Nov 17 (CT) “Sri Lanka has a strong government and a fragile Opposition”, said minister Nimal Siripala Silva, addressing the Commonwealth Business Forum. He was for once, saying a truth. What is very naked in Sri Lankan mainstream politics is the fragility of the total Opposition in the Sinhala South. Neither the main Opposition UNP, nor the JVP now in the opposition has been able to hold the Rajapaksa govt under check. Rajapaksa seems too tall for the opposition. more..

Nov 17 (Hindu) Drawing upon U.K. PM David Cameron’s ultimatum to the Sri Lankan govt for a probe into human rights violations, the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) on Sunday urged the Centre to adopt a resolution in Parliament for an international inquiry into the human rights violations and war crimes in the last phase of the war. A resolution adopted in the TESO meeting chaired by DMK leader M. Karunanidhi said more..

Nov 17 (Island) A student from Batticaloa drowned in the deep end of the swimming pool of S. Thomas College Mount Lavinia on Friday night. The victim, U. G. Eugene Thilakshan a grade 10 student of St Michael’s College, Batticaloa, was in Colombo as a member of a team to participate in a basketball tournament scheduled for yesterday, police said. JMO, Kalubowila Hospital, Dr Ruchira Nadheera, visited the scene of the incident before conducting the post–mortem yesterday. more..

Nov 17 (Guardian) They haunt our every move, on their motorbikes in their silver hatchback and on their tuk tuks. Sri Lanka's intelligence officers are a tenacious lot, but there's another group perhaps even more tenacious in their pursuit of us: "spontaneous", pro-govt demonstrators. They were there when the Channel 4 news team and I arrived at the airport. They turned up outside our hotel that night – and when we set off by train to travel north to the former war zone, there they were again. more..

Nov 17 (SKY) The Foreign Secretary has insisted it is in Sri Lanka's own interests to hold an independent inquiry into alleged war crimes, as international pressure would only continue to grow. William Hague also defended the attendance of the UK at the CHOGM in Colombo, arguing it had shone a "spotlight" on human rights concerns. David Cameron has come under fire from campaigners for not joining the leaders of Canada, India more..

Nov 17 (Xinhua) President Rajapaksa on Sunday expressed appreciation for China's help in post-war reconstruction. Sri Lanka welcomes investment from China and other parts of the world, Rajapaksa said at the concluding press conference of the GHOGM. China has provided loans to Sri Lanka in building ports, highways, railways, and power plants. The BMICH, the main venue of the GHOGM, was donated by the Chinese government in the 1970s and was refurbished for GHOGM, more..

Nov 17 (Xinhua) South African President Jacob Zuma said his country is willing to improve and expand the already existing good bilateral relations with Sri Lanka, according to an official press release issued here on Sunday. "Developed countries have their own views on affairs of other countries. However, we need to look at things for ourselves before coming to conclusions," Zuma said during a meeting with Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa expressed the Sri Lankan govt's more..

Nov 17 (AD) Australian PM Tony Abbott says Sri Lanka has made a great deal of progress following the end of the three decade long war and added that it is important to work constructively with the island nation. On the final day of CHOGM, Mr Abbott said there has been “much progress” in Sri Lanka. “I welcome the opportunity that Sri Lanka has had to showcase itself to the world,” he said. “As I said at the opening of the conference a more..

Nov 17 (Island) Omacx Healthcare, which was at the centre of a controversy over an alleged cancer drug fraud, last week filed an application in the Court of Appeal seeking a Writ of Certiorari quashing the decision of the Health Ministry to temporarily suspend registration of all pharmaceutical products registered by the company. The petition filed by Omacx Healthcare cited Health Minister, Maithripala Sirisena, Secretary, Dr. Nihal Jayathileka, Director General of Health Services, Dr. Palitha more..

Nov 17 (Island) Ipaidabribe.lk is Diri Saviya’s initiative to tackle corruption in Sri Lanka by harnessing the collective energy of citizens. Launched in Colombo November 9th by Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Ipaidabribe.lk is a site that focuses on crowd-sourced reports of corruption and bribery from Sri Lanka. The website was launched with the blessings of Most Venerable Suganadhamma Thero of the Vidyalankara Pirivena along with Govt and opposition MPs with a massive public gathering on the more..

Nov 17 (CG) Commonwealth heads meeting in Sri Lanka today adopted the ‘Colombo Declaration’ on sustainable, inclusive and equitable development. In the declaration, Commonwealth leaders expressed commitment to work towards developing supportive global policies to address poverty, food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, inequalities in trade, predictable and adequate finances, investments, knowledge and more..

Nov 17 (Bernama) Malaysian PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said his participation at the CHOGM in Sri Lanka is out respect for the body. He said his participation would help him and the country to share views with the Commonwealth body. "This is about the Commonwealth, coincidentally Sri Lanka is the host," he said in response to some quarters in Malaysia objecting to his presence at the CHOGM because of Sri Lanka's human rights record. Najib said the event should be seen as more..

Nov 17 (AFP) Mahinda Rajapaksa may be a pariah for some of his Commonwealth peers, but for many of his fellow Sri Lankans their president is a national hero who ended four decades of bloodshed. For all the international criticism, Mr Rajapaksa’s popularity has stood firm at home among a population who endured 37 years of war before government troops crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels once and for all. “People were getting killed for 30 years, at least after 2009 we have stopped it,” more..

Nov 17 (CG) The international community must keep up pressure on the Sri Lankan govt to address its human rights crisis, Amnesty International (AI) said as the CHOGM drew to a close. Steve Crawshaw, Director of the Office of AI Secretary General, said that Sri Lanka may well regret having hosted the CHOGM which has proved a PR disaster for the govt. “The challenge for the international community is now to keep up more..

Nov 17 (CI) Offspinning allrounder Ramith Rambukwella and legspinner Seekkuge Prasanna have been named in Sri Lanka's squad for the two Twenty20s against New Zealand in Pallekele. Rambukwella, 22, had been selected in the national squad during the Bangladesh series in March, but did not get a match. Prasanna, however, has played a Test and nine ODIs, with the most recent in March 2012. Both men had been penetrative with the ball during Kenya's recent Twenty20 series more..

Nov 17 (AD) A Police Constable (PC) attached to the Matara Division Anti-vice Squad and his wife died after they were brutally assaulted by an unknown group who broke into their residence in Kumburupitiya last night. The police officer passed away after he was admitted to the Kumburupitiya Hospital while his 30-year-old wife who was being treated at the Karapitiya Hospital succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack, which had occurred at around 10pm yesterday (16). more..

Nov 17 (Scoop) Fonterra today welcomed a new Dairy Cooperation Arrangement between the New Zealand Govt and Sri Lankan Got signed by Sri Lankan Minister G.L. Peiris and NZ Minister for Foreign Affairs Murray McCully on the sidelines of the CHOGM yesterday. Fonterra Director John Monaghan, who was in Colombo representing Fonterra at the Commonwealth Business Forum earlier this week, said the agreement will more..

Nov 17 (SL) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) owes the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Rs 800 million for the development of the city ahead of the CHOGM, Deputy Mayor Titus Perera said. Perera said that the UDA and the Foreign Ministry had requested the CMC to carry out development projects in Colombo. Foreign Minister G L Peiris and the Mayor of Colombo A J M Muzammil had reached an agreement to carry out the development projects in Colombo using CMC funds. more..

Nov 17 (SL) The Govt has slammed what it termed as the ‘poor response’ by India to calls for an early meeting of the Joint Working Group to resolve the fishing issue between both countries. Deputy Minister Sarath Gunaratne accused India of double standards by raising concerns over Tamil issues in Sri Lanka while at the same time destroying the very livelihood of the Northern Tamils by depriving them of their fish. “One can see how powerful the TN govt is by the fact that the PM did not even attend more..

Nov 17 (G&M) In the long strip mall that runs along Eglinton Avenue East between Midland and Brimley in Scarborough, dozens of cars pull up just after the sun has set. Residents are here to perform their after-work errands: picking up a repaired watch from a Tamil jewellery store, grabbing mutton rolls to go from a Tamil takeout joint, buying imported vegetables to prepare for dinner from a Tamil grocer. Canada is home to the largest more..

Nov 17 (Xinhua) Commonwealth leaders on Sunday committed to work on post-2015 development including debt financing and climate change during a conference that was marred by criticism over Sri Lanka's human rights record. The CHOGM was preceded by three other conferences. The Commonwealth People's Forum and Youth Forum were successfully completed this week, with Sri Lanka agreeing to host a secretariat to represent 1.2 billion young people who are part of the more..

Nov 17 (CG) The main opposition UNP says it opposes any attempt by foreign governments to interfere in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said that the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country deserve the respect of the entire nation including the opposition. Speaking at a function in Panadura today, Premadasa said that the country is looking at the reaction of the UNP to attempts by foreign governments to interfere in Sri Lanka. more..

Nov 17 (AD) Rejecting demands for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes during the final stages of the war, President Rajapaksa today stated that the process to achieve reconciliation and address other issues in Sri Lanka has already commenced and that it is “unfair” dictate a time limit for it. British PM David Cameron on Saturday gave Sri Lanka a March deadline for showing progress on postwar reconciliation, more..

Nov 18 (SL) Only 40% of those in academic service in the universities in Sri Lanka have PhD qualifications. As academic staff with PhDs has a direct impact on the quality of the graduates, the World Bank funded Higher Education for the 21st Century Project under the Ministry of Higher Education granted 200 scholarships for MPhil/PhD training for academic staff of universities in 2011. According to the Minister of Higher Education, this was “the largest number of scholarships more..

Nov 18 (SL) Sri Lanka rugby so secured no. 3 rank in the Asian Sevens hierarchy, a standing they’ll hold till next year’s HSBC Asian Sevens Series. By any reckoning the achievement is admirable – and epochal. It lifts spirits and swells pride to know we’re the continent’s third best rugby nation, superseding the likes of South Korea and Chinese-Taipei, countries we once lagged behind. Now we trail only Japan and Hong Kong, both of which aren’t, strictly-speaking, authentic Asian teams, more..

Nov 18 (SO) The Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF), the largest ever representation of grassroots level civil society organisations among Commonwealth nations gathered at the Chaaya Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa after a glittering inauguration ceremony at the historic Galle Fort. They ended their five-day deliberations from November 10 to 14, on a positive note, arriving at key recommendations to be made to the CHOGM. more..

Nov 18 (CT) The history of the CHOGM is not all that illustrious. Its march towards the modern day political theatre has been lacklustre and devoid of the glare and glitter of some similar events such as the Non-Aligned Conference. The verbose and thundering pontifications by the once-colonized countries and their charismatic leaders were more visible, perceptible and vocal on the Non-Aligned platform. The Non-Aligned countries launched themselves into the international arena in more..

Nov 18 (FT) The country’s leading private sector grouping Ceylon Chamber of Commerce yesterday hailed the successful conclusion of the CHOGM and the Commonwealth Business Forum. The Chamber also congratulated President Rajapakse for assuming responsibility as the Chairperson-in-Office of the Commonwealth Nations. “The position as the Chair will no doubt have a positive impact in leveraging Sri Lanka’s future benefiting its people,” the Chamber said in a statement. more..

Nov 18 (SL) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says that he is not aware as to what would happen to the super luxury vehicles imported for visiting Heads of Govt but adds the other vehicles that were imported for the use of the spouses and other visiting CHOGM officials would be given to ministries, departments and corporations as the Finance Ministry did not allow to import vehicles for the past one year. more..

Nov 18 (ST) The hosting of CHOGM in Sri Lanka has generated high expectations. This is especially so as it was held after the end of a most brutal civil war. Host countries of such events boast of multiple benefits from holding such extravagant events, but expectations of substantial economic benefits from them are unrealistic. CHOGM was expected to showcase the country’s achievements after four and a half years of peace. The impressive reconstruction, restoration and return to normalcy more..

Nov 18 (ST) As Lanka stands indicted before the international court of inquisition, focus your gaze on one glaring example of the blatant double standards adopted by the ‘bleeding heart’ sympathisers and sponsors of terrorism. A great deal of hue and cry was raised, without an iota of proof, by our accusers that when Tamil terrorists, facing abject defeat, surrendered in the heat of battle to Govt Forces during the last days of the war, they were allegedly shot. The outcry still persists. more..

Nov 18 (CT) Adding yet another twist to the drama and the controversy surrounding casinos operating in Sri Lanka, three UNP MPs, including economist, Dr. Harsha de Silva, lodged a complaint (No. CIB I 39/23) last week alleging that casino giant James Packer is in Sri Lanka to engage in an illegal gaming business. Dr. Harsha de Silva said they had lodged a complaint, requesting the IGP, N.K. Ilangakoon, to take action to prevent Packer more..

Nov 18 (CT) If Lanka’s Tamils and Sinhalese are slaughtering each other like pathological morons don’t blame the genes. All the research material I could lay hands on supports the view that Sinhala-Tamil genetic mixing is large. I chased web-accessible research material and found that though there are differences, the degree of admixture was always described as large. Nowhere could I find the opposite view that admixture is small canvassed. One startling discovery was more..

Nov 18 (CT) The case of Kosovo in the (former) Yugo- slavia illustrates the absurdity of, and the violent passions engendered by, attempts to project backwards the ethnic composition prevalent at a given time. The Albanians were one of the area’s older indigenous groups. Slavs from the north did not expand into the region until the 9th century AD. Serbs, a Slav group, did not become significant there until the late 12th century when the Serbian state extended south-wards from its base more..

Nov 18 (Island) The GDP recorded a 7.8% growth in the third quarter this year as against the same quarter last year, supported by 7% growth in Agriculture, 8.1% growth in Industry and 7.9% growth in services, while head line inflation has eased to 5.8% in the quarter compared to 8.2% last year. Share of the 3 major sectors, Agriculture, Industry and Services to the GDP reported as usual at 11.1%, 29.9% and 59.0% respectively. more..

Nov 18 (Island) It is a pleasure to highlight the exemplary conduct of the newly-elected NPC on the occasion of the visit of David Cameron to the North, as reported in the media. Cameron had built up a publicity blitz for the visit beginning with a conference with the Tamil Diaspora at home, followed by his declaration on the way in India, threatening to raise Cain about human rights violations in Sri Lanka. He upstaged his much-publicized visit to the North over the main more..

Nov 18 (Island) CHOGM is over—thankfully. Everything went as planned, the piece de resistance being its stunning opening ceremony. Sri Lanka has proved that it is safe for one and all. Prince Charles must have seen, more than any other foreign dignitary, the huge improvement in security situation. In 1998, he was here for the 50th anniversary of Independence in the aftermath of a massive terror strike. But, the Commonwealth leaders who gathered here the other day more..

Nov 18 (CT) Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, said not many civilians were killed in the war although LTTE propagandists tried to exaggerate the numbers to defame the Sri Lanka Army and the Govt. Excerpts: Q: When you assumed duty as the Defence Secretary, was there a will to end the war? A: The aim was to build peace. It was the end result and there were two ways to achieve it. more..

Nov 18 (ST) Sri Lankan used car dealers have appealed to the Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera to retain current rules of used car vehicles being two years old instead of further reducing the age of the vehicle. Though there hasn’t been any published report that the government intends to reduce the age of used vehicle imports to one year, used car dealers have entertained these fears for a long time as the government at one point was considering such a proposal. more..

Nov 18 (CT) Ministry of Public Administration has recently issued a circular determining the minimum entry qualification for the public sector. Accordingly, entry qualification for a labourer is six passes with two credits at the GCE (O/L) Exam, at one sitting. This decision was heavily criticized by Provincial Councillors belonging to both the Opposition and the govt. Although I was scheduled to speak as the last speaker from the govt, the session was abruptly ended due to the lack of a quorum. more..