Dinesh Kapukotuwa the President of the United National Party UK Branch Met Hon Ranil Wickramasinghe MP Leader of the UNP on Tuesday 7 April 2014 at the Ritz Hotel in London. Also, present at the meeting were Niranja Deva MEP, Dilal Thilakarathna (Vice President UNP UK branch) and Susantha Wijasinghe (Asst Secretary and Chairman of Aliya Entertainment).
Media Secretary
United National Party
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year dawns at 7.37 am Monday, the 14th April PUNYA KALAYA
Punya Kalaya begins tomorrow at 1.13 am and ends at 2.01 pm the same day.
PREPARING OF MEALS
Preparing meals for the New Year should begin at 10.17 am tomorrow.
TRADING AND FIRST MEAL OF THE NEW YEAR
The tradition of trading and consuming the first meal of the New Year should be done at 11.05 am tomorrow.
ANOINTING WITH OIL
Anointing the head with oil is set for Wednesday, April 16 at 11.16 am.
LEAVING FOR WORK
Leaving for work in the New Year is set for 6.16 am on Thursday, April 17.
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)
[By Janaka Alahapperuma]
Pictures by: Chandana Perera
UNP Leadership Council Chairman Karu Jayasuriya and UNP Chairman Kabir Hashim paid a courtesy call on the Mahanayaka Theras of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters today and discussed the current economic, political, social and cultural situation in the country.
They first met the Malwatte Chapter Mahanayaka the Most Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera.
“UNP is a party which builds national unity. We are making arrangements to reform our party. We have set an example by appointing a Muslim leader like Kabir Hashim as UNP Chairman laid a foundation for national unity,” he said. “The government violated election laws in the past. We faced an election in such an environment. In spite of the fact that PAFFREL issued a report on these violations, no publicity was given through the media. Our complaints also fell on the deaf ears. Mahanayaka Theras gave us advise on party unity and we will expect the same in the future as well,” Mr. Jayasuriya said.
Speaking to the media he said, the Government was boasting about economic development but the people were suffering without three meals for the day and were compelled to pawn their jewellery to make ends meet.
“The culture and morals are at very low ebb. Crime is increasing. The gun culture has reared its ugly head. A UNP government will re-establish law and order. It is UNP leader D.S. Senanayaka who strived to build unity among all communities. Before bringing a no-confidence motion against the government by the UNP, it is the people who showed their lack of confidence in government at the elections,” Mr. Jayasuriya said.
Mr. Hashim said the introduction of a price control on rice was to hoodwink the people.
“Rice is being sold at Rs.80.This mafia has been created by the merchants. As a result, the people and small businessmen are helpless. The Government is attempting to introduce Casinos by an Act of Parliament. It is against the moral values of the country. The President has to visit religious places and open them alone. The people have no confidence in the ministers and the politicians. The UNP politicians do not refrain from attending Parliament sessions for important discussions,” he said.
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
On a red-carpet reception day when the two Sri Lankan players, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene hit out at Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board over retirement issues, the former coach has come out openly for not receiving the “better treatment” when the team first ever won the 50-over World Cup in 1996.
Dav Whatmore has worn many hats as coach in Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Keenly following the grand-reception from his Melbourne home, Whatmore, speaking exclusively over telephone, said,”The team rightly deserved it”.
Sri Lankan team’s World Cup (1996) winning coach, however, remembers the days when the support-staff members were not “well treated” by the board. “This I am not saying in a complain-tone, neither we are beggars, but the fact is that there was no prize money for the members of the support-staff. Me as a coach and Alex Konouri, the team physio were only entertained at dinner”, he said.
“Interestingly, the members of the winning team were gifted cars. With the intervention of ministers, the players were exempted to pay duty on those expensive cars, the cost of which then was 100,000 USD for each car. Few of them were even given lands. We are, however, not feeling bad as it is now a history”, he further added.
Kontouri, now Australian team’s senior physio, however can take consolation that Sri Lankan Cricket board has newly built training room named after him.
Whatmore was “pleasantly surprised” with the Sri Lankan team victory in the recently concluded ICC World Twenty20. He was also “disappointed” with Team India’s defeat.
Incidentally, Whatmore was born in Sri Lanka (Ceylon then) 60 years ago. Having played seven Tests and one ODI for Australia, where he migrated during his childhood years, he returned to Sri Lanka as its coach. Apart from being coach for the national teams in Bangladesh and Pakistan thereafter, he has also served as National Cricket Academy (NCA) coach and with KKR team in IPL in India.
“I have mixed feelings for both the teams. It was wonderful to see Sri Lankan victory and I was also sad when Team India lost only the final at the end after performing so well in all other matches”, he said over telephone from Melbourne on Tuesday.(Deccan Chronicle)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
In the backdrop of Sri Lanka opting not to cooperate with the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution, the British government warned that it will use its position in the Geneva-based key human rights body to actively press for an international investigation.
British Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire said that ”the international community now has a duty to act, and we will be using our position on the UN Human Rights Council to actively press for an international investigation given the lack of a credible domestic accountability process to date.”
He said that the international community has spoken through the United Nations Human Rights Council, and it is imperative that the government in Colombo listens to what has been said and what is asked of them.
“We can conduct an investigation through the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights”, he said.
“We were completely vindicated in our decision to go to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, because had we not gone there, we would not be in the position that we are today.” Swire noted.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague expressed hope that the Sri Lankan government will attend the summit on preventing sexual violence in London in June 2014.”I have invited the 143 nations that so far have endorsed the declaration that I launched on ending sexual violence to attend the summit, but I cannot force any of them to do so. However, given the events in Sri Lanka in recent decades, it would be highly appropriate for the Sri Lankan government to be there and to present their plans. I have encouraged them to do so,” Hague said.
In another development, the 2013 Human Rights and Democracy Report, released by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has criticized Sri Lanka’s human rights record.
The report observed that there was “no improvement in the situation for freedom of expression during the last three months. Sri Lanka dropped three places to 165 out of a total 180 in the 2014 World Press Freedom Index”.
By Sujeeva Nivunhella
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)
[By Janaka Alahapperuma]
The Sri Lanka Cricket team which won the ICC World Twenty 20 Cricket World Cup (T20) visited Parliament yesterday (09 April) on the invitation of the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Government and Opposition members. Parliament made arrangements to extend them the highest honour.They were awarded a red carpet welcome on arrival and Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody and the Sergeant at Arms accompanied the Sri Lankan cricket heroes led by Lasith Malinga to the Parliamentary Complex. The Parliamentary Staff and Parliamentarians extended a very warm welcome to Sri Lankan cricket heroes.
Photo courtesy: Ishara Kodikara
Even a special debate was organized to extend greetings to the cricket heroes and they attended as the guests in a special session held at the parliament. In his opening remarks, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lanka Cricket team is present at the Special Guests’ Gallery to receive the honours extended by Parliament for becoming the T20 World Cup Cricket champions, beating India in last Sunday’s finals played in Dhaka, Bangladesh, bringing much pride and joy to the nation.
The House with Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa in the Chair took up the Vote of Appreciation moved by Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to pay tribute to the Sri Lanka cricket team. The minister noted that the victory at the T20 World Cup brought huge fame for the nation. The proposal brought by the leader of the house to felicitate the cricketers was seconded by acting opposition leader John Amaratunga. The Leader of the House further stated that sports help to consolidate mutual understanding among the people. The Sri Lankan cricket team was able to secure the victory by playing irrespective of any discrimination. The present government is always ready to hail the sport men and women who bring victories to the motherland. The leader of house also admired the decision of Dinesh Chandimal to keep away from the captaincy at the appropriate moment. He also highlighted the huge support extended by the Sri Lankan fans to the national team.
“This victory is memorable as it has helped further strengthen bonds and has further united the Sri Lankan nation as one family, setting aside ethnic, religious and other differences. I believe that winning the T20 World Cup was not an accident, but a result of tremendous dedication, commitment and determination by our players over the past years. There are many achievements by Sri Lankan cricketers in the international arena. I should recall the honour they bestowed to the country by becoming the 1996 Wills World Cup Champions and Runners-Up in the 2007 World Cup, 2009 T20, 2011 World Cup and once again in 2012 T20. Sri Lanka also became the 2014 Asia Cup Champions, the Minister further noted.
Acting Opposition Leader John Amaratunga also extend the wishes of the Opposition to the Sri Lanka Cricket team. He said, where the country had been bestowed with a special honour with the victory of T20 World Cup expressed their gratitude to all who provided leadership and guidance to the Sri Lankan team for all their achievements, since the victory in the 1996 World Cup.
“As a nation, we are proud of the exceptional talents shown by our players. Our team ranks first in the T20 rankings at present. The team’s victory amply proves the saying ‘Unity is Power’,” he said.
Sajith Premadasa MP said,” this victory which was achieved through sheer dedication and hard work has brought great pride to all Sri Lankans. The team spirit and experience sharing of the seniors were always exhibited at each and every juncture of the game. We are extremely happy over the maturity showed by senior players Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena. We also pay gratitude to the coaches and Selection Committee for their guidance and support”.
Sports Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, leader of JVP, Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, former Sri Lanka cricket captains, now parliamentarians, Arjuna Ranatunga and Sanath Jayasuriya also addressed the House and paid their appreciation to the T20 Cricket Champions for their thrive in realizing Sri Lanka’s dreams after 18 years. With the proposals and different views of Government as well as Opposition Parliamentarians, the congratulatory message was adopted in Parliament under the patronage of Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.
Thereafter they were offered tea at the Parliamentarians’ Canteen. All the cricketers joined in this momentous occasion. All Parliamentarians including the Speaker joined in expressing their gratitude to cricket heroes for their outstanding achievement and bringing pride to the motherland.
It was notable that there were no Government or Opposition differences at the Parliamentary Complex. There were no accusations or challenges. Unison among everyone was witnessed. It was to warmly greet the Sri Lankan cricket heroes who had brought honour, glory and fame to Sri Lanka by winning the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
Ongoing investigation into an abortive bid to smuggle in 36 kgs of heroin with a street value of Rs: 360 mn has taken an unexpected turn with British authorities claiming one of those who had been taken into custody following the detection was an undercover agent, working for them.
Police identified the suspect as one of the major heroin distributors in the country.
The Sri Lanka Customs made the detection during the first week of March this year.
A New Delhi based British diplomat and a high ranking official attached to the British High Commission recently made representations to Sri Lankan security and intelligence authorities regarding the arrest of a Canadian citizen of Sri Lankan origin.
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) arrested the Canadian passport holder on March 19. In a separate raid also on the same day, the PNB seized a 53-year-old Pakistani allegedly involved in the failed heroin smuggling bid.
The British High Commission declined to comment.
A senior government official said that as investigations had revealed the direct involvement of the Canadian passport holder in the smuggling attempt, the British explanation wasn’t acceptable. The British High Commission was yet to inform the Defence Ministry or the External Affairs Ministry of the arrest of an agent run by a New Delhi based diplomat. The Customs found 36 kgs of heroin in two unaccompanied boxes declared as hardware items. Having made the detection at the Orugodawatte warehouse, the Customs declared that the operation received the backing of the National Crime Agency in the UK.
The police are in the process of checking the Canadian passport holder’s background.
The police and intelligence services are on a heightened state of alert in the wake of a series of failed attempts to smuggle in large quantities of heroin from Pakistan to Sri Lanka, through legal ports of entry.
The main Opposition UNP recently moved a no-confidence motion in parliament accusing the SLFP-led UPFA of complicity as well as direct involvement in the narcotics trade.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
Returning to a heroes’ welcome 18 years in the making, former captain Mahela Jayawardene called out Sri Lanka Cricket officials yesterday, expressing his disappointment on how they handled the controversy surrounding his and Kumar Sangakkara’s T20 international retirements, saying that they had acted irresponsibly in speaking to the media without first clarifying the news with them.
Once news of the retirements of both modern greats broke, SLC officials had told the media that the players had not informed them of their retirements, as was the protocol, and opted to share the news with the media first.
Jayawardene clarified the sequence that led to the sensational news – implying that it was sensationalised – adding that they were barred from clarifying the matter while in Bangladesh by the team’s manager, in the best interest of the team.
“At the time we departed for the tournament, we had not yet made a final decision, so at the time we could not tell the media if we were retiring or not,” Jayawardene said.
“However, when we went to Bangladesh we were asked if this was our final World Cup and, since I am 36 and felt like I couldn’t play another T20 world cup, I answered that it was indeed my final world cup. I only answered a question I was asked,” Jayawardene said.
“It was unfortunate that Sri Lanka Cricket, the Executive Committee and the secretary, instead of clarifying with us those comments, chose to criticise us in the media. A person of such responsibility would have first asked us whether we had made any such statements.”
He said that the matter was put to bed after discussions with Chief Selector Sanath Jayasuriya.
“Sanath [Jayasuriya] spoke to us afterwards, because he had also been told that we had made such an announcement to the media, but we had not told anyone anything like this.”
He added, “We have intimated to the media before, that this was going to be our last T20 world cup,” a sentiment shared by Sangakkara, who said he had said the same prior to his departure to Bangladesh.
Jayawardene said that he had brought with him an official letter of retirement from T20 international cricket, but reiterated his disappointment that before a tournament of that magnitude that they were put in such a negative frame of mind.
“I agree with everything Mahela said. Previously, when asked by a local paper, I stated that it was my last World Cup,” Sangakkara said.
“We had to only clarify the matter with one person, who was the Chief Selector Sanath Jayasuriya, and we were able to discuss it with him, which was when were able to clearly understand what happened with this entire episode. Unfortunately it has become our responsibility,” Sangakkara added.
Asked about the duo’s future in the game, Sangakkara said that they were taking it a step at a time, saying “Mahela and I will take it as it comes, with an eye to be able to be in form and fit to play in the Cricket World Cup next year and anything beyond will be a bonus for us.”
In a true heroes’ welcome, eclipsing with many moons the farcical open-bus parade that the players were given after winning the Asia Cup tournament last month just before the World T20, people lined up the streets from the Katunayake Airport up to the Galle Face green, eager for a glimpse of the championship-winning team.
Sunday’s WorldT20 finals win over India by six wickets, was Sri Lanka’s first world cup win since 1996, as Sri Lanka lost four finals in 2007, 2009. 2011 and 2012, in both T20I and ODI formats.
The parade was preceded by a press conference involving Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Lasith Malinga and Dinesh Chandimal.
Chandimal, the designated captain from the World Cup, who opted out of the final two games, to allow Sri Lanka to play Lahiru Thirimanne, speaking at the briefing, said he was genuinely happy that Sri Lanka won the World Cup, even at his expense and that winning a world cup was more important than him playing in the team.
“As a member of the team, I was very happy that we won the World Cup because we had struggled to win finals of previous World Cups.”
“After the suspension I received for the slow over rate [in the match against England] – and I was replaced by Lahiru Thirimanne – I decided, that since I was not in form, I needed to do what was necessary for the team to win and take the World Cup back home.”
“So, I, and everyone else, decided that instead of me playing, that Lahiru Thirimanne, who played well in the Asia Cup and was in form, would play the remaining games of the tournament, because inning the world title was more important,” he said.
Malinga, who finds himself with the distinct label of ‘World Cup winning captain’ against his name, fortuitously, was forthcoming in his praise towards his team-mates and their near-perfect game on Sunday.
He said, “I must say I am not a cricketer who believes a lot in luck. We won this because of the efforts of the players and the coaching staff.”
“I was only focussed on our players, be it bowlers or batsmen, and getting the best out of them in the forty overs of the game. It is because of this concerted effort that we were able to hold India, with their strong batting line-up to a score of 130.”
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
It triggered quite a furore in Sri Lankan cricket but the country’s first World Cup-winning captain Arjuna Ranatunga has backed Mahela Jayawrdene and Kumar Sangakkara’s decision to call it quits from Twenty20 Internationals, saying the duo’s timing was correct.
The Jayawardene and Sangakkara were criticised by Sri Lanka Cricket for not taking the body in confidence before announcing their retirement at the end of the ICC World Twenty20, which Sri Lanka won by beating India in the final.
In response, the two players, at a press conference held immediately after their return on Tuesday, blamed the SLC Secretary (Nishantha Ranatunga) and CEO (Ashley de Silva) for demoralising them ahead of the tournament in Bangladesh.
But Ranatunga felt the retirement was timed to perfection. “The cricketers are the ones who know better than anyone, when the right time is to go. In the past we’ve seen that T20 is a young man’s game. I’m sure they’ve made the correct decision,” Ranatunga told ‘Inside Sports’ magazine. Speaking about the team’s World T20 triumph, Ranatunga lauded the collective effort of the side.
“If you look at the tournament, a lot of contributions were made by new players – young players. We should talk about Mahela, and Kumar Sangakkara, as well as Lasith Malinga, who bowled very well, but I feel that every player made a special contribution – not just a minor one. “Normally there are heroes in these tournaments, but what I saw was that young players and seniors were all contributing together. That’s a great sign for the future of Sri Lanka cricket, when these young players are performing at that level,” he explained.
“There are players who hadn’t shone out, like (Nuwan) Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath. Sachithra bowled well throughout the tournament and Kulasekara delivered in difficult moments,” he added.
Ranatunga said all the players raised their game as and when the situation demanded. “Rangana hadn’t played throughout the tournament, but from the moment he came, he was taking wickets and keeping the runs down. Kusal took the pressure off Sangakkara, Dilshan and Mahela, and put it on his own shoulders. He played the same role as Sanath Jayasuriya used to play. Sometimes it seemed like he played bad shots, but that’s his style,” he said.
“The other thing you have to say is that our fielding was extremely good – better than the other teams.” (PTI)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
[By Janaka Alahapperuma]
Prasanna Ranatunga and Shan Wijayalal de Silva were sworn in this morning (04 April) as Chief Ministers of the Western and the Southern Provincial Councils respectively before President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat. The other ministers and the MPs of the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) also took oaths in front of the president at the same ceremony.
Former Western Province Chief Minister and UPFA candidate, Prasanna Ranatunga received the highest preference votes in the Gampaha District with a total of 249,678 votes while former Chief Minister of Southern Province Shan Wijayalal De Silva received the highest number of preference votes in the Galle District, receiving 95,860 votes.
Chief Minister of the Western Province was sworn in as the Minister of Finance and Planning, Law and Peace, Land and Education too. Meanwhile Udaya Gammanpila, Nimal Lansa, Ranjith Somawansa and Upali Kodikara took oaths as Provincial Ministers of the Western Province. Udaya Gammanpila was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture, Agrarian Development, Minor Irrigation, Industrial, Environmental Affairs and Culture. Ranjith Somawansa is the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine, Child Probation and Protection. Upalie Kodikara was sworn in as the Power and Energy, Provincial Roads, Water Supply, and Social Welfare. Nimal Lansa took oaths as the Minister of Transport, Sports and Youth Affairs, Women’s Affairs, Food Supply and Distribution, Tourism and Investment Promotion.
Meanwhile Chandima Rasaputhra, U.D. Ariyathilaka and D.V. Upul were also appointed as Ministers of the Southern Provincial Council.
Pix By : Sudath Silva
DASA PARAMITHA MAHA POOJAWA by Most Ven Borelle Athula Nayaka Thero — with Ven Wanduranba Kassapa Thero.
Annual London Buddhist Vihara Sunday Dhamma School prize giving and Variety Show was held at the Vihara on 30th March 2014. Chief Guest was H. E Dr Chris Nonis the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka. The children performed a drama showing the life of the Anagarika Dharmapala to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala, the founder of the London Buddhist Vihara. The children of the Pubudu Daham in Barnet also took part in the event. The Most Ven. Seelawimala Nayaka Thera, Head of the Viahra, Dr. Chris Nonis, Dr. Lakdas Panagoda (VMC), Ven. K Ariyaratna, the main organiser of the event and Ven. Bandula, The Principal of the LBV Dhamma School addressed the gathering. Venerable monks, Mr. Neville De Silva the Deputy High Commissioner, Mrs Louise Marchant The Registrar of the Buddhist Society London, Members of the VMC distributed presents and certificates to the Dhamma school children.
(Photo by Wickrema)
[By Charles Haviland BBC News, Jaffna district, Sri Lanka]
“Would you like to go home?” The men chorus “Yes!” as my question is translated into Tamil. “We’re waiting for that date. There’s enough land. We’ll farm it. We’ll fish.”
They cannot do that here in the Konapalam camp, the cramped home to 240 displaced families where children play in the dust.
There are 31,524 people still in camps around Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka because their land is held by the military.
Saharayani Thangarajah, a 42-year-old mother of two, wants to return to her birthplace at Kankesanthurai on the northernmost coast. “Some officials have told us we’ll be resettled by mid-April,” she says. “Is that true, do you know?”
She longs for normality because she has been through trauma – forced from her home in 1990 and then losing her father, brother and sister in the war that ended in 2009 with the final defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels.
Source: BBC
Democratic Party (DP) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today his party was prepared to support a common opposition candidate at the next presidential election if a suitable candidate was selected.
“We are not prepared to support anyone but we will support a common candidate, who has a good track record,” the former Army Commander told a media briefing. He said his party was ready to support a joint effort by all opposition parties to topple this Government while maintaining their separate identities.
Elated at his party’s electoral success, Mr. Fonseka said DP members, supporters and well-wishers were happy about this achievement amid so many obstacles and hardships.
“As a political party we are only about a year old, but we competed with powerful and experienced political parties and therefore the votes and the number of seats we obtained is by no means considerable,” he said.
Mr. Fonseka said the DP was also glad about the increased number of votes obtained by other political parties at this election.
Meanwhile he said that his civic rights have also been restored and that he would contest at future elections. He said that having had the opportunity of casting his vote at the elections to the Western Provincial Council meant he could also represent the people at a future election.
The former Army Commander was released in May 2012 but without the restoration of his civic rights. (Yohan Perera)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
But with a lower vote bank
UNP fares no better
The SLFP-led UPFA comfortably secured both Western and Southern Provincial Councils at Saturday’s elections, though the UNP won several electorates in the Colombo District, namely, Colombo North, Colombo Central, Borella, Colombo East and Colombo West.
The UNP’s only gain outside Colombo was the Galle electorate, where it obtained 19,348 votes (39.62%) while the UPFA came a close second by obtaining 18,611 votes (38.11%). The UPFA won Galle electorate at the last SPC poll held in October 2009.
Except those six electorates, the UPFA won all 51 electorates in the Southern and Western Provinces.
The ruling coalition polled 699,408 votes (58.06 %) to secure 33 seats including two bonus slots in the SPC, while the UNP obtained 310,431 votes (25.77 %) to get 14 seats.The JVP and the Democratic Party (DP) led by General Sarath Fonseka polled 109,032 (9.05 per cent) and 75, 532 (6.27 %) to secure five and three seats, respectively.
The UPFA constituent, the SLMC which contested the SPC on its own managed to secure 1,119 votes (0.12 %), hence failed to win a single seat.
At the previous SPC polls in October 2009, the UPFA obtained 38 seats, including two bonus slots while the UNP and the JVP obtained 14 and three seats, respectively.
The JVP with two seats in addition to the three it had at the last council and the DP with three seats made electoral gains at the expense of the UPFA.
In spite of the UNP winning five electorates, the UPFA polled 1,363,675 (53.35%) to take 56 seats including two bonus slots in the WPC. The UNP obtained 679,682 (26.59%) to win 28 seats, while the DP pushed the JVP to the fourth position by polling 203,767 votes (7.97%) to secure nine seats in the WPC. The JVP polled 156,208 (6.11%) to get six seats. The remaining five seats were shared by the Democratic People’s Front (DPF), which won two seats, the SLMC 2 and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) 1. The ACMC led by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is also a constituent of the UPFA.
The five-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) backed the DPF in the Western Province.
DP General Secretary Ananda Manawadu yesterday told The Island that the party was quite happy with its performance at Saturday’s polls. Responding to queries, Manawadu said that the DP could have done better if the ruling party hadn’t interfered with its campaign particularly in the districts of Colombo and Hambantota. Manawadu alleged that the government had targeted the DP in spite of repeated complaints to the Election Secretariat. In fact, the government had allowed the UNP as well as the JVP to go ahead with their campaigns while obstructing DP candidates, Manawadu said. Asked whether a propaganda campaign directed against General Fonseka had caused a setback to the DP, Manawadu said that people had faith in the former Army Chief. In spite of government propaganda, the DP had done extremely well in the Western Province, he said, the result would give a tremendous boost to the new party, he added.
Having exercised his franchise at a polling booth at Piliyandala, General Fonseka declared that it was his first time he had been to a polling both.
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)
Interpreting the results of Saturday’s Provincial Council Elections as a message given by the people for all opposition parties to form an alliance, the main opposition United National Party (UNP) today said it was ready to talk with any political party that was ready to topple this regime.
UNP Leadership Council spokesman Kabir Hashim who came out with this reading on the Southern and Western Provincial Council election a told a news conference that the people had given a green light for a regime change (Bala Peraliyata Kola Eliyak) said more than 40 per cent had voted for the opposition while 35 per cent had abstained from voting at this election.
In this situation he said it could be said that 75 per cent of the voters had rejected the government. “One could say that 75 per cent of the voters in the Western and Southern provinces have rejected the government if the theory of External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris is applied,” he said recalling the statement made by the Minister who said 24 member states of the UNHRC had rejected the US sponsored resolution when taking account of the nations which abstained from voting.
Mr. Hashim said the UNP will not have a grudge against the small opposition parties who obtained a considerable amount of votes but hoped that they got more votes in the future.
Responding to a question raised by journalists on the role played by UNP Hambantota District MP Sajith Premadasa, Mr. Hashim said Mr. Premadasa had done a good job though he did not participate in the Leadership Council.
He further said the UNP too would be diligent when it came to re-organisation of the party, adding that the Council would focus on strengthening the unity of the party further in the future. (YP)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
While being overjoyed at the results recorded at the two provincial council elections, after suffering setbacks for several years, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today said the election results had dismantled the President’s power map planned for the next six years.
Convening a media conference at the Party’s head office in Colombo, the JVP leader said the election results in the Hambantota District clearly reflected the downfall of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, since the UPFA vote percentage in the district dropped from 67% to 57%, when compared with the previous provincial elections held in 2009.
“The Hambantota district is considered the power base of the President and his family. We have been able to secure a 13% vote base from the Hambantota district even though the entire strength was centralised into the district by the President’s family. When it comes to the Southern Provincial Council, we have maintained a 9% vote base by increasing the number of seats from three to five,” Mr. Dissanayake said.
The JVP leader said that his party considered the election as a turning point to topple the government in the future. “We will bring the necessary political plans and strategies to take advantage of this new gain,” he said.
When asked what helped the JVP to secure significant election results as compared with the previous elections, Mr. Dissanayake said the JVP’s new policy decisions including the decision to change the leadership were reasons for their victory. He further accused the government of misusing state resources and alleged that the President and his Ministers were blatantly involved in violating election laws by carrying out illegal propaganda activities.
Finally, he expressed his gratitude to those who cast their votes for the JVP and others who observed the party’s activities independently. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
Alex Hales scored the first Twenty20 International century of his career to power England to a strong win against Sri Lanka, chasing down a daunting target of 190 with six wickets and four balls to spare.
Set the stiffest of targets, England’s chase got off to the worst possible start, as Nuwan Kulasekara calmly sent down a double-wicket maiden.
Hales and Eoin Morgan, England’s best pair in this format, had plenty of room to give themselves a chance of pulling off a historic chase. Hales provided the muscle and Morgan the cheek, as Sri Lanka’s bowlers slowly came to grips with what they were up against.
Hales had no trouble picking off the boundaries, whether it was driving down the ground or picking the ball off his pads and whipping through midwicket. Morgan was more adventurous, gliding the ball behind and in front of point, and even pulling out the reverse sweep when the field warranted it.
The Hales-Morgan partnership matched the Tillaratne Dilshan-Mahela Jayawardene one for tempo, and amazingly, it did not take long for England to pull away from Sri Lanka. Hales brought up his half-century off 38 balls, Morgan off 32 and then the pair really opened their shoulders, targetting the medium pace of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera.
After much confabulation, with 34 needed from three overs, Sri Lanka handed the ball to Malinga. Ravi Bopara opened the face of his bat to dab the first two balls he faced to the third-man fence, but Malinga put a lid on the rest of the over, and the equation was down to 23 needed off the final 12 balls.
Hales blasted Kulasekara over extra cover to bring up his first T20I hundred and then cleared his front leg to blast one over midwicket to significantly ease the pressure.
With six needed from the final over, bowled by Mathews, Hales monstered a six – his sixth of the day — over midwicket, taking England home. For the first half of the game, though, it was Sri Lanka all the way.
Source: The Island (Sri Lanka)
London: British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday welcomed the decision of the UNHRC to initiate its own independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka.
“I am pleased that the UN Human Rights Council has today agreed to press ahead with its own independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka,” Cameron said. “This is a victory for the people of Sri Lanka who need to know the truth about what happened during those terrible years of the civil war so that they can move forward,” he said in a statement.
Cameron said Thursday’s outcome has been “triggered by the failure of the Sri Lankan government to stand by its promises to credibly and independently investigate alleged violations on both sides during the war” against the LTTE.
“I hope that President (Mahinda) Rajapaksa will now seize this fresh opportunity to work with the international community to heal the issues of the past and to reconcile communities across Sri Lanka,” he said.
This is the best way to achieve an inclusive and prosperous future and to ensure that Sri Lanka achieves its amazing potential, Cameron said. “I am proud of the crucial role that Britain has played to secure this outcome.
I said in November that we would achieve more by standing up for our values rather than sitting on the sidelines.
And that is exactly what we have done,” he said. During his visit to Colombo in November last year for the Commonwealth summit had given Sri Lanka an ultimatum to conduct a credible probe into the war crimes by March, failing which he would seek an international investigation.
Source:PTI
The US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at the 25th session of the UNHRC in Geneva was adopted short while ago with 23 countries voting for, 12 against and 12 abstained.
Countries that voted in favour of the resolution are: Argentina, Austria, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote D’ivore, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Mexico, Italy, Montenegro, Peru, Republic of Korea, Romania, Sierra Leon, Macedonia, UK and US.
Against the resolution: No-Algeria, China, Congo, Cuba, Kenya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela and Vietnam.
Abstained-Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Namibia, Philippines and South Africa.
Read more >>
Human Rights Council
Twenty- fifth session
Agenda item 2
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
Sri Lanka today told UN Human Rights Council that the draft resolution on Sri Lanka being mooted by some members of the Council is reflective of the same partisan politicised agenda through its request to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake “a comprehensive independent investigation”.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha responding to the High Commissioner’s Report on Sri Lanka, informed the UN Human Rights Council today that “rather than encourage and support the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka continues to maintain with the Council, it was ironic that the draft resolution on Sri Lanka being mooted by some members of this Council, is reflective of the same partisan politicised agenda through its request to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake “a comprehensive independent investigation”.
Assistance to this process by third party ‘experts’ whose mandate and credentials are far from clear; and its deliberate exclusion of a significant part of the duration of the terrorist conflict from the period under investigation via the introduction of a particular time frame, would be both precedent setting and prejudicial to the interests of all member and observer states of this Council in the future.
Responding on behalf of the Sri Lanka to the 25th Session of the Human Rights Council on the High Commissioner’s Report, Ambassador Aryasinha said, the Government of Sri Lanka has consistently and with good reason rejected previous resolutions on Sri Lanka proposed by the US, which have emanated from a politicized process and mandate, and without the consent of the country concerned, and would do so again. He said, Sri Lanka reiterates that any action taken in the promotion and protection of human rights of a country must have the consent of that country.
Ambassador Aryasinha drew attention to the trajectory that has emerged with regard to the recommendation contained in Report of the UN High Commissioner reflects “the preconceived, politicized and prejudicial agenda which has been relentlessly pursued with regard to Sri Lanka”. He said politicized processes will only impede the delicate balance of the ongoing reconciliation process in Sri Lanka, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka has continued to maintain with the Council.
While pointing out to a clear lack of mandate and pre-conceived nature of its recommendations, he said his delegation was “surprised by the numerous errors and misperceptions contained in the draft report on Sri Lanka” which was despite the High Commissioner and her team having undertaken a comprehensive, week-long visit to Sri Lanka during which time they were provided with unfettered access to study first hand the situation on the ground. Expressing “deeply concern” at such glaringly erroneous information in a Report of this nature, he said, “one would have expected that the OHCHR to have undertaken a more stringent scrutiny of facts”. Pointing out to a deviation from last year on the OHCHR refusing to accede to Sri Lanka’s request to publish as an “Addendum” to the Report, the “Comments” of Sri Lanka on the High Commissioner’s Draft Report as done in 2013, he said it demonstrated the disregard to established precedent which seriously impeded the visibility and integrity of subject between the two documents.
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
Victoria Alexandrona the girlfriend of murdered British national Khuram Shaikh said although she identified the suspect who assaulted her at the poolside of the resort at the Tangalle Magistrate’s Court, she did not point him out during the identification parade in fear of her life.
The witness led by Senior State Counsel Thusitha Mudalige made this disclosure to High Court Judge Rohini Walgama, giving evidence at the High Court trial into the killing of British tourist Khuram Shaikh in a Tangalle resort on the night of December 24, 2011.
The witness also said she met Shaikh in North Korea when she went there to study on a scholarship. She said at the time, Shaikh too was in North Korea, working for the Red Cross. They became lovers and had a relationship for two-and-a- half years, intending to get married in 2012.
They had visited Sri Lanka twice in 2011. The first occasion was in February. On December 17 they came to Sri Lanka for the second time and stayed in the resort hotel in Tangalle.
On the night of December 24, there was a party in the hotel and she saw people dancing in the hall.
Around midnight, while they were in the hall, Shaikh and she had an argument. As Shaikh was not speaking to her she sat on the floor and cried, and then went towards the cabin where they stayed. The cabin was near the pool and when she went near the pool a person with curly hair came there and asked her why she was crying.
The witness who became scared and annoyed ran towards the cabin where some persons came and assaulted her and then threw her into the shallow end of the pool. The witness said she tried to come out from the pool by climbing the steps but once again a person who stood at the top with some others kicked her on her head, throwing her back into the pool.
Thereafter, with much effort she came out from the deep end of the pool and called out for Shaikh. Meanwhile she saw Shaikh lying on the floor and when she went to him she saw him unconscious, with cut injuries on his face.
The witness said she took Shaikh to her lap and she too fell unconscious. She regained consciousness at the Matara Hospital,
She said she found that her dress had been lowered to her waist and a T-shirt put on to cover her chest. Her underwear too, had been removed.
Thereafter she was transferred to the Karapitiya Hospital and until a doctor there told her that Shaikh was killed no one told her about the murder.
From there she was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital where she received treatment for here injuries and was still under medication. The witness identified the first accused O.A. Lahiru Kelum as the person who assaulted her at the poolside. (T. Farook Thajudeen)
Source: Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)
The trend in the global scenario has shifted towards concentrating on space and unconventional type of films. Although the Indian cinema is attempting to break new ground in this regard, the local industry though improved on several aspects, has not yet attempted this novel and challenging change.
The launch of a film which will change all this was held at Colombo yesterday, March 24, under the patronage of Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development. This film, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, is a production which spanned nearly a decade on research and development, which evolved with the ever changing leaps in technology.
Based on a story by renowned science fiction writer Sir Arthur C. Clark, this ground breaking film will take the Sri Lankan cinema into outer space. Even in the global scene there have been only two productions involving Sir Arthur’s works in the big screen (2001 A Space Odyssey & 2010). Both these were mega level Hollywood productions and ‘Into the Comet’ is the third story by Sir Arthur C. Clarke which is about to be transformed into the silver screen.
The exceptional feature of this film is the handling of all the aspects of the production, including the high end visual effects, entirely by a local crew.
At the helm is Thilanka Perera as Director of the film, the script has been developed from the original story of Sir Arthur C. Clarke, jointly by Thilanka Perera and Maheel R. Perera. The technical crew includes the veteran dditor Stanley Alwis and cinematographer Kavinda Ranaweera.
The story revolves around an exploration of a comet. During the course of the journey they are stranded inside the comet tail due to a malfunction of the computer system. With a dwindling supply of food and oxygen and no help from Earth, which is millions of miles away, the story follows their struggle to survive.
This film will introduce several film making techniques used in Hollywood including new set construction techniques and integrating methods, Stereo 3D film making, etc. to local film industry. After this production Sri Lankan cinema will never be the same.
Source: Lanka Business today (Sri Lanka)
