Jan 20 (CT) The United States of America and India are exploring the possibilities of ‘passing another resolution’ on Sri Lanka at the next UNHRC sessions in Geneva in March, diplomatic sources revealed to Ceylon Today. The resolution may be called on the grounds that Sri Lanka has made little progress in implementing the recommendations made in the report of the LLRC, particularly with regard to setting up investigations into at least the seven or more..

Jan 20 (CT) The Report of the United Nations’ Internal Review Panel1 was released one year after Sri Lanka’s self-appointed commission of inquiry, the LLRC, submitted its findings to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The LLRC was established in May 2010 to investigate events between the February 2002 ceasefire with the LTTE and the end of the conflict in May 2009 and make recommendations aimed at ethnic reconciliation. When the LLRC Report was submitted, it was assumed that more..

Jan 20 (CT) It is time for the Commonwealth of Nations to suspend Sri Lanka from its councils. In doing so, the Commonwealth would restore confidence in its 2.1 billion people that it is not a hypocritical association that claims to stand for values, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law but fails to act to discipline govts that violate these values. The Sri Lanka govt has now seriously and persistently violated the principles to which every Commonwealth country has more..

Jan 20 (ICG) The impeachment of the CJ, Shirani Bandaranayake is possibly a watershed moment in Sri Lankan law and politics. President Rajapaksa’s 13 January decision to ratify the impeachment decided two days earlier by a parliament controlled by his ruling UPFA is the latest step in the gradual but systematic dismantling of the rule of law. The move, in violation of the Sri Lankan constitution and basic principles of due more..

Jan 20 (SO) A delegation from the University of York is visiting India and Sri Lanka to promote new health-focused and academic links with the two countries. The visit includes the first formal event of the university’s 50th anniversary celebrations. A special reception will be held for York alumni at the residence of Ian Felton, UK Deputy High Commissioner in Bangalore and will be attended by the UK Minister for Public Health, Anna Soubry. The eight-member delegation, led by more..

Jan 20 (SL) The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has warned Pettah traders they will face action if expired canned food, bottled drinks, fruits and vegetables are sold in the market. CMC Chief Medical Officer, Dr Pradeep Kariyawasam, said notices have been sent to the traders saying they will be taken to court if such expired items are found. He said, in Colombo, when some food items are imported, they are sent to the container yard and kept for days to be cleared. By the time it is more..

Jan 20 (CI) If it wasn't 74, it still wasn't pretty. Australia's batsmen were again exposed by the moving ball in the hands of Sri Lanka's seamers before the fourth ODI at the SCG was washed out. The Sri Lankan chase was at first delayed, then abandoned due to an outfield tardy in drying, after only 3.2 overs. At 0 for 14, the visitors stood a strong chance of overhauling the target and claiming the series. As it is, Australia are more..

Jan 20 (Island) The Liberal Party of Sri Lanka was founded 26 years ago, on January 19th 1987. It grew out of a think tank called the Council for Liberal Democracy, which had been established by Chanaka Amaratunga in 1981. Though initially Chanaka and the CLD were close to the governing UNP, they broke with the UNP in 1982, when the referendum to extend the life of Parliament by a further six years was proposed. The CLD was the first organization to question the Constitution more..

Jan 20 (Island) As the riot police squad stood by, bulldozers moved in to demolish a row of unauthorized structures on either side of Sir Razik Fareed Mawatha in Colombo Fort yesterday morning. Those affected, mostly small-time traders, said some of them had been doing business along the busy stretch for as many as 30 years. They admitted that the UDA had issued them quit notices, but they had not moved out as a sudden swoop down to demolish their shops was more..

Jan 20 (CI) When word filtered through that the fourth ODI at the SCG had been abandoned, it was not only the crowd of 22,521 who were intent on expressing their annoyance at the outcome. Sri Lanka's captain, Mahela Jayawardene, could not hide his frustration at seeing the match fail to resume in circumstances that heavily favoured his side, having beaten far worse conditions against New Zealand in Pallekele only 3 months more..

Jan 20 (SL) Some 60 train engines operating in Sri Lanka need to be replaced, the General Manager of Railways (GMR) B.A.P. Ariyaratne, said. He said the train engines need new spare parts which cannot be found very easily as the engines are out of date. Ariyaratne said most train engines in Sri Lanka were purchased 30-years ago and so spares for those engines can be found easily. “We need to make the spare parts and that is more costly than purchasing spares. Companies that sell spare parts more..

Jan 20 (SL) The Customs Department has decided to install new CCTV cameras at its head office. In all, 30 CCTV cameras are to be installed, Customs Director General, Jagath Wijeyweera, said. He said the room from where a customs officer was recently arrested for allegedly taking a bribe, had a CCTV camera, but it was not working. “The CCTV camera was not working for 10 days,” Wijeyweera said. He said that even customs officers who are innocent can be cleared if there is a CCTV more..

Jan 20 (IANS) India should take efforts to stop Sri Lanka from destroying Tamil culture and Hindu religion in the island nation, DMK president M. Karunanidhi has said. In a letter to PM Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Saturday, copies of which were released to the media here Sunday, Karunanidhi said: "As the world's largest democracy and a country of diverse languages and religions, India has a moral more..

Jan 20 (Island) Colombo Engineering Services Pvt Ltd., a MTD Walkers subsidiary, earned a record US$ one million in revenue for 2012 — an achievement described by Sri Lanka’s shipping industry as "spectacular". "This revenue was generated mainly from ship repairing", says Kiran Atapattu, Chief Operating Officer, Colombo Engineering and Walkers Engineering Workshop Facility. This is a landmark achievement in the engineering sphere in the country, he noted. more..

Jan 20 (ST) What grips and torments the world today is the devastating impact on the environment by industrialisation – discharge of affluent water, waste and carbon emission, etc. In this midst is a massive, single entity private sector operated industrial complex “MAS Fabric Park (MFP)” on 165 acres at Thulhiriya, near Ambepussa at the Kandy road turn-off the Kurunegala which contributes more to the environment than what they receive from it compared to other industrial complexes. more..

Jan 20 (CG) Leader of SLMC and Minister Rauff Hakeem has slammed the hate campaign being carried out by some Buddhist monks against Muslims and also expressed dismay over the inability of the police to contain a protest staged by monks in Maharagama yesterday. Hakeem said that the derogatory references to the Muslims as a community, and the related isolated incidents that have taken place in different parts of the more..

Jan 20 (OU) State and private lands in areas closer to Kilinochchi town, land impounding in an illegal manner incidents have increased was stated. Owners of many private lands near Kilinochchi town areas have gone abroad. The lands which are in the care of the relations are grabbed by some who are in support of state ruling sector parties have augmented. Relations maintaining the lands and threatened is according to sources. Similar two incidents have occurred recently at more..

Jan 20 (CG) Students attached to the Jaffna university are being monitored by the police and military intelligence officers, the ‘We are Sri Lankan’ organization said. Convener of the organization, Udul Premaratna, said that following the recent tensions at the university it has been noted that officers in civil clothes are keeping a close eye on those entering the university on a daily basis. He also said that in some cases photographs are taken of the students and their families by more..

Jan 20 (CT) The Professional Trade Union Alliance (PTUA) of railway employees today said they decided to suspend their 56 hour token strike which was scheduled to begin tomorrow. Convener of PTUA of Railway employees, Janaka Fernando said they decided to suspend their strike action as Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga and other officials agreed to have a discussion with them regarding their salary issues. more..

Jan 20 (DM) Minister Minister Mervyn Silva said today he was able to prevail despite the challenges that came like storms. “I am steady as my hands are clean and not stained with blood,” the minister had said. Addressing several pocket meetings at Hunupitiya, Nahena, Kohollwila, Pohena in the Kelaniya electorate he said his opponents had branded him as a murderer. “Finally they branded me as a murderer, but the truth has triumphed. My hands are clean and free of blood stains. more..

Jan 20 (DM) Advertisements of food items should be approved by the Director General of Health Services with immediate effect, the Health Ministry said. The Health Ministry said that “any institutes, who wish to have advertisements related to food items in the media should get approval from the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) prior to publishing/telecasting, in order to prevent the public from being misled. “Accordingly, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) has decided to more..

Jan 20 (SO) Fourteen employees of a card centre of a reputed private bank in Colombo were taken in for questioning by the CID following a Rs. 263 million loss, SSP Prishantha Jayakody said. The fraud came to light when the bank lodged a complaint at the CID last year, regarding the loss incurred by the bank. More employees of the bank will be grilled by the CID in the next few days. Sleuths investigating the fraud said that more..

Jan 20 (ST) The death of a 42-year-old rice mill owner in Padaviya has left many of its villagers in shock and grief. Sonny Senarathne, a father of four, who is well known for his work as a political activist of the JVP, died of injuries sustained when he intervened to save another man who was being attacked. Every day, Mr Senarathne would go early to work in his rice mill situated in front of his house, as the villagers came to him with their harvest. He was a honest and conscientious trader. more..

Jan 20 (ST) The government is faced with a dilemma – finding money to pay compensation – EPF and ETF and gratuity – for hundreds of workers at Katunayake and Biyagama free trade zone factories abandoned by foreign investors and management, a senior cabinet minister said. At least 20 factories have closed down in the past two to three months throwing at least 1000 workers on the streets, trade union leaders revealed and this was confirmed by Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge. more..

Jan 20 (AD) The scheduled visit of three US Deputy Assistant Secretaries to Sri Lanka next week was planned several months ago and has no connection to the resent event which had taken place in the country. Two Deputy Assistant Secretaries from the US State Department and a Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Defense Department will arrive in the country according to an annually devised plan, the Secretary to the more..

Jan 21 (NS) There is a communal reality in Sri Lanka. It is a phenomenon that communalists don’t necessarily object to, for there’s a lot of political mileage to be gained by coming under spotlight. It is not uncommon therefore for ‘ethnic’ and ‘religious’ to be painted on things that are not necessarily ethnic or religious. One of the outcomes of this state of affairs, interestingly, is a marked aversion by some to point the ethnic or religious of ethnic and religious things respectively. more..

Jan 21 (NS) Within the past few decades, Sri Lanka too seems to have fully accommodated seeds of religious extremism. It has come to a point where faith based fragmentation of population is becoming increasingly obvious. It is interesting to see what lies beneath. A poll on Sri Lankans conducted in 2008 revealed that 99% of Sri Lankans acknowledged that religion is an important part of their daily life. So, it is by no means to call the little island a Dharma Dweepa. However, there is a definite more..

Jan 21 (NS) The political finis in the standoff between the judiciary and legislature has left several issues requiring deep consideration. Instead of the old and known saying of “the executive, legislature and the judiciary are on an equal platform”, we were making hair spitting arguments to decide which branch was supreme. Multiple interpretation indicates flawed or vague wording. ‘Failure’ is evident in the fact that the 1978 Constitution more..

Jan 21 (DBS) In Libya, at the height of the 2011 revolution, it was said that Colonel Gadaffi did not believe rebel claims of captured territory. And, as Tripoli was being encircled, Gadaffi famously exclaimed to a BBC interviewer that “the people love me”. The disinformation practised by the Libyan Govt through the state controlled media was institutionalized to such an extent that even those in power, who concocted the lies, had begun to believe their own concoctions. more..

Jan 21 (DBS) On 22nd January 2013, Parliament will take up for debate the ‘Code of Criminal Procedure (Special Provisions)’ Bill. This legislation which will, among other things, enable the police to detain a person who has been arrested without a warrant for 48 hours before producing her/him before a magistrate has resulted in serious widespread concern amongst political groups, human rights group and the legal community. If enacted, this legislation will amend the law more..

Jan 21 (SO) Abuse of women is becoming a hot topic in the media and also among the public as we hear about these incidents daily. Minister Tissa Karaliyadda believes that though there is an increase in such cases, the blaring publicity given to these incidents have blown this issue beyond proportion. He said his Ministry is doing its utmost to control this situation after creating a better awareness among the people on these more..

Jan 21 (CT) This is the time to take a long view of history, understand how we got here, and take measure how to meet the challenges of the coming years. To proclaim that the regime is moving to dictatorship with implacable determination is repetitive waste of newsprint, it is the best known fact of the current political conjuncture. Newspapers are saturated with furious articles, grave statements and editorials bewailing the loathsome deed; thank you, all excellent in preparation for the next more..

Jan 21 (CT) Mano Ganeshan recently circulated an important thought-provoking note on the census and how Tamil numbers are distorted by counting Indian Tamils as Sri Lankan Tamils. Concluding that he does not support two separate classifications within the Tamil community in Sri Lanka, he suggests that all Tamils in Sri Lanka come under one single classification as “Tamil,” and calls for a discussion. I support his call not least for the reason that Ceylon Tamil and Indian Tamil have more..

Jan 21 (Island) Never before did the choice of the candidate become so pivotal as when the present CJ was appointed; reason - no previous CJ was removed by impeachment. The bona fides of the removal are questionable if the selection of the successor is controversial. Removal can be justified but intention may not be to cleanse the judiciary but rather to install a favorite son. If so, both the removal and appointment more..

Jan 21 (SO) Hunting for priceless treasure from temples and abandoned archaeological sites continues despite several suspects being arrested by the police. Organised gangs have joined the bandwagon of treasure hunters as it has become a lucrative business. Investigations have revealed that treasure hunting was mostly financed by wealthy and influential people involved in other rackets in their areas. The latest treasure hunting was reported from the historic Niyangamyaya Temple in more..

Jan 21 (ST) A higher amount of foreign direct investment (FDI) of the right type is required to achieve higher sustained economic growth. One of the serious post war failures has been the inadequate inflow of FDI. Expectations that the end of the war and advent of peace would usher in large amounts of foreign investments that would boost economic growth has not materialised. There are new concerns that foreign investors would be deterred from investing in Sri Lanka and that more..

Jan 21 (FT) Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), the national telecommunications service provider, has a million reasons to herald the New Year on a celebratory note. One of its most successful and popular products, SLT Megaline, has registered its one millionth customer – that’s one million fixed lines connecting one million families, i.e. over 4.5 million people across the island. An incredible one million active fixed-line users more..

Jan 21 (Island) All lovers of classics experience a kind of je ne sais quoi—an indefinable something—which is exhilaratingly refreshing no end while poring over the works of literary greats like Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Gorky, Duma, Brecht, Eliot, Ibsen, Dickens, Conrad, just to name a few. They may have wondered how that mood shifting state of mind ever occurred much to their delight. Maxim Gorky tells us in his autobiography that as a child he used to hold pages of the books that fascinated him more..

Jan 21 (FT) President’s Counsel and Seylan Bank Senior Independent Director Nihal Jayamanne, assumed duties as its new Chairman, while Ishara Nanayakkara took up position as Deputy Chairman of the Bank. Nihal Jayamanne PC is an eminent lawyer and a senior President’s Counsel and holds key offices in the fields of law, including Law Commission of Sri Lanka Chairman, Company Law Advisory Commission Chairman, Law College foundation Chairman and as a member of more..