Google has added 13 languages to Gmail’s interface to now cover 94 percent of the world’s Internet population, the company said Monday.

Previously available in 58 languages, the total is now 71, with the addition of Afrikaans, Armenian, Azerbaijani (Azeri), Chinese (Hong Kong), French (Canada), Galician, Georgian, Khmer, Lao, Mongolian, Nepali, Sinhala and Zulu, Google said.

The additional language support will roll out Monday in Gmail on the Web and feature-phone browsers, Google said. Users can try them out by adjusting their settings.

Changing Gmail’s display language does not change the language in which people send and receive their messages.

Google worked with linguists to make each language accurate.

Source: pcworld.com

North Western Province Chief Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara and United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Harin Fernando are reported to have exchanged fisticuffs during the commercial break of a political programme on a private television channel on Tuesday night.

Prior to the commercial break, there had been a serious argument between the two of them.  After the programme was stopped for the commercial break, Mr. Fernando alleged that Mr. Jayasekara assaulted him. It had led to an exchange of blows between the two.

Mr. Fernando said Mr. Jayasekara even bit him during the brawl. Mr. Jayasekara, along with MP Arundika Fernando, represented the government at this debate while Mr. Fernando and JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti represented the opposition.

The television programme which usually lasts up to midnight had to be stopped after the commercial break. (KB)

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

The UNP said yesterday that the government having used the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) to attack Muslims in Alutgama and Beruwela was now shedding crocodile tears to pacify the Arab nations.

Matara District UNP MP, Mangala Samaraweera, addressing a news conference in Colombo, said that leading figures in the Rajapaksa regime controlled the BBS like a puppet on a string, to unleash violence as and when it thought necessary.

The strategy of the government was quite clear. It wanted to create conflicts and tensions among different communities with a view to covering up its economic failure and corruption.The BBS and other Sinhala extremist organisations were being nurtured and protected by very powerful persons in the ruling UPFA, MP Samaraweera claimed.

The MP said that having achieved its objective of creating mayhem and chaos by instigating communal disturbances in Alutgama and Beruwela, the government was looking for scapegoats though the whole country knew that a clash between two drivers had been distorted and exploited to unleash ethnic strife and loss of life and property.

The BBS leader Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera was well protected by the powers that be Samaraweera noted, adding that the thera had been questioned by the Police over two weeks after the June 15 violence merely to give an impression to the international community and especially Arab countries that investigations were being carried out.

Commenting on the United States decision to cancel the entry permit that was issued to Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, MP Samaraweera said that all right thinking people would welcome the move.

by Zacki Jabbar
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)

Prompt Action by the US Embassy in Colombo has scuttled the well laid plans of Bodu Bala Sena(BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero to embark upon a prolonged visit to the United States of America (USA) in July this year.

Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero who is regarded as the mastermind behind the anti-Muslim violence at Aluthgama, Dharga Nagar and Beruwela, has been the target of much criticism nationally and internationally.

Though the Rajapaksa Regime has been resisting widespread appeals that Gnanasara Thero be questioned over his role in instigating anti-Muslim violence the antics of the notorious ethno religious fascist has resulted in the Sri Lankan Govt facing much pressure.

It was decided by influential sections in the upper echelons of the regime that Gnanasara Thero should leave Sri Lanka and stay abroad for a while until the hue and cry against the BBS bhikku subsided and things cooled off.

Since Gnanasara Thero has a multiple – entry visa to the USA the plan was for him to travel to the USA quietly. The Bodu Bala Sena has a wide network of supporters among Sinhala Buddhist expatriates in the USA.

Accordingly the BBS acolytes in the US were asked to make preparations for Gnanasara’s visit and stay. A number of BBS propaganda meetings under the pretext of being Buddhist religious functions were being organized in different states of the USA.

Read more>>

Source: The Independent (UK)

Ven. Watareka VijithaThera was arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division after he was discharged from the Colombo National Hospital today, police spokesman Ajith Rohana said.

The monk was reported to have been abducted and beaten and found trussed up at Bandaragama on June 19. He was admitted to the Panadura Hospital and later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital.

The Thero was remanded till July 2 when he was produced in the Panadura magistrate’s courts on wednesday.

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has welcomed the appointment of a team of experts to investigate alleged abuses in Sri Lanka.

Hague said the investigation is an important step in establishing the truth and facilitating reconciliation within Sri Lanka.

A statement by the UN Commissioner, made yesterday, announces the appointment of international experts to the team investigating alleged abuses by both parties to the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. It also urges the Sri Lankan government to cooperate with the investigation.

“I welcome Navi Pillay’s announcement on the appointment of experts to the Sri Lanka investigation established by the March Human Rights Council. The UK has always supported calls for this investigation and played a key role in securing it. This investigation is an important step in establishing the truth and facilitating reconciliation within Sri Lanka. The inclusion of Martti Artisaahri, Silvia Cartwright and Asma Jahangir completes a strong team with a clear mandate from the UN Human Rights Council,” he said.

The British Foreign secretary strongly urged the government of Sri Lanka to cooperate fully with the Office of the High Commissioner and the investigation and to ensure those engaging with the investigation can do so without fear of intimidation or reprisals.

“I also continue to urge the government of Sri Lanka to take meaningful, concrete steps to implement fully the actions called for in the March 2014 Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka, the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) and to address fully concerns related to political settlement, reconciliation, justice and accountability, both present day and from the period of the armed conflict,” he said.

The British Foreign Secretary said that as ever, the British Government stands ready to assist Sri Lanka in facilitating progress on these issues.

Source: Colombo Gazette

A footballer and two Asian businessmen have been jailed for plotting to fix the results of English lower league matches.

Michael Boateng, 22, was found guilty along with businessmen Chann Sankaran and Krishna Ganeshan of conspiracy to commit bribery following a four-week trial at Birmingham crown court.

Singaporean Sankaran, 34, and Sri Lankan-born Ganeshan, 44, labelled in court as “the controlling minds” behind efforts to influence the outcome of matches in League Two and the Conference South, were jailed for five years each.

Read More >>

Source: The Guardian (UK)

Police have arrested 41 curfew violators and those who caused violence in Alutgama on Sunday night which resulted in two deaths and 37 being hospitalised. The army has been deployed to assist the police to maintain law and order in those areas with effect from yesterday.

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that police curfew re-imposed in Alutgama and Beruwala police areas from 12 noon yesterday after four hours break would continue till further notice.

“The police curfew was lifted from 8.00 am to 12 noon yesterday, but it was re-imposed to prevent further incidents,” he said, noting that unlawful assembly, holding rallies, and vehicular movement were forbidden during the curfew and instructions had been issued to take stern action against those who did not comply with the law.

SSP Rohana said that three police teams had been deployed by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and Kalutara Police Division to bring culprits to book in those two police areas.

He said that in addition security was tightened by the police and police commandos.

A police curfew was imposed in Alutgama and Beruwala police areas on Sunday evening to prevent clashes between two groups in Beruwala from spreading.

Clashes occurred after a protest march and rally against an attack on a Buddhist monk in the Dharga town on Poson Poya Day.

Some shops and houses were also gutted.

The situation had been brought under control, SSP Rohana said.

Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said that the army had been deployed in Alutgama, Welipenna, Dharga town, Beruwala and Maggona areas from yesterday on the request of police.

 Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)
By Dasun Edirisinghe

Investigations into the Alutgama violence on Sunday night had been handed over to three separate teams, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Colombo Crime Division (CCD) and Kalutara Police Division, Inspector General of Police N. K. Ilangakoon said yesterday.

Addressing a media conference at the Kalutara SP’s office, the IGP said that no Buddhist monk had been killed in violence at Dharga town contrary to claims made by rumour mongers. He asked people not to get provoked by such lies.

N. K. Ilangakoon said that two Muslims from Dharga town had been killed in the violence that erupted Sunday evening. They had died after being admitted to the Nagoda General Hospital in Kalutara.

At present, 37 people from both sides were warded at the Hospital, the IGP said.

“As the IGP, I speak with full responsibility that there was no death of a monk, but a Buddhist monk is warded in the Nagoda General Hospital in Kalutara with some wounds,” Ilangakoon said.

A special discussion was held in Kalutara with the participation of Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Ministers representing the Kalutara District and IGP N. K. Ilangakoon on the situation in Alutgama and Beruwala areas.

A police curfew was imposed in Alutgama and Beruwala police areas on Sunday evening to prevent clashes between two groups in Beruwala from spreading.

Clashes occurred after a protest march and rally against an attack on a Buddhist monk in the Dharga town on Poson Poya Day.

Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that the situation had been brought under control, but the police curfew would continue until further notice to prevent further incidents.

He said that unlawful assembly, holding rallies, and vehicular movement were forbidden during the curfew and instructions had been issued to take all those who did not comply with the law into custody.

SSP Rohana said, however, that there would be no restrictions on vehicular movement along the Galle road under the supervision of the police and train services operated along the coastal belt.

He said that special police teams accompanied by the STF had been deployed in the Alutgama and Beruwala police areas for security.

Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is attending the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the G77+China in Bolivia, issuing a message responding to Alutgama incident said “The Government will not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands and an investigation will be held for the law to take its course of action to bring to book those responsible for the incident.”

President Rajapaksa urged all parties concerned to act with restraint.

By Dasun Edirisinghe and Wijayasiri Vidyasekera, Kalutara Corr.
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the situations of the countries which were subjected to foreign interferences are worse today than before.

“Those countries are more chaotic, and it is the only thing that had happened. We must work together to overcome obstacles including unjustified external forces,” President Rajapaksa told the Namibian Prime Minister Hage Geingob in Namibia.

The statement issued by the President’s office also said:

The meeting between the President and the Namibian Prime Minister took place at Hotel Los Tajibos today. President Rajapaksa is currently visiting Santa Cruz in Bolivia to attend the Golden Jubilee of the G77. During the meeting, Prime Minister Geingob extended the good wishes of his President Hifikepunye Pohamba to President Rajapaksa.

President Rajapaksa, apprising the Namibian Prime Minister of the progress achieved by Sri Lanka following the end of the conflict, pointed out that the country has done much work in the areas of resettling internally displaced persons, rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-combatants, releasing ex-child soldiers and developing infrastructure within a short span of time.

“We were able to hold provincial council elections in the North,” the President said. “We have appointed commissions for national reconciliation. One is the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and the other one is the Presidential Commission to Investigate Complaints Regarding Missing Persons. People live in peace. The only ones who are unhappy are the politicians and forces against the Country.”

The Namibian Prime Minister, explaining the similar situation his country is faced with, expressed his gratitude to President Rajapaksa for Sri Lanka’s assistance extended towards Namibia.

Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Mrs. Kshenuka Senewiratne, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dr. Palitha Kohona and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Cuba Mr. Sarath Dissanayake were also present at the discussion.

Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

කළුතර දිසාපති කාර්යාලයේදී ඊයේ දහවල් පැවැති විශේෂ සාකච්ඡාවකදී මෙම එකඟතාව ඇතිකරගත් අතර ගැටුම් ඇති කිරීම හෝ ගැටුම්වලට අනුබලදෙන හෝ කිසිදු ක්‍රියාවක නොයෙදෙන ලෙස ජනතාවගෙන් විවෘත ඉල්ලීමක්‌ කළහ.

ආගමික නායකයන් හා පැවති මෙම සාකච්ඡාවට අගමැති දි. මු. ජයරත්න, මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේන, කුමාර වෙල්ගම, ඩලස්‌ අලහප්පෙරුම, එස්‌. බී. දිසානායක, රෝහිත අබේගුණවර්ධන යන ඇමැතිවරුන් හා බස්‌නාහිර පළාත් ආණ්‌ඩුකාර අලෙවි මව්ලානා, පොලිස්‌පති එන්. කේ. ඉලංගකෝන් මහතා ඇතුළු ආරක්‍ෂක අංශ ප්‍රධානීහු කිහිපදෙනෙක්‌ සහභාගි වී සිටියහ.

මීට අමතරව ප්‍රදේශය නියෝජනය කරන දේශපාලන පක්‍ෂ නියෝජිතයෝද ඊට සහභාගි වූහ.

එම සාකච්ඡාවෙන් පසු මාධ්‍යයට අදහස්‌ දැක්‌වූ පොලිස්‌පති එන්. කේ. ඉලංගකෝන් මහතා මෙම ගැටුම්වලින් භික්‍ෂූන් වහන්සේ නමක්‌ අපවත් වූ බවට කටකථාවක්‌ පැතිර යමින් තිබුණද එවැන්නක්‌ කිසිසේත්ම සිදුවී නොමැති බව අවධාරණය කළේය.

ගැටුම්වලින් තුවාල ලැබූ භික්‍ෂූන් වහන්සේ නමක්‌ ප්‍රතිකාර සඳහා කළුතර නාගොඩ රෝහලට ඇතුළත් කර සිටින බව කී පොලිස්‌පතිවරයා කටකතාවලට නොරැවටී සාමය ආරක්‍ෂා කිරීම සඳහා පොලිසියට සහයෝගය ලබා දෙන ලෙසද ඉල්ලා සිටියේය.

අලුත්ගම ධර්ගා නගරය හා බේරුවල ප්‍රදේශවලින් ඊයේ (16 දා) ද සුළු සිදුවීම් කිහිපයක්‌ වාර්තා විය. එම පොලිස්‌බල ප්‍රදේශවලට පනවන ලද පොලිස්‌ ඇඳිරි නීතිය එසේම ක්‍රියාත්මක කරනු ලැබීය.

ආගමික නායකයන් හා අගමැතිවරයා ඇතුළු දේශපාලන ප්‍රධානීන් පසුව මාධ්‍යයට අදහස්‌ දැක්‌වූ වරාය හා සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා ඇමැති රෝහිත අබේගුණවර්ධන මහතා ප්‍රදේශයේ සාමය ආරක්‍ෂා කිරීම සඳහා මහා සංඝරත්නය මෙන්ම මුස්‌ලිම් ආගමික නායකයන් අතර පූර්ණ එකඟතාවක්‌ ඇති වූ බවද සඳහන් කළේය.

මෙම සාකච්ඡාවේදී ප්‍රදේශයේ සාමය ආරක්‍ෂා කිරීම සඳහා අලුත්ගම, බේරුවල ඇතුළු ප්‍රදේශ නියෝජනය කරන පළාත් සහ ප්‍රාදේශීය මට්‌ටමේ දේශපාලනඥයන්ද පූර්ණ සහාය පළකර ඇත.

මෙහිදී මාධ්‍යයට අදහස්‌ දැක්‌වූ ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ ඇමැති ඒ. එච්. එම්. µවුසි මහතා ප්‍රදේශයේ සාමය ආරක්‍ෂා කිරීම සඳහා අවශ්‍ය සියලු පියවර ගන්නා බව අවධාරණය කළේය.

බොදුබල සේනා සංවිධානයේ මහ ලේකම් ගලගොඩඅත්තේ ඥනසාර හිමියන් ඇතුළු පිරිසක්‌ පෙරේදා (15 දා) අලුත්ගම නගරයේ පැවැති රැස්‌වීමකට සහභාගි වී යළි පැමිණෙමින් සිටියදී දර්ගා නගරය ප්‍රදේශයේදී ගල් ප්‍රහාරයක්‌ එල්ල වීමේ සිද්ධියක්‌ මුල්කර ගනිමින් අලුත්ගම හා බේරුවල ප්‍රදේශයන්හි මෙම ගැටුම්කාරී තත්ත්වය ඇතිවිය.

එහිදී ප්‍රතිවිරුද්ධ කණ්‌ඩායම් අතර ඇතිවූ ගැටුම්වලින් පුද්ගලයන් දෙදෙනකු මරණයට පත්වී තවත් 39 දෙනකු තුවාල ලබා රෝහල්ගත කර තිබිණි.

රෝහල්ගත කළ පිරිස අතර පොලිස්‌ නිලධාරීන් හය දෙනෙක්‌ද වූහ.

මේ අතර පෙරේදා (15 දා) රාත්‍රි ඇතිවූ ගැටුම් අතරතුර මතුගම නගරයේ වූ කඩ සාප්පු කිහිපයකටද කිසියම් පිරිසක්‌ පහර දී විනාශ කර තිබිණි.

මියගිය දෙදෙනාගේ දේහ පිළිබඳ මූලික මහෙස්‌ත්‍රාත් පරීක්‌ෂණය ඊයේ (16 දා) කලුතර වැඩබලන මහෙස්‌ත්‍රාත් අයේෂා ආබ්දීන් මහත්මිය විසින් පවත්වන ලදී.

Source: Divaina (Sri Lanka)

Member of Victoria State Parliament Telmo Languiller (Dernmut) has said that an external investigation without the support of the government of Sri Lanka wouldn’t be supportive of the post-war national reconciliation process.

The following is the full text of statement made by Languiller in Victoria parliament: “I wish to place on record my considered point of view in relation to the United Nations recent resolution on Sri Lanka and its call for an independent investigation into alleged human rights violations in that country it is my strong point of view that Sri Lanka has come a considerable way in its efforts towards reconciliation of all its peoples and that its internal structures and legal mechanisms including its very strong judiciary should be allowed to work through the complex process of addressing human rights issues there. I therefore do not believe that an independent inquiry without the support of the Sri Lankan government is an appropriate way of dealing with the challenges in that country. Sri Lanka can and should be encouraged to continue to implement the report of the Commission of Inquiry of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation of November 2011.

I pay tribute to the Sri Lankan people for their extraordinary efforts in defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam terrorist organization. It is an established principle of international law that parties seeking remedy for a perceived grievance must exhaust all possible avenues within the domestic jurisdiction prior to seeking redress in the international arena. On that basis Sri Lanka should be given every opportunity to do so.”

The parliament would decide on Sri Lanka’s participation in proposed UN probe on atrocities allegedly committed by the military and the LTTE on the Vanni east front, during eelam war IV, ministerial sources said yesterday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee (CC) presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Monday night. Parliament will meet next Tuesday (June 17).

Soon after the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a US-led resolution 25/1 in March 2014, the government declared that it wouldn’t cooperate with the external probe under any circumstances. The government took up the position that the proposed investigation had no mandate to inquire into accountability issues here.

Authoritative SLFP sources told ‘The Island’ that its CC had decided to consult parliament after having received a detailed briefing by External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris regarding the planned investigation.

Having liberated the Eastern Province by June 2007, the military concluded the Vanni offensive in May 2009.

Responding to a query, sources said that Prof. Peiris had explained contents of a letter received by him from the outgoing UN Human Rights Chief Navanethem Pillay late last week. This was consequent to Pillay’s staff meeting Sri Lanka’s Permanent representative in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha on May 30th. Prof. Peiris dealt with Ms Pillay’s missive, highlighting crucial points pertaining to the setting up of a comprehensive investigation into serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes. Pillay’s letter was dated June 5th.

Sources said that political parties, including constituents of the SLFP-led ruling coalition represented in parliament would be able to freely air their opinion on the issue. Sources said that the government would abide by whatever the majority in Parliament decided up on.

Depending on the majority decision of the House, the investigation team would receive access to the country during July-November period as requested by Pillay, sources said.

Prof. Peiris informed the CC of the appointment of Ms Sandra Beidas as coordinator of what Ms Pillay called a dedicated investigation team consisting of members of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Last Saturday’s edition of The Island exclusively reported Pillay informing Prof. Peiris of Beidas appointment as well as seeking permission to visit Sri Lanka during July-November before finalisation of the investigation.

Prof. Peiris quoted Pillay as having stated that the selection of other members of the investigation team was expected to be completed soon.

External Affairs Minister also explained the OHCHR’s move to appoint a separate group of senior external experts to oversee the investigation. Pillay has expressed desire to constitute the advisory group with former heads of State as well as /or former heads of major international organizations or specialists in international human rights and humanitarian law. According to Minister Peiris, Pillay was now in the process of contacting those who could be members of the advisory group..

Pillay has assured Prof. Peiris that the advisory group wouldn’t lead the investigation. Instead it would work closely with the investigation and provide what Pillay called an independent verification of the investigation.

In accordance with the Geneva resolution Special Procedure Mandate holders too, would provide inputs to the investigation process, Prof. Peiris quoted Pillay as having said.

The first meeting of the investigation team and the advisory group is now scheduled to take place early next month.

The investigation is expected to be completed in ten months.

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)

ක්‍රිකට්‌ ක්‍රීඩාවේදී බෝල පැලූ “මාස්‌ටර් බ්ලාස්‌ටර්” දැන් සරසවි සිසුන්ගේ ඔළු පැලීමට පටන්ගෙන ඇතැයි ජනතා විමුක්‌ති පෙරමුණේ ප්‍රධාන ලේකම් ටිල්වින් සිල්වා මහතා සඳහන් කළේය.

හෙතෙම ඊයේ (03 වැනිදා) එම අදහස්‌ පළ කළේ පැලවත්ත බත්තරමුල්ලේ පිහිටි ජවිපෙ ප්‍රධාන කාර්යාලයේ පැවැති මාධ්‍ය හමුවකදී අදහස්‌ දක්‌වමිනි.

මෙහිදී වැඩිදුරටත් අදහස්‌ දැක්‌වූ ටිල්වින් සිල්වා මහතා,

සනත් ජයසූරියට මීට පෙර කිව්වේ “මාස්‌ටර් බ්ලාස්‌ටර්” කියලයි. ඔහු මීට කලින් බෝල පැලුවා. ඔහු දැන් සිසුන්ගේ ඔළු පලන මැර පිරිස්‌ මෙහෙය වන්නෙක්‌ බවට පත්වෙලා. මීට පෙර ආණ්‌ඩුවේ මෙවැනි ක්‍රියාවලට සම්බන්ධ වුණේ මර්වින් සිල්වායි. දැන් ඔහු තමන්ගේ වළ කපාගෙන පැත්තකට වෙලා ඉන්නවා. දැන් මර්වින්ගේ භූමිකාව රඟ පාන්නේ සනත් ජයසූරියයි. සනත් ජයසූරියලා මේ හදන්නේ සිසුන්ට වළ කපන්නයි. රුහුණු විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ දැයට කිරුළ තියාගන්න බැරි වේදනාව සිසුන් පිටින් අරිනවා. සනත් ජයසූරියලා උද්ඝෝෂණය කළ යුත්තේ සියඹලාපිටියගේ නිවස ඉදිරිපිටයි. මොකද දැයට කිරුළ රුහුණු විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයෙන් ඉවත් කරගත්තේ රංජිත් සියඹලාපිටියයි. එපමණක්‌ නෙවෙයි සනත් ජයසූරිය කියල තිබුණා “දැයට කිරුළ” රුහුණේ පවත්වනතුරු උද්ඝෝෂණ කරනවා කියලා. ඔවුන්ට අවශ්‍ය වෙලා තිබෙන්නේ ගැටුමක්‌ නිර්මාණය කර විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ කටයුතු අඩපණ කරන්නයි. ඔවුන්ගේ උත්සාහය දැනටමත් සාර්ථක වී තිබෙනවා. ඊයේ (03 වැනිදා) උදේ වන විට රුහුණ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය දින නියමයකින් තොරව වහන්න පරිපාලනය තීරණය කර තිබෙනවා. විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය වැහුවත් සිසුන්ට එළියට යන්න බැරි තත්ත්වයක්‌ උදාවෙලා තිබෙනවා. දැන් ආණ්‌ඩුවේ මැරයන් උත්සාහ කරන්නේ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය වහලා එළියට එන සිසුන් හුදෙකලා කරලා පහර දෙන්නයි.

මෙය ඉතා අතිශය ම්ලේච්ඡ ක්‍රියාවලියක්‌. ආණ්‌ඩුවක්‌ කොහොමද අධ්‍යාපනය ලබන්න විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයට එන දරුවන්ට මේ විදියට පහර දෙන්නේ? ආණ්‌ඩුවකට මෙහෙම කරන්න පුළුවන්ද? මහජන ඡන්දයෙන් බලයට ආපු ඇමැතිවරු දැන් විශ්වවිද්‍යාල දරුවන්ට පහර දෙමින් ඉන්නවා. එපමණක්‌ නොවෙයි මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් නීතිය හරිහැටි ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙන්නෙත් නැහැ. සිසුන්ට, දෙමව්පියන්ට හැංගෙන්න තැන් හොයා ගන්න කියලා තර්ජනය කරපු එස්‌.බී.ගෙන් රහස්‌ පොලිසිය කටඋත්තරයක්‌ ගත යුතුයි. ඒ වගේම අපි කියනවා සනත් ජයසූරියට “දැයට කිරුළ” මාතරම තියන්න ඕනෑ නම් ඕන තරම් තැන් මාතර තියෙනවා කියලා.

ආණ්‌ඩුව දැන් විශ්වවිද්‍යාල සිසුන්ට, වැඩකරන ජනතාවට, පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්ට පවා පහර දෙන තත්ත්වයක්‌ උද්ගතවෙලා තියෙනවා. එනිසා මෙම තත්ත්වය පරාජය කළ යුතුයි. මේ විදියට රටක්‌ ඉදිරියට ගෙනියන්න බැහැ. අපි ආණ්‌ඩුවට දැඩිව කියා සිටිනවා මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් විධිමත් පරීක්‍ෂණයක්‌ පවත්වන්න කියල. එමෙන්ම රුහුණ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය වහාම විවෘත කර සිසුන්ගේ ඉගෙනීමේ අයිතිය තහවුරු කළ යුතුයි. මෙයින් පීඩාවට පත්වෙන්නේ සිසුන් පමණක්‌ නොවෙයි, විශ්වවිද්‍යාල ආචාර්යවරුන් පවා මෙම සිද්ධියෙන් දැඩි ලෙස පීඩා විඳිනවා. එවැනි භීෂණයක්‌ දැන් ක්‍රියාත්මක වෙමින් තිබෙනවා. එනිසා ආණ්‌ඩුවේ මෙම ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍ර විරෝධී, ම්ලේච්ඡ ගමන වහා නතර කළ යුතුයි. ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදය අගය කරන සියලුම ජනතාවට මේ සඳහා ආරාධනා කරනවා. නීතිය, යුක්‌තිය, සදාචාරය නොතකා ජනතාවට පහරදෙන මෙම ආණ්‌ඩුව ගමන් කරමින් සිටින්නේ µeසිස්‌ට්‌වාදය කරායි. දැන් ආණ්‌ඩුව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදයේ මළගම දක්‌වා ඇදගෙන යමින් තිබෙනවා. එනිසා මේ ආණ්‌ඩුව සියලු තැන්හිදී පරාජයට පත්කළ යුතුයි.

මෙම මාධ්‍ය හමුවට ජවිපෙ මධ්‍යම කාරක සභික පළාත් සභා මන්ත්‍රී නලින්ද ජයතිස්‌ස මහතාද සහභාගි විය.

සිරිමන්ත රත්නසේකර
Source: Divaina (Sri Lanka)
Image courtesy  Divaina (Sri Lanka)