Sri Lanka's ruling coalition is on course to suffer a shocking defeat in local elections as the party backed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is set to register a landslide victory.
At 1:30pm local time (19:00 GMT), with most results in, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had won 44.05 percent of the vote.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) garnered 31.65 percent while the President Maithripala Sirisena's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) came a distant third with 9.52 percent of the vote.
Sri Lanka, strategically positioned in the Indian Ocean, is well in the spheres of attention of the world powers.China, on the one hand, has linked up with Sri Lanka for Strategic Partnership Cooperation. Envisaged here is the collaboration for China’s Belt and Road Initiative that seeks to enhance greater connectivity with the rest of the world.
Against the backdrop, there is the emerging ally of the United States, India, Japan and other Western countries to counterbalance power over the world’s crucial sea lanes that bestride Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean region.
Angered by a public death threat against Tamil demonstrators in London, Eelamist diaspora groups in a rare display of solidarity have urged the British government to strip Sri Lanka’s military attaché in the United Kingdom of his diplomatic status and declare him a “Persona non Grata”.
Leading Tamil diaspora organisations spurred into action by Minister Councillor (Defence) Aandige Priyanka Indunil Fernando gesturing thrice to slit the throats of demonstrators in London who opposed the Sri Lanka government celebrating 70 years of independence while Tamils in the island were persecuted, have petitioned the British government on the 9th of February.
In the detailed despatch to Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson the organisations have requested the British government to “declare the Sri Lankan Military Attaché Brigadier Priyanka Fernando a Persona non Grata for committing a serious offence under British law, abusing diplomatic immunity in the UK and committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sri Lanka and therefore, to curtail his leave to remain in the UK.”
France to issue a “Red Notice” to enable the arrest of Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who is now in Dubai.
A prime suspect in the alleged mass fraud involving the procurement of MiG 27 fighter jets from Ukraine in 2006, he was detained by Interpol officials at the Dubai International Airport. He was released after a counsel hired by him argued that the arrest had been wrong since it was made on the basis of an Interpol “Blue Notice,” which was only an advisory.
Freedom, liberty and independence. Three words that seemingly have the same meaning, but differ in their interpretation. Sri Lanka gained independence from the British rulers on February 4, 1948, exactly 70 years ago. This was a turning point for freedom in the history of our nation.
Independence is not just a facility that we gain from someone. It is also a state of mind. We must really feel free and independent as a nation to reap the full benefits of the struggle for independence that succeeded in 1948. Sri Lanka has gone through a tumultuous 70 years, mainly as a result of the shortsighted and ethnic centred policies of our politicians, most of
The recent proposal of the Megapolis Ministry to reclaim the sea abutting the Galle Face Green and to extend it Southwards to Dehiwela is a commendable idea. In addition, the Expressway coming into the City Center with links to other Expressways going North and South, it will be a realistic move. At the City end, the Expressway linking the Port, Port City, and the underground access to the city hotels and the Marine Drive going South is appropriate as there would be a North - South link and would ease traffic circulation.
The reclamation of the sea takes time. In Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, reclamation of the
Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga had been reportedly detained at the Dubai Airport this morning, while in transit to the United States, sources said.
He was to be handed over to the Dubai Police by the immigration officers.
Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lanka’s former envoy to Russia was accused of being the centre of a probe into the acquisition of MiG-27 fighter jets from Ukraine, while he was also accused of supplying weapons to anti-Government forces.
The owner of Perpetual Treasuries Limited Arjun Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena who were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) earlier this morning, were taken to CID headquarters to record their statements , said Police Spokesman.
They were arrested by CID officers who arrived at their respective residences in Colombo, today.
On Friday, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court named former Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran, his son-in-law Arjun Aloysius and Perpetual Treasuries CEO Kasun Palisena as suspects in the CID’s investigation into the bond scam.
Akio Mimura was 11 when Sri Lanka’s former President J.R. Jayewardena stood up for Japan at the San Francisco international peace conference in 1951. World War II had been over for six years and the allied powers had been deliberating how vanquished Japan would be punished. They wanted the country on its knees, paying reparations.
Mr.Jayewardena, a minister in Mr.D.S. Senanayake’s government, was the lone voice among the 51 nations gathered that day backing the vanquished. Quoting Buddha, “hatred cease not by hatred but by love”the statesman called for a free and independent Japan and that it should not pay a heavy price that would harm its economy.
While Sri Lanka "celebrates" 70 years of independence from British colonial rule this month, its sovereignty is being threatened as never before since gaining independence in 1948 – tempting one to remark that Sri Lanka is celebrating 'independence in chains'.
The strategically placed Indian ocean island is an important lynchpin in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which western powers – especially the United States and Britain – are keen to sabotage as its success would end their hegemony in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) is one of the four mechanisms that the government promised in its ‘comprehensive approach to dealing with the past’. While the OMP is the only mechanism on which any formal progress has been made in the 28 months that have passed since the government announced its plan; even this has not yet been formally constituted and operationalised. Each step of the process thus far to establish the OMP has been marked by slow progress, a regrettable lack of transparency, poor engagement with victims and troubling political actions to undermine the independence of the institution.
This Blue-Green coalition government will go on stage at Galle Face Green this Sunday to celebrate 70 years of Independence from British colonial rule. This same coalition, established after the 2015 January Presidential Election, celebrated 67 years of independence three years ago, with a simple ceremony, also at Galle Face Green. Three years from then, the ceremony has grown into a grand show as any, the Rajapaksas held to exhibit their power using the Independence Day celebrations.
Though proud we are of the Independence gained (rather received), after 130 years and more of colonial rule, we don’t seem to have achieved anything greater than what the British left us.
Sri Lanka has been ranked among 10 worst countries in the world for personal freedoms in a global index of human freedom, just behind Zimbabwe, due to damaged institutions of liberty, though the country scored better on economic freedoms.
Sri Lanka was placed 150 on personal freedoms, out of 159 countries, ahead of Cameroon (151), Congo and Saudi Arabia, Burundi and Iran, but behind Zimbabwe at 149 in the 2017 Human Freedom Index compiled in association with the Fraser Institute, a Canada based think tank.
In the region, India was placed at 103 Bangladesh 138 and Pakistan was ahead of Sri Lanka at 148.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday said its members would not participate in the Independence Day National Celebration due to local government election campaign activities in the Trincomalee District.
Opposition Leader and TNA MP R. Sampanthan has officially informed this to the Independence Day Celebrations Committee.
TNA sources said MP Sampanthan would participate in the LG election public meetings and rallies in Trincomalee in February 4.
Chairman of the Elections Commission (EC) Mahinda Deshapriya said that out of 15,760,867 registered voters, who are entitled to cast their votes at the 2018 Local Government Polls, around 20,000 come under the category of disabled voters.
He added that being handicapped would not be a hindrance to cast votes at any election under any circumstance.
Deshapriya noted that the EC has advised all Grama Sevaka Officers, Divisional Secretaries and returning officers to make facilities available for disabled voters to exercise their franchise at the upcoming Polls.
The country which was rescued from dictatorship by electing the Common Candidate will never be turned back, Finance and Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera pointed out yesterday.
He also pointed out that the country which was isolated in the international arena, regained its due recognition after the victory of the Common Candidate.
Minister Samaraweera made these observations at a rally held at Weligama, supporting UNP Local Government election candidates.
Schools in Colombo refuse to enrol Grade One students living in shanties of Colombo and ignore their government-authorised ‘ownership cards’ issued in lieu of land deeds, says Sampath Rambukkanage the Pamankade (East) contestant from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna for the CMC at the upcoming local government polls.
Speaking to The Island the SLPP candidate said yesterday that the ‘ownership cards’ initially issued by former Colombo Mayor B. Sirisena Cooray to those living in unauthorised dwellings on lands belonging to the CMC had previously been accepted by national schools, but now a group of principals from Colombo refused to accept them, Rambukkanage said.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that even after the LTTE was defeated, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa failed to ensure the Tamil People’s rights.
Addressing an UNP Local Polls rally in Pothuwil, on Wednesday, Wickremesinghe said that instead of uniting all the communities and developing the country after the end of the war , the Rajapaksas adopted a divide and rule policy , by encouraging ethnic and religious conflicts.
Issues confronting the Tamils were ignored, on the mistaken premise that the LTTE had been defeated, he added.
Sri Lankan authorities have scrapped a “laptop dance” by school girls during the main Independence Day parade in Colombo after the unconventional item attracted ridicule on social media.
Unlike the erotic art of lap dance, the 21st century Sri Lankan version was performed by students dressed in black leggings, yellow skirts and black short-sleeved jackets to symbolize the computers given by the education department
In recent history, the world has seen a lot of progress and positive strides surrounding the topic of women’s rights. From hundreds of women coming forward about their stories of sexual assault in the United States to the Saudi king passing a law giving women the right to drive, there is a clear effort to push for equality across the globe.
Earlier this month, Sri Lanka joined the movement by allowing women to purchase alcohol and work in places where alcohol is served — a law that comes nearly 40 years after women were first denied access to alcohol. The ruling received significant backlash from consumer advocacy groups, citing this act could encourage drinking. This Sunday, Sri Lanka’s president reversed the ruling, prolonging the four-decade long ban.
The Sri Lankan government on Saturday called on all parties in the Maldives to uphold the rule of law and find a peaceful solution to the ongoing political crisis.
"Sri Lanka is observing the evolving situation in the Maldives. We urge all parties to uphold the rule of law and the constitution, and find a peaceful solution to the current situation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Clashes have been reported in the Maldives between police and protesters since Friday as supporters of former President Mohamed Nasheed took to the streets celebrating a ruling by
Mavai S. Senathirajah, Member of Parliament for Jaffna District instructs his lawyers to take appropriate legal action against Annamalai Nadesu Sivasakthi to pay a sum of Rupees One Billion (Rs. l,000,000,000.00) together with interest and costs of suit in the event of your failure to pay for making false and defamatory statements saying that Mr Senathirajah and some other Members of Parliament have received bribes amounting to Rupees Twenty Million (Rs. 20,000,000.00) each for the purpose of voting in favour of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2018.
The forward thrust the island has made may well be reversed if internal differences aren’t ironed out soon
As Sri Lankans head to the polling stations for local Government elections a few days after 70th anniversary of Independence, they are starved of choices
It’s now 70 decades since the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’ broke free from the bondage of colonial rule. Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), which was subjected to one of the longest periods of foreign occupation from 1505 to 1948, had a very smooth transition to the democratic parliamentary system. In contrast to many other colonies both in the region and beyond, there
On Feb.10, Sri Lankans will go to the polls to vote for their local representatives. But the outcome of these village elections will have much wider repercussions as they will ultimately determine if China will play a bigger role in Sri Lanka's development.
The battle for Sri Lanka's heartlands is being fought out by the country's twice defeated pro-China former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and the incumbent pro-India coalition government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday urged the Tamil community to have faith in him.
Addressing a public rally in Jaffna in support of local government candidates backed by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the former President said development work had come to a grinding halt since the change of government in January 2015.
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris told the gathering that post-war reconciliation would never be a reality without former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s support.
