries to undermine Lanka tourism revival plan

island.lk

The Sri Lankan government yesterday said that a US State Department travel advisory aimed at discouraging US citizens from visiting Sri Lanka was part of US strategy to undermine the country.

A senior Foreign Ministry official told The Island that nothing could be as bad as the US warning of potential for continued instability and possible terrorist attacks a month after the end of war. He said that the… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 11:37pm — No Comments

Cuban bacteria to fight Dengue

dailymirror.lk

Cuba will airlift a stock of BTI (Bacillus Thuringenesis Israelensis) - a bacteria species, today to control the rapidly spreading dengue epidemic that has claimed 155 lives while the number of dengue cases reached a staggering 12,800 mark by yesterday, the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry said.

‘This came as a result of a discussion Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva had with the Cuban ambassador… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 11:36pm — No Comments

IMF loan delayed: Lanka slams US as bully

sundaytimes.lk

Sri Lanka slammed the United States this week for obstructing a standby facility of US $ 1.9 billion (Rs. 200 billion) from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calling it a “bully” as a spokesperson for the Fund confirmed that discussions with Sri Lankan authorities were “still ongoing”.

“As with any Fund-supported programme, finalisation of the programme will require the support of the Executive… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 1:52pm — No Comments

Lanka furious over Lord’s attacks

sundaytimes.lk

The Sri Lankan High Commission in Britain has formally lodged a protest with the Home Office in London over what it termed ‘lethargy’ by the local police in dealing with pro-LTTE elements who physically attacked more than two dozen Sri Lankan cricket fans , including women, after the T20 World Cup final at Lords last Sunday.

Victims, including women, said they were kicked and punched in the face by these… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 1:50pm — No Comments

Structured amnesty for Tigers

sundaytimes.lk

Guidelines for a structured amnesty to LTTE suspects and their sympathisers are being drawn up by the government’s legal departments.

The reprieve would apply to only lower level Tamil Tigers because the leadership and middle rung cadres have died in the war; and if any senior Tiger was to be arrested, he would be tried in the country’s criminal courts, an official said.

The government… Continue

Added by Editor on June 28, 2009 at 1:47pm — No Comments

Very cordial invitation to join Sri Lankans Community Network.

Very cordially, I’d like to invite you as a special guest to join Sri Lankans Community Network. You’ll find more entertaining features plus weekly lessons on many necessary subjects such as love making, shaping up your body, making extra money etc.

Not only Sri Lankans but also foreigners as guests are highly welcome.

We are to create something new and excellent to our home planet, the… Continue

Added by Don Sugath Wasantha Jayathunge on June 26, 2009 at 1:42pm — No Comments

A haul of gold recovered from Tiger hideout

island.lk

A senior LTTE cadre has helped the army recover 100 kgs of jewellery along with Rs 6,491,099 from one of their hideouts at Vellamullivaikkal on Tuesday (June 23).

A senior military official told The Island that the recovery was made in the area controlled by the Task Force VIII (TF VIII) troops deployed in the Mullaitivu district. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Island that… Continue

Added by Editor on June 25, 2009 at 5:22am — No Comments

13-year-old girl units with her parents at V’niya welfare centre

island.lk

A 13-year-old-girl, who needed medical treatment has been recently re-united with her parents at the Sivaparagasam welfare centre in the Vavuniya district. Earlier the child had been accommodated at a different welfare centre.

Riyaz Hamza, Senior State Counsel on Wednesday (June 23) told the Supreme Court that the Competent Authority for the Northern Region had informed him about the handing over of the child… Continue

Added by Editor on June 25, 2009 at 5:20am — No Comments

‘Don’t forget unbeaten run’

dailymirror.lk

Sri Lanka cricket captain Kumara Sangakkara said yesterday that his team excelled right upto the final of the Twenty-20 World Cup and their failure in the last game should not become a reason to forget all their achievements.

While respecting the truth that the best outcome would have been victory in the final too, he said that staying undefeated until the last game gave the team a sense of… Continue

Added by Editor on June 25, 2009 at 5:16am — No Comments

IDPs will return home in six months

dailymirror.lk

Captain Ali will be allowed to offload goods

Sri Lanka assured India on Wednesday that it would ensure that Tamils displaced during the military operations against the LTTE return to their homes after their camps are dismantled within six months.

The assurance was conveyed by a high-level Sri Lankan delegation -- which included the President's Special Envoy Basil Rajapaksa, the Defence… Continue

Added by Editor on June 25, 2009 at 5:00am — No Comments

Tigers remain terrorists

dailymirror.lk

US says LTTE transitional government not recognized, Tigers listed again,State Department insists not blocking IMF loan

The United States says it does not recognize the provisional transnational government of Tamil Eelam announced by the LTTE head of international relations S. Pathmanathan and once again listed the Tigers as a terrorist outfit following its latest review.

Speaking… Continue

Added by Editor on June 24, 2009 at 4:34am — No Comments

Sunday Leader lawyers withdraw from Gota’s case

dailymirror.lk

The Counsel for the Sunday Leader newspaper yesterday withdrew from appearing in the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s defamation case claiming that their clients had continued to publish stories defamatory of Mr. Rajapaksa despite the earlier court order.

The case was taken up at the Mount Lavinia District Courts yesterday.

Counsel Roshan Gamage and Ravi Matugama informed Court that the… Continue

Added by Editor on June 24, 2009 at 4:28am — No Comments

Editors oppose draconian Press Council laws

island.lk

The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka and seven other media organizations, in a joint letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on the reactivation of the Sri Lanka Press Council Law, which gives powers for imprisonment of journalists, said that media culture cannot be based on slapping charges against journalists, fining them or sending them to jail. Instead, the modern world has accepted a self regulatory mechanism by media… Continue

Added by Editor on June 24, 2009 at 4:23am — No Comments

Police SI allegedly kills his family

dailymirror.lk

A special police team is investigating the triple killing allegedly by a police Sub Inspector who shot dead his wife, mother-in-law and father-in-law in Dehiwela on Monday night over yet unknown reasons.

The Sub Inspector attached to the Western Province Intelligence Division had reportedly used his service pistol to kill the three family members who living at Nikape Road in Dehiwala and also hurt… Continue

Added by Editor on June 24, 2009 at 4:21am — No Comments

UN concerned over arrest of local staff

dailymirror.lk

Matter raised with Foreign Ministry, Justice Ministry

The United Nations said yesterday it was looking at the legal options available to ensure the protection of its staff as the Foreign Ministry sought information from the Defence Ministry and the Police on the reported arrest of two local UN staff members serving in Vavuniya.

“On being informed by the UN office in Colombo, about the… Continue

Added by Editor on June 23, 2009 at 5:17am — No Comments

JVP demands Govt reveal its stand on 13th Amendment

island.lk

The JVP yesterday demanded that the Government reveal its stance on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, at a press conference in Colombo.

The party insisted it wanted President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reveal the Government’s stand since several key ministers were issuing contradictory statements on the issue.

Commenting on the 13th Amendment which deals with the devolution of power, JVP General… Continue

Added by Editor on June 23, 2009 at 5:14am — No Comments