Apr 13 (NS) A decade or so after independence this nation lost forever many well-bred, educated Ceylonese of different communities whose families had lived for generations in this country. Many became ultra-sensitive to the twisted labels plastered on the influential, educated class by the extremists and nationalist politicians of the time. It had been easy to spot the political drift during those times which became an era of gloating regalement for extremist forces made up more..

Apr 13 (NS) Miniser Bandula Gunawardena pompously says that around 65% of students have passed their GCE O/L exam which is the highest pass percentage ever achieved. Well, with all due respect, we should also understand that students who sat for the science paper received 19 marks as a free lunch thanks to Aththatage, the tutor. In addition, thanks to the ones in the Dept of Education, allegation after allegation was leveled against the ministry for leaking exam papers. more..

Apr 13 (SO) Amidst dramatic climate challenges and sky-rocketing diesel and furnace oil prices, Sri Lanka lit up the country without interruption. Electricity was provided to the public without power cuts even during difficult times. The buying capacity for electricity generated using diesel and furnace oil has now hit the limits. “There is a limit for a govt or a country to bear costs. Loans are taken from State banks which cannot continue. more..

Apr 13 (SL) Military Spokesman Brig. Ruwan Wanigasooriya’s exposition that Sri Lanka will need foreign help to determine the number of deaths in ‘Eelam War IV’ stands to reason. He has said, and rightly so, that many have migrated through the years of ethnic conflict; some among the 300,000 freed from the LTTE’s clutches during the closing weeks of the war or hospitalised at the time had escaped to foreign countries. There is nothing new in the claim for it to be dubbed an more..

Apr 13 (DBS) Had Lakshman Kadirgamar been allowed to live, he would today (12) have reached the age of 81 years. His brutal and cowardly murder by the LTTE on 12 August 2005 snuffed out his life and undid in seconds what 73 years had taken to achieve. In our travails at Geneva, some mention of this tragedy may have helped to sway opinion in our favour. But this was not to be for reasons better known to our representatives. Shortly after his assassination, many accolades were paid to this more..

Apr 13 (DBS) Qutub Muhiyuddin Abdul Qadir Jailani, also known as Ghouse-e Azam, is one of the greatest scholars in Islamic history held in very high esteem by Muslims throughout the Middle East ,Pakistan, India, Bangladesh,Sri Lanka, Malaysia and even as far as Indonesia. In view of his extreme piety, depth of knowledge, simple life and miracles performed and other such noble qualities some call him a saint while others describe him as the saint of all saints. more..

Apr 13 (SL) This is the season of fruits and nuts and with the sun directly over Sri Lanka till April 15 the island’s politicians appear to be getting fruitier and nuttier. Probably inspired by recalling the origins of the history of Sri Lanka’s aviation to the Dandumonara of Ravana at the ‘historic’ occasion of the inauguration of the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA), a Ravana Balaya (Ravana Force) sprouting Sinhala nationalism has come into force. more..

Apr 13 (DBS) Sri Lankans are preparing to celebrate the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Aluth Avurudu (in Sinhala) or Puththaandu or Puthu Varusham (in Tamil) literally translates to ‘New Year’– the harbinger of spring. Sinhala and Tamil New Year dawns on 13 April at 11.58 pm according to the Vaakkiya Tamil Almanac, and at 1.29 am on 14 April according to the Thirukkanitha Almanac on Kaarthigai star of the fourth more..

Apr 13 (CT) Hundreds of articles have been written in all three languages during the past few months analysing from every possible angle the US sponsored UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka on alleged human rights violations during the final days of the govt’s war against the LTTE. However there was hardly an article dealing with the role played by Muslim countries in supporting Sri Lanka. Most of these countries are actually American allies. This happened last year too when the resolution more..

Apr 13 (Island) The regional building of the National Supply and Drainage (NW&SDB) in Vavuniya was opened by Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena last week. The Minister said steps are under way to provide pipe-borne water to the people of the North, which has been long overdue. He said that work would also be launched soon to tap the Iranamadu Tank to supply water to the Jaffna peninsula. A sanitation development was also on the cards for the Northern Province. more..

Apr 13 (ST) “A fast bowler is like a soldier. He is the very first person who feels the pulse of the opposition. At the same time he is the very first gauge that the opposition gets the feel of your side. So a fast bowler is like the mirror of your side and he plays a pivotal role in the success of the team.”This philosophy was professed by a bowler who tread upon the cricketing world for fifteen long years, hailing from a nation which is not more..

Apr 13 (Island) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is now assessing a complaint made by the minority shareholders of AIA Insurance Lanka PLC making a voluntary offer to acquire all the remaining ordinary shares of the company not already directly or indirectly owned by AIA Company Limited. A spokesperson for the SEC yesterday confirmed that the complaint has been received and said that they had called for further information on the representations that had been made. more..

Apr 13 (GDI) A Japanese delegation comprising of representatives from the cosmetics industry and researchers met President Rajapaksa said at Temple Trees yesterday (10). The delegation is in Sri Lanka as a result of discussions between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Japanese MP Arai Hiroyuki during President's visit to Japan. During the discussion, President Rajapaksa spoke to the delegation about the problem Sri Lanka is facing with regard to patent rights of various more..

Apr 13 (ST) The Govt is indirectly seeking funds from international capital markets this year for infrastructure development and servicing foreign debts, officials revealed. This came after efforts by Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera to secure a new IMF facility for infrastructure spending failed when the international lender said it was only willing to provide money to improve the Central Bank’s foreign reserves. more..

Apr 13 (NS) Additional police personnel are to be deployed at bus terminals and buses for the safety of those traveling long distances during the Sinhala and Tanil New Year, Police Spokesperson SP Buddika Siriwardena said. He said police personnel in uniform and civvies will be deployed in main bus stations in Colombo and suburbs to curb criminal activities. Besides criminals and thieves, the Police will be on the look out for arrogant or drunken drivers. Traffic Police and ample teams more..

Apr 13 (Island) It was a miraculous escape for the inmates of four houses at Araliya junction, in close vicinity to the Ambatale water treatment plant, when they found themselves confronted by a surge of gushing water after a major pipeline burst on Thursday night. "We had to cling on to the bars of windows to prevent being swept away by the virtual wall of water", a resident recalled with a shudder. "It was a terrifying experience". "I desperately clung on to the kitchen sink with my more..

Apr 13 (Hindu) Nineteen Rameswaram fishermen, who were released by a Sri Lankan court on Thursday, returned home to an emotional reunion at the Rameswaram fishing jetty on Friday afternoon. The fatigued fishermen, who had spent a month in captivity, were greeted with tears of joy by their family members and the fisherfolk when they arrived with their four trawlers around 2 p.m. The fishermen were arrested more..

Apr 13 (LBO) Sri Lanka's Hatton National Bank is planning to sell 4.0 billion rupees of subordinated debt, which has been rated 'A+(lka)(EXP)' one notch below its long term rating, Fitch Ratings said. The proposed debentures are rated one notch below HNB's National Long-Term rating of 'AA-(lka)' to reflect their subordinated status. The proposed debentures will have a five-year tenor with bullet principal repayment at maturity. Coupon payments will be at a fixed rate, and more..

Apr 13 (CT) The recent vote at the UNHRC in Geneva was upsetting, and it would make sense for Sri Lanka to assess what happened and work towards ensuring that such a situation does not occur again. However there seems little chance of that, since the same was obvious a year ago, but nevertheless nothing was done, except to sit back and hope disaster would not strike twice. The only efforts at analysis we saw from the Ministry of External Affairs were leaks to the effect that more..

Apr 13 (Independent) A former high-profile newsreader on a Tamil Tiger television channel has pleaded with the international community to save her from being sent back to Sri Lanka where she fears she could be tortured or killed. Rathimohan Lokini is one of 19 Tamil refugees languishing in an aluminium factory in Dubai and facing the threat of imminent deportation to a country with a known track record of persecuting those with a perceived more..

Apr 13 (Island) Royal College has achieved unprecedented results in the GCE (O/L) exam held in December last year (2012), under the guidance and leadership of principal Upali Gunasekara coupled with the dedication of the able faculty of teachers. Of 650 students who sat for the exam in all three media, 141 students have achieved A’s in all nine subjects (9A’s), 104 students 8A’s and 74 7A’s which marks a 50% of the overall students who have succeeded in getting 7A’s and above. more..

Apr 13 (Island) The Sinhala and Tamil New Year which has become a national festival of celebrations is a very appropriate moment of time to reflect on what our true culture is. Culture began as a result of cultivation. Culture closely followed agriculture, especially growing grains for food on the land. Today agriculture is very much diversified and we grow many things not only for food but also to supply raw material for industry. Besides, there is horticulture, apiculture, pearl culture and more..

Apr 13 (Island) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said in a New Year Message: "According to Astrology, the New Year dawns with the sun moving from the House of Meena to the House of Mesha. Sri Lankan society awaits year by year with endless hope this miraculous hour of the incessant circle of the nature. New Year is a joyous period which generates fresh feelings and thoughts within young, old and elders. more..

Apr 13 (CG) A Sri Lankan owner of a shop in Bedford, England has been killed after being assaulted, the Bedfordshire news reported. Vairamuthu Thiyagarajah, 56, received serious head injuries in the incident last Sunday and he succumbed to his injuries in hospital two days ago. Thiyagarajah died with his family at his bedside. He leaves a wife, a son, four daughters, three son-in-laws, a daughter-in-law and several grandchildren. The flat he was in was shared by more..

Apr 13 (Island) DFCC Bank and its retail banking subsidiary Vardhana Bank recently hosted the 4th Annual Productivity Awards, for Schools who participated in their CSR programme the ‘6S and 3R Implementation in Schools Project’ for 2012. The event was held at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo with Minister Bandula Gunawardana conferring the awards. The highlight of this occasion was that DFCC has completed the implementation of the project in 100 schools across the country more..

Apr 13 (NS) FSP member Udul Premaratne, who was at the forefront of the protest against the Meethotamulla garbage dump, strongly refuted allegations made by Colombo Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil that they were taking up the issue for ‘political gain’. On Wednesday, Muzammil accused ‘outside forces’ of organizing protests in the area for political gain, and claimed many of those who led the protest at the garbage dump site more..

Apr 13 (TQP) A number of people injured in Wednesday’s deadly road accident near the traffic lights below Ras Abu Aboud flyover are still receiving treatment at the emergency unit of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). Most of the injured, whose exact number could not be ascertained, are from Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Philippines, it is learnt. HMC refused to divulge any details about those being treated for injuries resulting from the accident, which claimed two lives. more..

Apr 13 (TOI) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) prevented the arrest of 46 Indian fishermen which otherwise appeared imminent by the Sri Lankan navy. Five mechanised boats and 46 fishermen were released by the Sri Lankan navy after the ICG intervened and negotiated with their Sri Lankan counterparts mid-sea. After the coast guard regional headquarters (east) received information on the alleged clash between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen in mid-sea on April 11, more..

Apr 13 (ST) The Govt is to reduce the number of Indian skilled workers in Sri Lanka and replace them with Sri Lankans, Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge said. He said the new policy decision by the Govt would include a reduction of Indian workers in existing projects and limitations on the number coming for future projects both in the public and private sectors. He referred particularly to the Colombo Dockyard where some 800 Indian more..

Apr 13 (DM) The Department of Posts incurred a substantial operating loss of Rs.5 billion during 2012 which was an increase of 8% as against the previous year, following a 52% increment in 2011. This was the outcome of a modest increase of total revenue by 4.6% to Rs. 3.3 billion and a higher 6.6% in operating expenditure to Rs. 8.3 billion. It further stressed that DOP should consolidate its revenue by diversifying services and containing its expenses to reduce its burden on the national budget. more..

Apr 13 (Reuters) Central bank is expected to keep key monetary policy rates steady on Tuesday, a Reuters poll showed, but analysts predict at least a quarter percentage point cut in May or June after the country’s treasury secretary signaled an easing bias for rates. Eight out of 14 analysts polled by Reuters expect the central bank’s repurchase and reverse repurchase rates to be left unchanged at 7.5% and 9.5%, respectively, while five predicted a 25 basis point (bps) cut in both. more..

Apr 13 (Island) As traffic built up on the Colombo Kandy road on Friday morning, many stores in Kiribathgoda found crowds already thronging at their doors, almost an hour to opening. The streets were filled and in a few establishments on both sides of the main road, baggage counters and car parks were already filling up. Police had drawn markers and several crowd control measures were already effective as loud music filled the more..

Apr 13 (Island) Sri Jayawardenapura University has signed a landmark MOU, with Sri Lanka’s foremost Digital and Social Media Agency Neo@Ogilvy to introduce digital marketing as a subject in their Marketing Management BSc Degree course. In terms of this MOU the curriculum for the Digital Marketing will be formulated, designed and developed by Neo@Ogilvy. Its senior specialists in digital and social media, will also form the faculty. The course will also feature guest lecturers more..

Apr 13 (TA) President Mahinda Rajapaksa brought peace to Sri Lanka in 2009, ending three decades of bloodshed by the LTTE terrorist group. Sri Lankans of diverse ethnicity and religious faith embraced this victory with optimism and delight. Now supported by a development drive by the govt across the country, Sri Lankans are heading forward with confidence and commitment; trying to catch up on the years lost to the violence, destruction and mayhem created by one of the most ruthless more..

Apr 13 (NS) Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph and a group of Tamil MPs and civil society representatives have reportedly urged a group of visiting Indian Parliamentarians to press the Sri Lankan govt towards establishing a self-governing mechanism for Tamils in the North and East. Intelligence agencies in the North have uncovered that the request had been made by Rev. Joseph and a group of Tamil MPs more..

Apr 13 (CT) This work contains notes written by a woman, Emily Gnanam, who lived in Karativu, an islet off the coast of Jaffna in the early years of the last century. It is also interspersed with commentaries by her daughter Vimala Ganeshananthan who also is the editor of the volume. Emily Gnanam,it appears, spent her early life in a large farm in Karativu before getting married and moving to Trincomalee. Her descriptions of her life in the farm reveals the existence of a more..

Apr 13 (CT) “Adirajyavadi Balavegaya”, “Anthavadeen” are the two Sinhala terms often used by the Regime and its new wing Bala Sena to face any challenges locally as well as internationally. Perhaps these two words are the weapons of the same to deviate people from the truth and to remain in power for decades. The local as well as international media is replete with accounts of ethnic and religious tension in Sri Lanka. This is hardly the time for unnecessary ethnic posturing when more..

Apr 13 (ST) Crocodile, tortoise and pangolins were being cooked in numbers at a restaurant in Hambantota and served up to Chinese workers at Hambantota Port who had flocked to the eatery to munch on the protected fauna they viewed as delicacies. Local residents yesterday said the Hambantota restaurant had attracted crowds of Chinese nationals working in the area. The restaurant’s Chinese owner, who more..

Apr 13 (Island) Last week we referred to Izzeldin Abuelaish, the Palestinian physician from the Gaza strip, who lost his wife from acute leukemia despite the best possible treatment she received in an Israeli hospital. Barely three weeks later, a shell fired indiscriminately by the Israeli defence forces killed three of his daughters as they slept in their home in Gaza. Despite these tragedies, Abuelaish never lost his vision of peace and more..