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News Archive for Jun 2010

Open Letter to UN Secretary-General
Bandula Kothalawala London N7
HE Ban Ki-moon Secretary-General, United Nations New York USA Your Excellency, Newspaper reports indicate that Your Excellency is as determined as ever to go ahead with the Advisory Panel on Sri Lanka. As an ex-patriot Sri Lankan now living in London, UK, I should like to express my deeply-felt disappointment.   At least, one permanent member of the UN Security Council (Russian Federation), in a communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has cast serious doubts on the propriety of your action. In addition, non-aligned nations have expressed their displeasure. Apparently, nothing seems... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

A response to Dayan Jayathilake
Herold Leelawardena
You said in your write up to Transcurrents.com; “The international community which tilted against Tamil separatist terrorism during the war is now showing signs of tilting against the Sri Lankan state in a seeming bid to forestall Sinhala domination over the Tamil people/areas.” Dayan; you mustn’t think we are born again Christians. You know that the so-called International Community (IC) never tilted towards Sri Lankan State. We patriots know that IC had been on a sting operation against Sri Lanka throughout; only you don’t accept it.  When Piripaharan closed the Mavil Aru anicut and paved the way... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Ban-KI-Moon and EU-dragon with two heads
Malin Abeyatunge
International conspiracy launched in 2009 by some Western countries  to molly coddle the LTTE terrorist outfit against Sri Lanka has now created a two headed dragon to strangle and swallow this small island of Sri Lanka. One head belongs to the UN Secretary General (UNSG) and the other head  belongs to the EU. This killer dragon with two heads is attacking  Sri Lanka from all sides. But our small island which has been resilient to all calamities in the past and will fight the killer dragon with tooth and nail to protect its precious sovereignty.  UN Secretary General... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

False reporting by UN and lack of integrity in UN reports- Open Letter
Ben Silva
To  : Mr. Anders Hjertstrand Chief of OIOS Internal Audit Division Geneva Office, UN  Subject:   UNHCR/CORI Report on Sri Lanka Dear Sir, It appears that UN is accepting secondary data without verifying the integrity of data. If decisions are made on data, then the integrity of  the data is vital  and essential for any outcomes based  on that data to be valid. So, it is essential that the data  should be checked for accuracy, authenticity and verified that no bias has been  introduced to the data. Orgs such as HRW and AI and ICG, do not actually... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Statement to Journalists in Oslo - June 27,2010
Ira de Silva London, Canada  
Hon. Erik Solheim Minister for Environment & International Development Government of Norway, Norway.  Dear Sir:  I have just read a news report of your comments regarding the events of May 2009 before the leadership of the LTTE were eliminated. The report states "Norway has once again claimed that the Sri Lankan government was informed of a surrender by senior LTTE cadres during the final stages of the war and that Oslo was in contact with top Tiger leaders Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) and S. Pullithevan on the matter."  Sri Lankans have no doubt that you... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Winning War Against Terror, Human rights violations and War Crimes
Warna Hettiarachchi Brampton
Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the UN Ms. Navi Pillay, Hign Commissioner of Human Rights – The UN Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, Special representative of the UN SG for Children in Armed Conflict CC. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse Mr. G.L. Pieris Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia Mr. Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister of People’s Republic of China Ms. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State – the United States Mr. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada June 26th 2010  Winning War Against Terror, Human rights violations and War Crimes Mr. Moon and All, You... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Australian PM's athiest stand
Listen:Windows Media As a child, she was a Baptist, now she's an avowed atheist. Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week completed the image of a thoroughly modern Australian leader by telling the nation she doesn't believe in God. Some media eyebrows were raised .. and mention was made of the tradition of church going by Australian Prime Ministers. But does it really matter to Australians and is there really a tradition of good Christian adherents filling Australia's top political job?... -Full Story- (radioaustralia.net.au - 30/06/10)

Sri Lanka sets out budget aimed at cutting deficit
Sri Lanka's government has unveiled its first budget since being re-elected, aimed at reining in the public deficit. But it plans to maintain high defence spending following the island's 26-year civil war with Tamil Tiger separatists. Sri Lanka is under pressure to balance its books from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which approved a $2.6bn (£1.8bn) bail-out last year.... -Full Story- (BBC - 30/06/10)

Ukraine, Sri Lanka to cooperate in tourism and military engineering
Ukraine and Sri Lanka will cooperate in the sphere of tourism and military engineering. Respective agreements were signed in Kyiv on Wednesday after a meeting between Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa. "During the talks held between the Ukrainian and Sri Lankan sides, we have reached agreement on the need to continue expanding our cooperation in trade, tourism and defense," the Sri Lankan president said at a press conference after the negotiations.... -Full Story- (kyivpost.com - 30/06/10)

Yanukovych hopes Ukraine, Sri Lanka will soon sign investment promotion and protection agreement
Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said he hopes that Ukraine and Sri Lanka will soon sign an agreement on the promotion and protection of investments, as well as other bilateral economic agreements. "I hope that in the near future the sides will agree and sign an agreement on the promotion and mutual protection of investments," he said at a business forum in Kyiv on Wednesday on the occasion of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's visit to Ukraine.... -Full Story- (kyivpost.com - 30/06/10)

Ukraine, Sri Lanka agree on cooperation within United Nations
Ukraine and Sri Lanka have agreed on cooperation within the United Nations and other international forums. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych said this at a joint press conference with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kyiv on Wednesday following a bilateral meeting. "We confirmed our mutual interest in uniting our efforts to strengthen the multilateral system of tackling new global challenges and threats, among which, first of all, there's a threat of terrorism," he said.... -Full Story- (kyivpost.com - 30/06/10)

Ukraine to take part in exploration for oil in Sri Lanka
Ukraine will take part in exploration for oil in Sri Lanka. This agreement was reached during a meeting of Presidents of Ukraine Victor Yanukovych and President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kyiv on Wednesday. "We have agreed that the Ukrainian side will support our proposals to explore for oil in our land," said Rajapaksa said at a joint press conference with Yanukovych.... -Full Story- (kyivpost.com - 30/06/10)

Yanukovych: Ukraine ready to offer Sri Lanka various forms of cooperation
Ukraine is ready to offer Sri Lanka various forms of cooperation primarily in trade and economic sector, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said. Yanukovych announced this on Wednesday during a meeting with President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is on a visit to Ukraine, the press service of the Ukrainian head of state reported.... -Full Story- (kyivpost.com - 30/06/10)

Australian regime change hits a rough patch
Ajit Randeniya
The world outside Australia probably failed to notice one of the most significant political events, an Australian regime change: for the first time in Australian history, an elected prime minister was ousted during the first term of his government. The unprecedented ousting followed an intensive twelve hour coup orchestrated by groups outside the parliament, with inside help from certain parliamentarians. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was 'replaced' with his former deputy, a woman named Julia Gillard. Quite apart from the historical significance of the event, the coup was also remarkable due to the wide gap between the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Eric Solheim says he called the Tamil Tigers to surrender. What!
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent. Gloucester. Ontario. K1J 6G1. Canada
29 November 2010 Hon.Erik Solheim Norwegian Environment & International Development Minister Government of Norway Oslo, Norway Hei! Erik: “Surrender would have saved thousands of live” you had said during the Sunday Times interview.  “We called upon the LTTE to come to an organized stop (or surrender). If it had happened, thousands of lives would have saved.  The war would have ended under the supervision of the UN., the United States, India, or someone else.  However, the LTTE rejected that call”, you said. Well, well…well, Erik, you are one hellava... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist--37, THUGS VANDALISE VEHICLE IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
By Shelton A. Gunaratne © 2010
As my Fullerton Year (1983) was rapidly coming to a close, I realized that we—Junius, Yoke-Sim and I—had not spent much time exploring the multitude of attractions available in downtown Los Angeles even though we had been to numerous nooks and corners of California that many an inveterate native would have missed. The last 20 installments of this series have focused on California. To play “catch up,” I made four additional forays to downtown on three Saturdays (19 Nov., 3 Dec., and 18 Jan.) and a Wednesday (23 Nov.) afternoon.   Thugs ‘Hurt’ Volvo... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Who united with whom in the United Nations by whom to serve whom?(Part 9-B)
Geethanjana Kudaligamage
Rajapakse, regional politics, “Eurocentric Developmentalism” and the western hegemony (Part 9-B)
“European philosophy reduplicates Western foreign policy, where democracy at home is maintained through colonial or neo-colonial oppression abroad” (Emanuel Levinas) Eighteen years ago, the ‘Human Development Report 1992 (35)’ issued by the UNO reveled frightening facts. It says that the wealthiest 20% of global humanity, mainly Western Europe, the United States, and Japan consumes 82% of the world resources; meanwhile, the poorest 60 percent, the historical periphery of the modern world system including Sri Lanka, consumes only 5.8 percent of these resources. The rest of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

WAR & PEACE
Ranjit Wickremeratne
War is an ugly word. When cold war was over new wars started in many parts of the world by different groups with different ideologise. Those days they waged wars to conquer another country but now it's different Its holy wars between Chirsitians and Muslims or wage wars to have separate lands by different ethnic groups in their own homelands. We sufffered thirty long years beacuse of war.We lost thousands of our citizens and lost millions of rupees because of war.World powers jointly fighting wars with Muslim fanatics losing many of their valuable citizens daily in many... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 30/06/10)

Sri Lanka expects budget deficit at 8 per cent this year
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s 2010 budget forecasts a deficit of 8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), down from 9.9 per cent last year but still above a target agreed with the IMF, a copy of the document released on Tuesday showed. Revenue was forecast at 841 billion rupees in the budget, Sri Lanka’s first since the end of a quarter-century war with the Tamil Tiger separatists last year. Total expenditure was estimated at 1.28 trillion Sri Lanka rupees ($11.27 billion).... -Full Story- (gulftoday.ae - 29/06/10)

Sri Lanka denies deal with 'rump Tamil Tigers'
By Charles Haviland
Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has denied reports that the government is forming an "alliance" with the "rump" of the Tamil Tigers. The rebels, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), were defeated by the army last year after more than two decades of war.... -Full Story-
(BBC - 29/06/10)

Lanka gets IMF loan
COLOMBO: The International Monetary Fund will pay out the delayed third tranche of a $2.6 billion loan to Sri Lanka, saying the government was planning to tackle its weak finances in the 2010 budget to be announced on Tuesday. The IMF in February had delayed the payment after the government missed its 2009 deficit reduction targets and said that domestic budget borrowing -consistent with a deficit target of 7 per cent of gross domestic product -was exceeded by a substantial amount. “Despite the weaker-than-programmed 2009 fiscal performance, the government’s 2010 budget proposal, if carried out, would significantly address past fiscal... -Full Story- (gulftoday.ae - 29/06/10)

Lanka denies deal with ‘rump Tamil Tigers’
Bbc Online
Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has denied reports that the government is forming an "alliance" with the "rump" of the Tamil Tigers. The rebels, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), were defeated by the army last year after more than two decades of war. Rajapaksa told the BBC that he had recently met a group of "pro-LTTE" diaspora Tamils in Sri Lanka. He said that the talks had passed off successfully. Rajapaksa said that a detained senior LTTE leader had helped to arrange the visit.... -Full Story-
(thedailystar.net - 29/06/10)

The lies & double standards of International Humanitarian Laws
Shenali Waduge
What we face today is One standard international law but Double-standards in its application. We have countries like the US & alliances commit war crimes as a matter of institutional necessity to maintain their imperial role & ensure favorable climates of investments & advance capitalism, we have countries that have supported despots like Suharto, Marcos, Fujimori, Mobutu, Savimbi, Pinochet, we have media of these countries backing their Governments & rationalizing each & every war crime committed, we have foreign policies that claim rights to preemptive use of military power including nuclear power, countries like the US who... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/06/10)

USA Trying to Impose the Kosovo Model in Sri Lanka
- Kumar Moses
USA has “strongly urged” the Sri Lankan government to make use of the “panel”(1). Now that came as a surprise to some; didn’t it?  And how strange that it was appointed just a week after “fact finding missions” by four US top officials. (2) The cat is out the bag! It is no longer a secret who is behind Ban-Ki Moon’s panel. It’s the same old Uncle Sam trying out the same old Kosovo model. What the USA is cooking for Sri Lanka is the same concoction it cooked for Serbia-Kosovo five years ago. It was... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 29/06/10)

THE SINISTER DUO MOON AND EU CANNOT FEED GRASS TO SRI LANKAN LIONS
A.A.M.NIZAM – MATARA
Sri Lankais the only nation, though small, that can be really proud of and claim to have defeated a global and ruthless terrorist outfit militarily and decisively.  This was a gigantic feat that Lilliputized the haughty and tyrannical Americans and the despotic and neo-colonialist EU’s claim of military superiority and sophistication.  The Americans, the whole EU and the Australians are completely bogged down and desperately struggling to establish their superiority and hold sway in Iraq and in Afghanistan, one of the most undeveloped countries in the world, with crushing defeats and continuous loss of life and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

The China Bogey and The Real Threat to India.
Herold Leelawardena
Since the start of the construction of the Hambantota harbour, many a Western analyst paid by the so-called International Community (IC) put forward a China bogey to Indians. Indian analysts too have joined the band wagon later. Not surprisingly, a variety of Tamil diaspora too have coughed up many a punditry warning as well as venomous curses about the Chinese activities in Sri Lanka.  And now, K Venkataramanan of Times of India too has joined the fray. As usual, the President has given him no-nonsense answers. My intention here is to point out something relevant to that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

The 13th Amendment “The Road to EELAM both here and in India.
Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS) 28.6.2010
The 13th amendment is the biggest political blunder ever committed by any government in the political history of this nation. At least it is so in recent history since the Kandyan Convention entered upon between this country and the British Empire on the 2nd of March 1815. Though temporally, the Kandyan Convention marked the complete subjugation of this Island nation to a foreign power since its historical beginning in the 6th century BC. The 13th Amendment on the other hand marked the beginning of a long march towards complete and permanent subjugation to the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

The Way to provide higher education to all at no cost to state while earning billions to the country.
By Ian
It was my intention to discuss a solution to the teacher and facilities shortage in the education system. While postponing that to next week, I like to discuss my thoughts on the proposed private university bill. Many are awaiting the changes to the University Act. I am sure many would say this is the right thing. But are we going to do it right? If done right in my view we can educate all that seek higher education in the future generations at NO COST to the state coffers while earning billions in foreign exchange. Here is... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Simon and Garfunkel -Beyond Music and Rhythm
Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge
Facts can be turned into art if one is artful enough. -Paul Simon  Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are a folk singing duo who made  songs with unique harmonies that filled with meaningful lyrics.  They made most memorable music of all time. Although Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel  were influenced by the Everly Brothers and Bob Dylan within a short period they made  an exclusive identity of their own, hence creating a new identity.  They were the pioneers of the 60s folk movement that influenced people hugely. Their music carried synchronization of voices melodies... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

බුද්ධාගම නොවැටහුනු ආනන්ද සංගාරී අතරමං වීම
චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම
ඉන්දියාවේ ජනාධිපති වරු දෙන්නෙක්ම ලෝකයේ ප්‍රශ්නවලට විසඳුම් බුද්ධාගමෙන් සොයා ගත හැකි යයි කියයි. ඉන්දියාවේ විද්‍යා උපදේශක ලෙස ද සේවය කල අබ්දුල් කලාම් මුස්ලිම්-දෙමළ පසු බිමක් ඈත්තෙකි. ප්‍රතිභා පටිල් හින්දු ආගමේ ය. තරුණ කාලයේ හිපියකු මෙන් හැසුරුනු රොබට් තර්මන් දලයිලාමා ගේ ඈසුරට වැටී බුද්ධාගම උගන්වන මහාචාර්‍ය වරයෙක් විය. ඈමෙරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදයේ ඈති ව්‍යාකූල සමාජ්-ආර්ථික ගැටලු වලට බුද්ධාගමෙන් ලබා ගත හැකි විසඳුම් ඔහු පෙනවා දී ඈත. මෙම බෞද්ධ මාවත මධ්‍යම ප්‍රතිපදාව හරහා වැටී ඈත. ලංකාවේ මහින්ද චින්තනය මඟින් පොත් වල ඈති දේ හෝ කතාවෙන් කියන දේ දැන් ක්‍රියාවට නඟා යම් විශාල ප්‍රතිපලද පෙන්වා දී ඈත. ප්‍රභාකරන් විනාශ කිරීම,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Let us open the English debate
Sunil Vijayapala Australia
Let us open the English debate to weigh out the pros and cons of this English myth and what better forum than this Lankaweb forum of elite Sri Lankans including expats to hammer out this irritating notion once and for all so that our educationists and the Ministers involved in Education get the message, of course an Education we never got right!.  I sometimes wonder whether discussion in these forums serve as platforms to give a direction to our country or not or they rotten to eternity as softcopies sitting on Hard disks.   Recently a Minister... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Remembering an Officer and Gentleman Patriot Parami Kulatunga lost to terror........
Anjalika Silva USA
It was on June 26th four years ago that Sri Lanka saw the brutal killing of yet another valliant officer and gentleman, patriot and a man of value to the country by the hand of the ever destructive phenomenon of "terrorism" that we will never forget.   Those who worked with Parami and knew him often wonder what he would have thought about the outcome and end to the war that devastated our country, our people, our soldiers, our lifestyle and our economy.  The crowing glory to all this is the battle with the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Mr Moon’s questionable sanity
Ben Silva
Attention of Mr Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General, UN It is generally thought that the war against the terrorists in Afghanistan cannot be won and a number of countries are either pulling out their troops or have a time table to pull out of Afghanistan. In the case of Sri Lanka, she actually defeated the deadliest terror group in the world, even after the West and UN attempted to give a life line to the terrorists. The best thing GOSL could have done to Sri Lanka and its people was to completely and decisively wipe out... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Poson in Kuwait on grand scale
Embassy of Sri Lanka Kuwait
A large gathering of Sri Lankans converged on the Embassy premises on 25th June on the occasion of Poson celebrations organized by the Embassy in collaboration with “We are the Sri Lankans” Association in Kuwait.   A notable feature of the occasion was the presence of a large number of Sri Lankans belonging to other religious denominations.       The Embassy compound was turned into a makeshift Dhamma Mandiraya for the occasion decorated with Buddhist flags,  Poson lanterns, a pandol, lights and other attractions depicting “Poson”.  As part of the festivities, a sil campaign was held... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

SPUR Condemns Ban Ki-moons Double Standards
Dr DASARATH JAYASURIYA PRESIDEN SPUR VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
The Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights (SPUR) condemns the ill considered and provocative action of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, to appoint an expert panel to advise him on human rights issues related to Sri Lanka’s mighty struggle during 2009 to liberate its citizens from Tamil Tiger terror. Ban Ki-moon seems to have very little or no influence over many international events of significance taking place around the world. Although his term extends to 2011, a number of important countries including some in the security council have signalled that his... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Battles many want to forget-Some feel focus should be on rebuilding nation
By Mick O'Reilly Deputy, Managing Editor
Colombo: Major Ravana is a small lean man, energetic and friendly. "So you're going to Jaffna," he says. "That's quite a journey. It is safe to travel there but you will need permission from the Ministry of Defence." The major has just returned from a joint officer's training course with the Bangladesh military. His battalion is also stationed in the Jaffna Peninsula, and will be heading up there after several days' leave in his Colombo-area home. He's a career military man, earning his commission 18 years ago. For him, the peace in Sri Lanka... -Full Story-
(gulfnews.com - 28/06/10)

Rajapaksa defiant on war crime probe
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s president vowed to resist international calls to investigate war crimes allegedly committed during the country’s civil war in an interview published on Monday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the Times of India he did not care about damage to the country’s image as a result of resisting pressure from the United Nations and Western countries to submit to an enquiry. “Why should I worry about others?” the president said in an interview in Colombo. “If India and neighbours are good with me, that is enough for me.” Rajapaksa’s government has ignored calls to investigate allegations that thousands of... -Full Story- (gulftoday.ae - 28/06/10)

Sri Lanka May Focus on Narrowing Budget Gap After 26-Year Civil War Ends
By Anusha Ondaatjie
Sri Lanka’s budget will aim to cut the fiscal deficit and provide incentives for investments, Deputy Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama said, as the island nation seeks faster growth after the end of a 26-year civil war. “We are very focused on reducing the budget deficit,” Amunugama said by phone in Colombo yesterday ahead of the budget announcement in Parliament today. “It will be an investor- friendly budget,” he said, without elaborating. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is under pressure to show fiscal restraint after the International Monetary Fund set it as a condition to release the next installment of... -Full Story-
(Bloomberg - 28/06/10)

The panel is about Ban-Ki Moon saving his skin
Ajit Randeniya
The appointment by Ban Ki-Moon of a panel to advice him on the accountability process has justifiably attracted the ire of most Sri Lankans, the Sri Lankan government and some foreign observers. On closer inspection however, the devil does not appear as black as it appears at first blush; it is just a cynical bureaucratic manoeuvre by Ban.  Contrary to the malicious propaganda of Reuters and AFP, the panel has no legal authority, or commission from Ban, to conduct a war crimes investigation; it is simply an administrative manoeuvre by Ban, designed to keep the American Zionist... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

The ICC: Europe’s Guantánamo Bay?The International Criminal Court’s interest in Sri Lanka must be opposed at all levels.
Dr David Hoile
A new 345-page study of the International Criminal Court, ‘The International Criminal Court: Europe’s Guantánamo Bay?’, published by the Africa Research Centre to coincide with the ICC’s first ever review conference (in Kampala, Uganda, 31 May – 8 June 2010), has found the ICC to be manifestly unfit for purpose. The International Criminal Court is shown to be European-driven, Africa-focused and irretrievably flawed. The study demonstrates that the ICC’s claims to international jurisdiction and judicial independence are institutionally flawed and that the Court’s approach has been marred by blatant double-standards and serious judicial irregularities. The Hague-based... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 28/06/10)

Sri Lanka’s Opposition partially accountable for War Crimes probe
Shenali Waduge
It is without a doubt that a country not only needs a good Government it also needs a brave Opposition. Yet, in Sri Lanka we can but wonder what exactly our Opposition espouses to achieve. Gaining a score over the Government should be done intelligently & not to ridicule Sri Lanka’s integrity. We are all aware the manner in which the Opposition ridiculed the military prior to its final onslaught against the LTTE. Parliament was turned into a circus with the Opposition terming Government announced victories as lies & some even going so far as to say... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

UN puts Sri Lanka on the dock for killing "Good Terrorists" - Russia, China, Iran & NAM defends !
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
The UNSG, Ban Ki-Moon has appointed a panel of three to look into alleged war crimes  in Sri Lanka during the last phase of the war. Sri Lanka has outright rejected this as an "unwarranted and unnecessary interference with a sovereign state".   When the Sri Lankan government objected to the appointment of this panel and its role to investigate, the UN Secretary General declared that the panel will look into LTTE  war crimes as well.   The issue here is that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation banned by nearly 30 countries. As terrorists, they are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

THE FIRST STEP TO PEACE
ALI SUKHANVER
Desire for peace is the first step leading to the struggle for peace. The people of Pakistan and India are certainly lucky enough to have this desire in abundance. Although the relationship between the two countries at state-level has never been very much amiable and cordial yet the people have always made sincere efforts to breach these artificially developed distances between the two countries. Last Friday, the same passion for peace gave a new color to the morning at the Wagah border when baton for the XIX Commonwealth Games reached India from Pakistan. Almost 5,000 spectators, officials... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

India, Lanka to set up Buddhist varsity near Sanchi
Press Trust Of India
India and Sri Lanka will jointly set up the first international Buddhist University near Sanchi to boost cultural and educational ties. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the visiting Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the setting up of the university. "After my meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other leaders, we have decided on setting up a Buddhist University in a 65 acre land in the Buddhist Sanchi near Madhya Pradesh capital Bhopal", Chauhan said.... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 27/06/10)

Indian Navy chief in Sri Lanka, to talk defence ties
Sutirtho Patranobis,
In the first such high-profile visit since 2004, Indian navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma arrived in Colombo on Sunday for five-day official tour. A guided missile destroyer of the Indian navy, INS Delhi, one of the largest warships built in India, also reached Colombo port. The last visit of an Indian navy chief was in September 2004 when Admiral Arun Prakash had come to Sri Lanka. Verma would be meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa besides being the chief guest at the Commissioning Parade of the new batch of Sri Lanka Navy Officers at the Naval and Maritime Academy in... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 27/06/10)

India needn't fear China's role in Lanka: Rajapaksa
K Venkataramanan, TNN,
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa has sought to allay Indian concerns about the growing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka, saying India's role in the island was a permanent feature, unlike other players whose engagement was limited to commercial projects they execute. "The Chinese will come to Sri Lanka, build some projects and go, but the Indians will come here, they will build and they will stay. This is the difference in our relations with China and India," Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa told The Times of India in a two-hour long interview at his 'Temple... -Full Story-
(Times of India - 27/06/10)

Lakshman Seneviratne, Secretary General of the UNP, blasts Ranil Wickremesinghe
H. L. D. Mahindapala:
The leadership struggle within the UNP is sharpening with more members urging the Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe to quit as he cannot lead the party to victory. The latest attack comes from the Deputy Secretary General , Lakshman Seneviratne, who had replied to Wickremesinghe’s letter published in the Sunday Times (20/6/2009). In this article Wickremesinghe argued that the party should stick to the rule of not electing the leading by popular vote.  This is seen as a move to retain his position without going for an election. Political observers say that he will lose if he... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

Ban Ki Moon or Diaspora has no moral right to speak behalf of Tamils in Sri Lanka -(Part 9 A)
Geethanjana Kudaligamage
Rajapakse, regional politics, “Eurocentric Developmentalism” and the western hegemony  The western attack against Sri Lanka is a global effort. It is an attack instigated by the global minority of western countries with the help of some world institutions hijacked by the west like UNO. Therefore, our counter strategy also must be a global one. The rest of the world, although they are less powerful in the global south, they are the majority of the world. Actually in other words, ‘we are the world’. Why whole world must be hegemonized by a minority in the west? The world... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

The 15 EU conditions: 'Erode authority of the Govt. of Sri Lanka ' - Ministry of External Affairs
The Ministry of External Affairs, Sri Lanka
Here are the 15 conditions spelt out by the European Commission for renewal of GSP+ and followed by response from the Ministry of External Affairs, Sri Lanka : 1. Reduction of the number of derogations to the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). 2. Take steps to ensure that the key objective of the 17th Amendment to Constitution, namely to provide for independent impartial appointments to key public positions, is fully safeguarded, including through Constitutional Council which adequately reflect the interest of all political, ethic and religious groups and minorities... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—36-LATINOS REPLACE BLACKS AS WATTS’ MAJORITY BUT IT REMAINS ONE OF L.A’S POOREST AREAS
By Shelton A. Gunaratne ©2010
 The Watts Riots of 1965 were fresh in my memory when I first visited Los Angeles in December 1966 as a World Press Institute fellow. The WPI journalists visited the home of author Budd Schulberg (1914-2009) in Beverly Hills (1666 Beverly Drive) for a conversation with the man who wrote the 1941 novel “What makes Sammy run?” and other literary works; and was also instrumental in forming the Watts Writers Workshop intended as an artistic outlet for promising black youth who were frustrated because of alleged “police brutality.” The five days of Watts Riots... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය දේශප්‍රේමීන්ට ආයාචනයක්!
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිත‍ගේ විසිනි.
එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මහා ලේකම් මෙරට සිදුවූවායයි කියන යුධ අපරාධ සෙවීම සම්බන්ධව කමිටුවුවක් පිහිටුවා ඇත. ඒ හරහා මේ රටෙහි සිටින හා විදේශගතව සිටින ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය දේශප්‍රේමීන්ට මහා කාර්යභාරයකට උරදීමට නැවතත් අවස්ථාව උදාවී ඇත. ශ්‍රී ලාංකීය දේශප්‍රේමියාගේ ශක්තිය සම්බන්ධව කථා කල හැකි දෑ කොතෙක්දැයි කිව නොහැක. 1977 පසු මෙරට වූ කොටි ත්‍රස්තවාදයට හොද දඩබිමක් එම රජයන් විසින් සූදානම් කරදුන් අතර, එම දඩබිමෙහි කොටියා හිතූ හිතූ සේ පිනුම් ගැසූහ. මෙම තත්වය අඛණ්ඩව 2005 වසර දක්වාම පැවතිණ. මෙම කාලය තුලදී සමහර රජයන් සැබැ ලෙසම නොදැන කොටියාට උදව් කල අතර, සමහර රජයන් දැන දැනම කොටියාට උදව් කලහ. මෙරට  පාලනය කල රජයන්... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

SECRETARY GENERAL CAN BE BOUGHT OVER -MOON IS NOT EXEMPTED
By Stanley Perera from Melbourne
Past records of the UNO’s Secretary Generals have proven without any reasonable doubt that they were bought over by the all mighty and powerful nations.  They were all appointed to act as the agents of the west and most importantly the USA. After Dag Hammershall’s mysterious accidental death U Than became the UNO’s General Secretary who after retiring made some scathing attack on USA for not being able to act independently without any interferences by the USA. Kurt Waldheim was protected by the west on the allegations of war crimes.  On his retirement he... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

UN Bullying Sri Lanka for defeating a ruthless terrorist outfit, LTTE
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
The three member UN Panel have been refused visas by Sri Lanka as the government had already appointed a panel, 'Lessons to be learnt commission', to look into the post-ethnic reconciliation. In the same manner, Israel as well has appointed their own commission to look into the 'Flotilla Crisis' for which the UN and US had no objections. For Israel, US comment was, "We will go with any commission provided Israel agrees with it". But with regard to Sri Lanka, US says, "Sri Lanka should take advantage of the initiative by the UN". The question is why dual standards for... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

UN Chief Appoints Expert Panel
Ira de Silva London, Canada
Hon. Ban ki Moon U.N. Secretary General United Nations New York, N.Y. U.S.A.   Dear Sir:    It was with disgust that I read the news of your action to appoint a panel to advise you regarding the alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law by Sri Lanka in the last stages of the war against the terrorist forces of the LTTE. It is an action which has been taken violating the rights and sovereignty of a member state of the UN. The whole world knows it is illegal, biased and at the instigation of the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 27/06/10)

Is Ban Key Moon an unofficial member of that club called IC? Or is he a puppet of the IC?
Herold Leelawardena
Those that accuse Sri Lanka for 'war crimes' are the members of a club called the 'International Community' (IC). They have two sets of rules to classify terrorism. Killers that follow their fancy are 'freedom fighter terrorists' and killers that are against them and destroy their assets are ‘real terrorists’. In short, IC is a double standard entity. LTTE was the pioneer suicide bomber among all terrorists. It is a LTTE woman that had blasted Rajeev Gandhi to pieces with a bomb hidden in her bosom. Many such LTTE women that had simulated pregnancy with bombs... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

When ignorance is Moon
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake Courtesy The Island  25-06-2010
"He must be over the moon, don’t you think?" "What moon are you talking about? All I know is it’s Poson Full Moon here today, and that’s a big event." "I mean Ban Ki-moon; the Big Moon in New York. Don’t you think he must be over the moon by now?" "How can moon be over the moon? It seems he is more moonstruck than over it." Moonstruck or not, he has got his Committee of Experts to advice him, so he must be doing the Korean equivalent of a tango, possibly with... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

Wasalatantirige Hector Perera
Garvin Karunaratne Former Government Agent, Matara District.
Wasalatantirige Hector Perera, a true patriot who was instrumental in establishing the Tyre Factory is no more. He passed away from us at the beginning of June and I was sad not to be at his funeral. It was he as the Chief Chemist of the Rubber Research Institute that was sent to Russia to familiarize himself with the Tyre factory mechanism and to guide the Tyre Factory to success. Because of his foray into the field of Law in his mid years many do not know of the contribution he made... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

Concerning UN Secretary General’s Decision to Appoint a UN Panel of Experts for Sri Lanka
PRESS RELEASE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Moscow has taken note of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s decision to appoint a UN panel of experts to investigate war crimes during the period of the campaign against the Tamil Tigers. As follows from UN sources, this panel is not a fact finding or investigation mechanism, but is designed solely to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. In doing so, the UN Secretary-General as chief administrative officer of the United Nations should apparently have asked the opinion... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

Presumptuous and preposterous
Opinion - Insight -B.S. RAGHAVAN , Courtesy Business Line from THE HINDU group of publications
In a move reeking of the foul odour of cynicism and double standards, the UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon has, on June 22, as per a notification posted on the UN Web site, announced the appointment of a so-called advisory panel of three so-called experts “to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka that ended last year”. The experts will examine “the modalities, applicable international standards and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

Never Give into External Pressure
Sunil Vijayapala Australia
One can boldly state that two races were hell bent to destroy Sri Lanka from ancient times and continue to the present.  The Dravidians during ancient times on one hand making a hell for our Kings to survive in North and were pushed Southward due to constant invasions and plunder and the Anglo Saxons, on the other hand from the 19th Century onwards destroying our environment and plunder and exploitation of our way of living and culture.  Mahinda and his government should take a firm stand now and never bow down to external pressure, like Burma, although... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

Request for Urgent Investigation and Action on the UNHCR/CORI Report on Sri Lanka
SPUR (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc)
SPUR  (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc) Reg: A003 0777 M P.O. Box 4066, Mulgrave VIC 3170, Australia Phone: (+613)   9795 7143       Fax:  (+613) 9795 7142  25 June 2010                       CONFIDENTIAL  To  : Mr. Anders Hjertstrand Chief of OIOS Internal Audit Division Geneva Office  cc  : Ms. Rachel Roy  Senior Auditor  UNHCR Audit Service  Geneva  Date    : 18 May 2010  Subject : Request for Urgent Investigation and Action on the UNHCR/CORI Report on Sri Lanka  We would like to kindly request you to investigate... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 25/06/10)

The “Selective” application of international laws
Shenali Waduge
Most thought that with the formation of the UN world peace would prevail & international laws that were supposed to apply equally to all nations would ensure a country whether big or small, powerful or not would be given the same justice, the same voice & the same hearing. We all are aware that the expectations do not match the actualities & in this context we examine the situation facing Sri Lanka.  If there were two distinct World Wars today we have scores of movements to separate, armed groups who are protected as “freedom fighters” while others... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

ALLEGED PERSECUTION OF SRI LANKA
Dr Anura Weereratne PhD Laws University of Canberra Barrister Australia
We read that the Tamil terrorist lobbies in the West have succeeded: Getting the UN to attempt an inquiry about alleged abuses of human rights during the war; EU to suspend preferential tariff for Sri Lankan exports.  HUMAN RIGHTS INQUIRY No self respecting Government will agree to any inquiry that is tainted ab initio by signs of persecution by the West to satisfy the requests of the Tamil  Terrorist Diaspora.  It is transparent that these terrorists groups have used their illegally obtained  drug money to influence this... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

උපසේන දමනය නොහොත් බෑන් කී මූන් ව කොට උඩ යැවීම
චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම
බෑන් කී මූන් යනු 1899 දී සිට කතාවට ලක්වූ වයිට් මෑන්ස් බර්ඩන් එක 2010 දී කරට ගත් ලෝක පඹයා ය. දැන් කාලයේ සුදු අධිරාජ්‍යවාදී මිනිසාගේ පිටි පස්ස ඉඹීමට සූදානම් ක්‍රිස්තියානි කෙනෙකුට මිස යූ.එන්.ඕ. මහ ලේකම් වීමට ඉඩක් ඈමෙරිකාවෙන්, ප්‍රංශයෙන්, එංගලන්තයෙන් දෙන්නේ නැත (යූ තාන්ට් හා බුට්‍රොස් බුට්‍රොස් සාලි ට හරියට රක්‍ෂාව කරගෙන යෑමට සුදු රටවල් ඉඩ දුන්නේ ). බෑන් මූන් මෙය අකුරටම කරන්නේ නැතත් බොහෝ දුරට කරගෙන යයි. ඔහු දැන් සිතන්නේ ස්වර්ග ලෝකය ගැන නොව දෙවන වාරයට ද රක්‍ෂාව රැක බලා ගැනීම ගැනය.     1500 සිටම වයිට් මෑන් කලේ යුද්ධ බලය පෙන්වමින් හා යටත් විජිත වල මිනිසුන්ට... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

Sri Lanka rules out visas for UN Panel
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon had set up a 3 member panel to investigate alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka during the last phase of the war.   The UN decision is based on maliciously manipulated evidence by LTTE backers, Human Rights monitors, Peace Activists and certain countries which tried to save the LTTE leadership on the final stage of the war.   Towards the end, the attempt made by the government was to rescue nearly 300,000 civilians held as a human shield by the LTTE. According to Brussels - based International Crisis Group, the government encouraged... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

Sri Lanka rejects 'insulting' EU trade conditions
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka Thursday trashed "insulting" EU demands that it make a written undertaking to improve its human rights record in exchange for trade benefits. Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said Colombo also rejected a July 1 deadline issued by the European Union to agree to a host of other conditions to qualify for preferential trade tariffs. "These conditions are unacceptable. They are an insult to every citizen of this country," Rambukwella told reporters in Colombo. "We must put the EU demand in the dustbin."... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 24/06/10)

UN Panel Set Up 'Under Pro-LTTE Pressure': Sri Lanka
Betwa Sharma/United Nations | Jun 24, 2010
Sri Lanka today slammed the setting up of a three-member panel by the UN chief to advise him on alleged human rights abuses in the country, saying the world body was under a lot of pressure by pro-LTTE groups. "It shows how inconsiderate they are," Bandula Jayasekara, Charge d'Affaires at the Sri Lankan mission to the UN, told PTI. "The foreign minister told them on his visit that the panel would be unhelpful. They do not know the situation on the ground,” the diplomat underlined. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday... -Full Story-
(news.outlookindia.com - 24/06/10)

Lanka accuses UN of hidden agenda
Colombo: Sri Lanka accused the United Nations yesterday of a “hidden agenda” behind its plans to investigate alleged human rights abuses by soldiers in the final months of the island’s savage civil war. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s appointment of a panel to advise on any violations of international human rights was “an attempt to provide oxygen” to the defeated Tamil Tigers, government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. Sri Lankan troops finally wiped out the separatist guerrillas in May last year after decades of ethnic bloodshed, and the government has denied repeated allegations that thousands of civilians were killed in the fighting.... -Full Story- (thepeninsulaqatar.com - 24/06/10)

Maxim Gorky – The Man who Believed in Social Justice
Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge
 When work is a pleasure, life is a joy! When work is a duty, life is slavery.-Maxim Gorky Maxim Gorky was a self-learned author, who had undying curiosity to explore the society and discover its hidden realties. His writings remarkably showed Gorky's interest in social reform. He had an outstanding ability on literature despite the interrupted education that he received. Gorky learnt from the society. It was his University the institution of higher education where he gathered an immense knowledge. Orphaned at the age of 11, Gorky experienced the hardships of life. He did a number... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

Sri Lanka says UN panel 'will not be allowed' to enter
The Sri Lankan foreign minister has said that a UN panel on human rights will not be allowed into the country. Continue reading the main story The position of the Sri Lanka government is abundantly clear - we will not have them in this country GL Peiris GL Peiris said that there was "no need" for the panel to come to the country and they would not be allowed in. The UN secretary general announced earlier this week that the panel will look into alleged human rights abuses. The UN has described the move to prevent the panel from entering... -Full Story- (BBC - 24/06/10)

EU trade offer under fire from Colombo government
Sri Lanka poured scorn on an EU trade deal on Thursday which Brussels had offered in return for a slew of political reforms including the release of suspects held under anti-terrorism laws. The EU told the Colombo government it must accept 15 conditions on domestic security policy by July 1 before it would consider renewing the trade benefits. But External Affairs Minister Gamini Peiris said Sri Lanka would not agree to the 15 conditions, which would involve fundamental changes to the constitution and "drastic" amendments to the country's laws. He claimed such actions would infringe on the country's sovereignty and... -Full Story- (morningstaronline.co.uk - 24/06/10)

Lanka to refuse entry to UN human rights panel
COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government Thursday declared that it would refuse visas for UN panel members appointed to investigate alleged human rights abuses during the civil war against Tamil rebels. "We will not allow them to enter Sri Lanka," External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris told a news conference. The three-member panel was appointed to look into the allegations of human rights abuses by both sides during the last months of the 26-year conflict last year. Its members have so far made no request to visit Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 24/06/10)

Sri Lanka rejects EU offer
B. Muralidhar Reddy
COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government on Thursday rejected the conditional offer made by the European Union (EU) for extension of GSP+ tariff concessions for a limited period and said that the conditions imposed by the EU amounted to interference into the internal affairs of the island nation. Addressing a news conference here, Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris maintained that 15 conditions imposed by the EU on GSP+ tariff concessions amounting to $150 million undermined the sovereignty of Sri Lanka and were not acceptable.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 24/06/10)

In Sri Lanka, war victor may be a loser
NEVILLE DE SILVA Courtesy NEWSTRAIGHT TIMES
SRI Lanka has entered the world record books in spheres that range from politics to sport. It produced the world's first woman prime minister and the highest wicket-taker in international cricket. Now a small section of the international community wants to impose an unusual record on the island nation. For the first time since World War 2, the victor in war is to be chastised for alleged war crimes and other offences. A year ago, Sri Lanka militarily defeated the Tamil separatist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, arguably the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 24/06/10)

United Nations: Advisory panel named on Sri Lanka war
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 Canada
June 23, 2010 The Editor (Letters)  THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon announcing the formation of a three-member panel to advice on whether crimes were committed in Sri Lanka in the final months of its 27 year war with the Tamil Tiger terrorists, doesn’t spell calm nor respect for the UN in Sri Lanka. UN’s relevancy in matters dealing with Sri Lanka’s war with the Tamil Tigers is now in question when the UN had no influence on the Tamil terrorists for 27 years when... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Lankan visa unlikely for UN probe panel
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Sri Lanka has lashed out at the United Nations secretary general’s rare decision to appoint a three-member panel to look into alleged war crimes committed in Sri Lanka as the 26-year-old civil unrest came to an end in May last year. On Tuesday, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon appointed Indonesia’s Marzuki Darusman, South African Yasmin Sooka and Steven Ratner from the US to “advise him on the issue of accountability with regard to any alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka.’’ The reaction from... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 23/06/10)

Prof. Philip Alston: you comment to the Mirror
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
June 22, 2010 Prof. Philip Alston   UN Special  Rapporteur  NYC, NY. Dear Philip: No sooner I read this comment of yours in the Mirror: “It is also interesting to contrast the Government’s insistence in the UN Human Rights Council that it should be left entirely alone to conduct its own inquiry, with its strong support for an international investigation into Israel’s killing of nine people in the raid on the Gaza flotilla carrying humanitarian aid.  Sri Lanka apparently feels so strongly that international measures are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

UN Expert Panel on Sri Lanka: Unwarranted, unnecessary
Courtesy The Daily News
The Sri Lanka Government strongly opposes the appointment by the United Nations Secretary General, of the Sri Lanka - Panel of Experts as announced by his Spokesperson in New York on June 22, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement yesterday. The release added: “Sri Lanka was ravaged by the scourge of terrorism for over 30 years. The people of Sri Lanka have, during this period, suffered violence and terror of unimaginable proportions, unleashed on them by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world. “After a long... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Alleged Hicorp fraud: General Fonseka made third suspect
Sarath MALALASEKERA Courtesy Daily News
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probing the alleged fraud committed by Hicorp (Pvt) Limited told Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Lanka Jayaratne yesterday that CID investigations had revealed about the General Sarath Fonseka’s involvement in the case. Senior State Counsel Damith Totawatte who appeared with the CID for the prosecution said the CID will make General Fonseka the third suspect in the case. The other two suspects are Hicorp (Pvt) Limited Director Wellington Dehoedt and General Fonseka’s son-in-law Danuna Tillekeratne. Senior State Counsel Totawatte said the third suspect General Fonseka will be... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Sri Lanka slams UN over war crimes probe panel
Sri Lanka accused the United Nations yesterday of a “hidden agenda” behind its plans to investigate alleged human rights abuses by soldiers in the final months of the island’s savage civil war. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s appointment of a panel to advise on any violations of international human rights was “an attempt to provide oxygen” to the defeated Tamil Tigers, government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. Sri Lankan troops finally wiped out the separatist guerrillas in May last year after decades of ethnic bloodshed, and the government has denied repeated allegations that thousands of civilians were killed in the fighting. “The... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 23/06/10)

TN politics rides on Tamil
Shekhar Iyer, Hindustan Times
When the Lok Sabha polls were fought a year ago, the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, who were displaced by the 26-year-old ethnic war, was a sticky issue. But it failed to make an emotive impact on voters. Although the plight of the Sri Lankan Tamils remains an issue, the cause of promoting the Tamil language is becoming a subject of competitive politics in Tamil Nadu. With the assembly polls due in May and the Opposition gunning for Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for doing “little” for the cause of Tamil and doing “even littler” for the... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 23/06/10)

U.N. panel unwarranted, says Sri Lanka
B. Muralidhar Reddy
“Potential for exploitation by vested interests” COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Wednesday took serious exception to the appointment of a three-member panel of experts by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to advice him on “accountability issues” relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict between Sri Lankan security forces and the LTTE that ended in May last year.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 23/06/10)

Minding the language, with caution
Ajit Randeniya
The current ‘debate’ in Sri Lanka about the trends in the development of the English language needs analysis at different levels. The government, the education system including the teachers and academics face the task of considering the social and political consequences of moving towards English whereas practitioners in the media and creative arts need to focus on enriching the standards of its local usage simply as a creative pursuit. The purpose here is to provide this writer’s construct of a framework for these purposes.  As to the politics of the English language, it has remained the most... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Pro-Sri Lankan Groups Must Make Submissions to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission
Dilrook Kannangara
The Commission has been appointed and is functional now. It accepts written submissions. It is the duty of all pro-Sri Lankan groups around the world to make factual submissions to the Commission to identify real root causes of violence, war and destruction relating the period under review. As per the warrant, the Commission shall report on the following matters that may have taken place during the period between 21st February 2002 and 19th May 2009, namely; i. the facts and circumstances which led to the failure of the ceasefire agreement operationalized on 21st February... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Stockwell Day
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 Canada
June 22, 2010  The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN  Sir:  Your critique of Stockwell Day, The light of Day,  was on target.  This Canadian politician commanded respect and millions of "Thank You's" from the citizens in Sri Lanka for being the architect to ban the Tamil Tigers two months into the Conservatives getting elected in 2006, after seeing the Liberals refusing to ban this ruthless terrorist group for 13 years and letting the Tamil Tiger sympathisers stuff the Tamil Tiger war-chest with two million dollars a month... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Towards a meditative mind
Sunil Vijayapala Australia
Do we ever ask ourselves, we never have time for idle chatter or we never have time for watching a cricket match played for days?  But we are too eager to state ‘we never have time for meditation as we are too busy’.  The content of this article applies to anyone who is interested in meditation, irrespective of being a Muslim, Christian, Hindu or Buddhist or belonging to any other creed.  The mind, the swiftest, speediest entity in the universe is far more inclined to indulge on desires to satisfy it’s needs rather than be pinned on  to a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

Buddhism goes to Cuba
PRESS RELEASE  (May 20th & 25, 2010)
At the invitation of the Faculty of Philosophy and History, University of Havana, it was the pleasure and privilege of Prof. Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri, Founder, Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies, Toronto, Canada, and of the Divinity Faculty, Trinity College, University of Toronto, to deliver Four Seminars on Buddhism: Buddhism as Science and Religion Buddhist Social Philosophy Buddhism and Bioethics Buddhism in Canada.   Attended by Faculty, Students and Administration, the Question & Answer period turned out to be most lively. A highlight of the Seminars was the Practice of satipatthana bhavana?Mindfulness-Establishing... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 23/06/10)

EU offers to extend GSP+
B. Muralidhar Reddy
COLOMBO: The European Union (EU) has made a conditional offer to Sri Lanka to extend the GSP+ tariff concessions in garment exports, due to expire on August 15, for a limited additional period. In a statement here, the EU said the European Commission has already informed Colombo of its readiness to maintain GSP+ preferences for a limited additional period, subject to a commitment to undertake a well-defined number of human rights related actions within a six-month timeframe beginning in July.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 22/06/10)

Sri Lanka: Panel to Advise on Human Rights Issues
Press Release: United Nations
Ban Appoints Expert Panel to Advise on Human Rights Issues During Sri Lankan Conflict New York, Jun 22 2010 1:10PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed a panel of experts to advise him on accountability issues relating to alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka that ended last year. The three-member panel will advise Mr. Ban on implementing the commitment on human rights accountability made in the Joint Statement issued by the Secretary-General and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa after the UN chief visited... -Full Story-
(scoop.co.nz - 22/06/10)

Supreme Court upholds ban on 'material support' to foreign terrorist groups
By Robert Barnes Washington Post Staff Writer
The First Amendment does not protect humanitarian groups or others who advise foreign terrorist organizations, even if the support is aimed at legal activities or peaceful settlement of disputes, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. In a case that weighed free speech against national security, the court voted 6 to 3 to uphold a federal law banning "material support" to foreign terrorist organizations. That ban holds, the court said, even when the offerings are not money or weapons but things such as "expert advice or assistance" or "training" intended to instruct in international... -Full Story-
(washingtonpost.com - 22/06/10)

Hard Talk
By Charles.S.Perera
 The man Stephen Sackur, talks loud. He asks a question and before the question is answered he cuts in to ask another question. Thus he leaves the effect of his question in the mind of the listener who has no time to hear the answer.  Watching this comedy of hard talk it becomes quite evident that Sackur does not want to elucidate facts, but impose his prejudiced judgment in the minds of the listener. In such circumstances it becomes a one sided talk show meant to fluster and destabilise the questioned projecting his image as a man... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/06/10)

United Nations Harassment Of Sri Lanka On War Crimes Issue Needs Official Confrontation.
Lankaweb Weekly Editorial
June 20th 2010  Sri Lanka  has every entitlement as reported in the foreign media to be  "deeply unhappy" at a move by UN chief Ban Ki Moon to name a panel to look into alleged war crimes committed during the final months of the island's civil war, where the term alleged with respect accuracy to becomes very significant and no more than a pre-meditated allegation.   As his predecessor Koffi Anan did on many instances, this is a baseless, unjustified and meaningless call based purely upon the hue and cry raised by diaspora Tamils overseas, some within... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/06/10)

EXCUSE ME .. MR.PRESIDENT
Ranjit Wickremeratne
Our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to you, to your government and to our beloved war heros for bringing peace and harmony to our land after thirty long years. Due to prevailing peace around the country people were moving and enjoying the beauty and tranquility of our beautiful land. Suddenly the whole country has woken up like a sun flower and now seems to me that some governments and individuals around the world cannot stand to see us enjoying the peace and freedom which denied us for thirty years because of brutal terrorism. Mr.President we know your love for the country... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/06/10)

The Ocean Lady illegal immigrants were terrorists
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario .Canada
21 June 2010   The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN.   Sir:   'Third of ship's illegal immigrants were terrorists: 'secret' report', you said.   What was amazing was that knowing that these  illegal immigrants who arrived in B.C. on October 16, 2009 on the rusty The Ocean Lady were hardcore Tamil Tiger terrorists and from an outlawed terrorist group in Canada were still released from detention to roam our streets.   What were you thinking Canada?    What is amazing is that Canadian law is virtually making Canada a terrorist... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/06/10)

ඈතුවත් බැරි නැතුවත් බැරි ගෑණු (සරා පේලින්-උපේක්‍ෂා ස්වර්ණමාලී)
චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම
මැරිලින් මොන්‍රෝ: අපි දෙන්නා එක් වුනොත් ඔබේ බුද්ධියත්, මගේ රූපයත් එක්වී ඉතා ලස්සන බුද්ධිමත් දරුවෙක් ලෝකයට බිහිකරන්න පුළුවන් නේ ද?ඈල්බර්ට් අයින්ස්ටයින්: අනේ ඩියර් ඒ වුනාට වැරදිලාවත් ඒ ලමයාට මගේ මූණත්, ඔබේ මොළයත් ආවොත් හරි අකරතැබ්බයක් වෙනවා නේ ද?     මැරිලින් මොන්‍රෝ ට අයින්ස්ටයින් ගැන තිබුණේ බලවත් ප්‍රේමයකි, ආශාවකි. මැරිලින් මෝඩ කාන්තාවක් නොවීය. ඒ කාලයේ ඈමෙරිකාවේ තරුණයින් තම කාමර වල බිත්තියේ මැරිලින්ගේ ආකර්ශමත් පින්තූරයක් අනිවාර්‍යයෙන්ම වාගේ අලවා ගත්තේය. ඈ ගැන නොයෙක් ප්‍රලාප කථා පැතිර ගියේ ද ඈගේ මේ සිත් වසඟ කරවන සුළු රූ සපුව නිසාමය.     ලංකාවේ පබා නම් ටෙලි නාටක යේ නිලිය ගම්පහ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී වීමෙන් පසු... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 22/06/10)

LTTE’s hawala channels drying up
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
The military defeat of the Tamil Tigers has effectively dried up illegal banking channels like the hawala that were used to fund the rebels and their activities, a top Sri Lankan banker has said. The chairman of Bank of Ceylon (BoC) Gamini Wickremasinghe said much of the money that was sent earlier through hawala channels were now being legally remitted to Lanka. Wickremasinghe told the Sunday Times newspaper that since the end of the civil conflict in May, 2009, remittances from the Tamil Diaspora in the UK to Sri Lanka through the BoC was now a... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 21/06/10)

UN Chief to Name Sri Lanka Rights Panel
A U.N. diplomat says Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to name a three-member panel to advise him on alleged human rights violations during the last months of the Sri Lankan civil war. The diplomat spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because the Colombo government had not yet been officially notified. He said the panel will advise Mr. Ban on an accountability process pertaining to Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (www1.voanews.com - 21/06/10)

Notorious Toronto gangster re-emerges as Sri Lankan asylum seeker
By Stewart Bell, National Post
TORONTO -- When a migrant smuggling ship bound for Australia was seized in Indonesian waters last month, a 27-year-old with a thick beard stepped forward to speak for the boat people. He said he was Alex and that the more than 200 asylum seekers aboard the wooden cargo ship were ethnic Tamils fleeing Sri Lanka, but it was the way he said it that stood out: He spoke in a distinctly Canadian accent. In Toronto, police watched the news footage coming out of Indonesia on YouTube and instantly recognized “Alex.” He was Sanjeev... -Full Story-
(vancouversun.com - 21/06/10)

War crimes panel move infuriates Lanka
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is “deeply unhappy” at a move by UN chief Ban Ki-moon to name a panel to look into alleged war crimes committed during the final months of the island’s civil war, an official said on Monday. Colombo repeated a protest that President Mahinda Rajapaksa made to Ban in March, a senior government official who declined to be named said. “The government is deeply unhappy with the appointment of this panel and made it very clear to the secretary-general himself and other UN representatives that this is unwarranted and uncalled for,” the official said.... -Full Story- (gulftoday.ae - 21/06/10)

Minding “our" language: a post-colonial obsession
Ajit Randeniya
Sri Lankan newspapers appear to regularly report worrying reports of urgent needs such as medical supplies to hospitals, and as the recent flash floods sickeningly demonstrated, the re-engineering of the city storm water drainage network needs to be undertaken urgently. Curiously however the Colombo elite, instead of pursuing these vital social needs, appear to be busily engaged in addressing some perceived problems with the ‘Sri Lankan variety’ of English! Now, if memory serves us right, President Rajapakse may have raised the issue sometime last year that all Sri Lankans need to gain proficiency in the English language... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 21/06/10)

Proposed investigation on Sri Lanka by UN officials
Ben Silva
Attention of Mr Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General, UN    What is the most morally corrupt international organization in the world? Without argument, the UN has degenerated into what esteemed journalist Claudia Rosett [10]  refers to as an institution mired in corruption, secrecy, venality and total lack of accountability ref: The UN: Corruption Junction, http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=12430  The corruption, secrecy, venality  and total lack of accountability of UN  is well known  and reported  as given in the references. In addition to the above, UN is also influenced by... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/06/10)

UN-becoming of the UN
Editorial- The Island (Courtesy The Island  21-06-2010)
In 2006, the UN had to overhaul its human rights set-up, abolish the Human Rights Commission and establish the Human Rights Council to ensure, according to its resolution No; 60/251 of April 6, 2006, \'universality, objectivity, and non selectivity in the consideration of human rights issues and the elimination of double standards and politicization’. Going by the whimsical and arbitrary manner in which some key administrators are running the affairs of the UN today, it looks as if the UN had to be abolished and a new organisation founded in its place... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/06/10)

Re-demarcation of provinces in Sri Lanka
by Gamage Palihapitiya, Toronto, Canada
Northern and Eastern provinces have been amalgamated according to the 13th amendment of the Sri Lanka constitution during the JRJ's presidency. This was done hurriedly without consulting other political partied due to threats from India. India pretending to be a spectator on the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka, played a vital role in laying the foundation for a separate state within Sri Lanka. However, this amalgamation has been declared null and void by the Supreme Court during the Chandrika Bandaranayake's presidency. What is important to note is that the denarcation of provicnces was done... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/06/10)

ඔටුන්න හිමි කුමාරයා
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
වර්තමානයේදී විවිධ දේශපාලන පක්ෂ වලින් ඔටුන්න හිමි කුමාරයාගේ භූමිකාවක් සම්බන්ධව කරුණු එලි දකිවමින් සිටී. මෙම විෂය සමාජයේ මිනිස් මනස තුල පවතින, සමාජ සංවර්ධනයට අහිතකර, ඊර්ෂ්‍යාව නම් වූ ප්‍රපංචය ඉස්මතු කරගෙන, එය සිය දේශපාලන වාසිය සදහා යොදවා ගැනීමට මාන බැලීමේ අරමුණින් සිදුවන ක්‍රියාදාමයකි. කුමන පදනමකින් හෝ ඉස්මතුවෙන මෙම කතිතාවත සම්බන්ධව ජනතාව දැනුවත් කිරීම අපි සතු කාර්ය භාරය බැවින්, මෙම මාතෘකාව සම්බන්ධව කථා කරමු. මෙරට ව්‍යාවස්ථාවට අනුව ඒ ඒ සුදුසු තත්වයන් සපුරා ඇති ඕනෑම පුරවැසියකුට මෙරට ජනාධිපතිතුමා බවට පත්වීමට ඇති තරගයට ඉදිරිපත්විය හැක. දල වශයෙන් මේ සදහා ව්‍යාවස්ථාපිත සුදුසුකම් ඇති ජනතාව මිලියන 12ක් පමණ සිටී. ජීවිතයක උපරිම ආයුකාලය... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/06/10)

The Myth of Never Again - June 17,2010
Ira de Silva London, Ontario, Canada
Mr. Kofi A. Anan Past Secretary General of the United Nations France.  Dear Sir:  Reference your Opinion Editorial in the International Herald Tribune of June 17,2010, I was to say the least, surprised to read the following: "The Holocaust remains unique with the most ruthlessly vicious of ends but instances of genocide and large scale merciless brutality have continued to multiply - from Cambodia to the Congo, from Bosnia to Rwanda, from Sri Lanka to Sudan".  I am curious as to why you mention Sri Lanka in this context. I recall that you... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 20/06/10)

wonderful to watch Upeka Swarnamali- Soap Opera Actress, UNP MPfrom Gampaha district talks about 13th and 17thamendments.
Welcome to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 20/06/10)

India should look after its security first before worrying about the activities of the Chinese in Sri Lanka
Express News Service
COLOMBO: Reacting to AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa’s statement that there were spies among the 25,000 Chinese labourers in north Sri Lanka, who gathering intelligence on India, Sri Lankan Cabinet and Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said on Friday there were more Chinese in India than Lanka and that India should look after its security first before worrying about the activities of the Chinese in Sri Lanka.... -Full Story-
(ExpressBuzz - 20/06/10)

Three held with detonators in Tamil Nadu
Three people suspected to be supporters of the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were Sunday arrested with thousands of detonators in Tamil Nadu's Triuchirapalli district, 320 km from Chennai. According to police, 4,900 ordinary detonators and 430 electric detonators were seized from the three men - Siva, Selvam and Tamizh. The trio had stayed in Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Erode without registering themselves as from the island nation, the police said. The arrests comes four days after a member of LTTE was nabbed by the state police.... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 20/06/10)

West betraying Sri Lanka: Lankan PM
COLOMBO: Western countries were "betraying" Sri Lanka by allowing the LTTE's front organisations to function in them, even though the LTTE was banned in these countries, Sri Lankan Prime Minister D M Jayaratne told visiting Japanese Special Envoy Yasushi Akashi on Thursday. The LTTE had plans to establish "virtual states" even in countries where it was officially banned, the Prime Minister said. Sri Lanka therefore felt that the governments of those countries were betraying the island nation, he said. "We have not allowed any group or individual to conspire against any State in the world within the territory of Sri... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 20/06/10)

Lankans protest screening of ‘Raavanan’
A cinema hall planning to screen 'Raavanan' was torched here amidst protests against the film owing to it's star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and director Mani Ratnam's decision to stay away from the IIFA awards held in Sri Lanka. An unidentified group in Eastern Sri Lanka has called on theatre owners in the country to boycott Tamil movies and the bi-lingual film, starring Abhishek Bachchan in the Hindi version and Vikram in Tamil, is the first victim.... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 20/06/10)

Senior Tamil rebel to 'assist' SL govt: report
Agence France-Presse
A senior leader of Sri Lanka's defeated Tamil Tiger rebels has agreed to help the government in its post-war reconstruction efforts, a state-run newspaper reported on Sunday. The Sunday Observer said Selvarasa Pathmanathan, formerly the chief arms smuggler for the rebels, had already been working to convince Tiger sympathisers abroad that the fight for an independent Tamil homeland was over. Government troops defeated the Tamil Tigers in May last year after decades of bloody separatist warfare on the island. "Pathmanathan told The Sunday Observer that several Tiger activists living abroad had now begun to understand the ground realities,"... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 20/06/10)

Sajith -- man of the future
H. L. D. Mahindapala
 The love-hate relationship of UNP with its leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has reached a critical stage with the rise of Sajith Premadasa challenging his leadership head-on. Except  for the brief honeymoon in the early stages his grip on the party has been very shaky. The rise of Sajith Premadasa has made it shakier. Wickremesinghe is now at the end of his tether. He has run out of all his political stunts. He has nowhere to go now except to the backbenches.  If he does not step down, or gets thrown out, the UNP will run... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

The Falacy of ethnicity.
By Charles.S.Perera
 It has been asked whether the Sinhala people knows that the   “ ethnicity is mind made and that it does not exist in reality”.  The Buddhists “know” this as the  whole of the teachings of the Buddha is to  direct them to ultimate reality .  In ultimate reality there is no, I or me, therefore there is no my family,  therefore there is no  our family, therefore there is no our people, therefore there are no Tamils, Sinhala, Muslim or any other, as they are all labels we give  believing the existence of I or me, therefore,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

Your charge of Sri Lanka for a Holocaust
Asoka Weerasinghe   Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
June 19, 2010 Mr. Kofi  A. Annan   (past Secretary-General of the United  Nations) c/o International Herald Tribune France Dear Mr. Annan: I have read with great interest your Opinion Editorial, The Myth of ‘Never Again’ in the International Herald Tribune of June 17, 2010. With my on-going interest in the ‘Holocaust’ I was a bit taken back with your observation:   “The Holocaust remains unique in its combination of sophisticated technical and organizational means with the most ruthlessly vicious ends, but instances of genocide and large-scale, merciless brutality... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—35 ,PALM SPRINGS: THE CITY OF CELEBRITIES KEEPS ITS COOL IN RIVERSIDE COUNTY
By Shelton A. Gunaratne©2010
We—Junius, Yoke-Sim and I—spent a Saturday (26 Nov. 1983) in Palm Springs, the fashionable resort in the Upper Colorado Desert on the eastern foothills of San Jacinto Peak (elev. 10,804 ft.). The city of Palm Springs (pop. 48,000), which occupies an area of 95 square miles in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, is well known for its 125 golf courses and its connections with numerous celebrities.   Celebrity Connections Let me illustrate these connections with the following examples gleaned from Wikipedia: Entertainer Sonny Bono (1935-1998) ran a restaurant in downtown Palm Springs. Frustrated by... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

The Psychophysical Effects of Combat from the Ancient times to Modern Day
Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D.
The psychophysical effects of combat have been recorded since the early days of Human civilization. From the time of Homer’s ancient story of the battle between the Trojans and the Greeks, (1200 BC) military personnel have been confronted by the trauma of war. According to the historians, Saul the King of Israel (11 Century BC) had abnormal behavior with inclination towards violence. On one occasion, he went in to a brutal rage and tried to kill his son Jonathan.  Alexander the Great (356 BC – 323 BC)who had conquered a large portion of the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

New Cricket Series inaugurated by the Oxford University Sri Lanka Society: “Oxbridge Sri Lanka Societies Varsity Match played at the University of Cambridge”
Press Release: Oxford University Sri Lanka Society
The Oxford University Sri Lanka Society was instrumental in inaugurating a new cricket series recently. Themed “Oxbridge Sri Lanka Societies Varsity Match,” the series features the Sri Lankan Societies of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge and was jointly organised by both Societies.  The first edition in this historic series was worked off on Sunday the 13th of June at the exclusive Sedley Taylor Road Grounds of the University of Cambridge.   The occasion was graced by several distinguished personalities including C. Eng. Mr. Thilak Barnes Abeywardena, a prominent member of the Association... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 19/06/10)

UN group calls for end to Israel’s excesses in occupied Arab lands
UNITED NATIONS, June 19 (APP): A three-member United Nations body has called for an end to human rights violations by Israel in the occupied territories of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Syrian Golan Heights, after hearing from dozens of witnesses during a recent visit to the region.“The testimonies that we have heard attest to a failure to address the long-standing pattern of serious violations of human rights,” said Ambassador Palitha Kohona of Sri Lanka, who serves as Chairman of the UN Special Committee on Israeli Practices in the Occupied Territories.... -Full Story- (app.com.pk - 19/06/10)

Sri Lanka to increase tourists rooms in eastern coast
COLOMBO, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) said on Friday that it has planned to add 4,000 hotel rooms in the Eastern Province as more local and foreign tourists are being attracted to the area after the completion of the civil war. Dileep Mudadeniya, managing director of the SLTPB said local businessmen have already agreed to invest in the project. "There are some four and three star hotels in the province, but there are no hotels with five star status," Mudadeniya said, adding that the government is planning to build 3,000 rooms in Kuchchaveli and... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 19/06/10)

Charmed by Sri Lanka
By CHOU K. S.
Unexpected pleasures mark a Sri Lankan sojourn. Sri Lanka’s endless stretch of sea and sand is legendary and it’s easy to visit the country and never leave its palm tree-lined coast. But those who do, never regret it for just a few kilometres inland, beaches give way to plains dotted with impressive ruins and ancient Buddhist temples, verdant hill country, game parks and tropical wilderness. Over an eight-day trip with a hired car, guide and driver, the wife and I absorbed the culture and history of this gem of an island, admired its varied landscape, marvelled... -Full Story-
(thestar.com.my - 19/06/10)

Sarath Fonseka is an angry man, he should keep away from politics
By Charles.S.Perera
On the day of the Victory Pageant one cannot help thinking of the then Commander of the  Armed Forces Mr.Sarath Fonseka.  But if he is not there  to proudly participate in the event because of his own fault.  Now there is nothing to be proud of this man, who has turned out to be a traitor to his comrades in arms,  a Secretary of Defence who had been his friend, and a President who held him in high esteem.  To-day, Sarath Fonseka is an angry man. It is a self centred man who is overcome with emotions... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/06/10)

Lankaweb contributor honoured with excellence award
By our correspondent
 The Northeast India based journalist and a contributor to www.lankaweb.com, Nava Thakuria has been honoured with ERDF Awards of Excellence 2010 for his contribution to the filed of journalism. The Governor of Assam, His Excellency JB Patnaik gave away the award in a glittering function held on June 13 at Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati.  ... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/06/10)

Ethnicity is mind made, it does not exist in reality.
By Charles.S.Perera
Ethnicity is defined as an affiliation resulting from racial or cultural ties. In Sri Lanka the politicians and foreign global interfering humanists searching means to put peoples and communities asunder thus destabilising the countries of the global community to make them subordinate to another global community rich, white and powerful, gives ethnicity a different definition.  They make ethnicity look like some thing separate an isolating characteristic that differentiates one people from another. But it should not be so, because all those characteristics that differentiate one people from another are only mind made. Because in reality we are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 18/06/10)

Chinese labour in Lanka detrimental to India’s security: Jayalalithaa
Chennai, Jun 18 (PTI):
AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Friday said the reported employment of Chinese labour to revamp infrastructure in war-ravaged areas of Sri Lanka can be detrimental to India's security and asked the Centre to ''act before it is too late''. Chinese labour force in Sri Lanka is "infiltrated with Chinese spies and intelligence personnel, with a specific mandate to commence anti-Indian surveillance and espionage operations from India's hitherto safe southern flanks", she alleged in a statement here. She raised apprehensions that it could immediately affect Tamil Nadu as "Sri Lanka is hardly 20 km away from... -Full Story-
(Deccan Herald - 18/06/10)

Lanka marks victory, rejects war crimes probe push
Sri Lanka's president yesterday criticized foreign pressure for a probe into war crimes allegations as "sympathy towards terrorism" and said soldiers had committed no rights violations. resident Mahinda Rajapaksa took aim at his critics during a military parade to mark the one-year anniversary of Sri Lanka's victory over the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), delayed by a month due to monsoon rains. "It is understood by all that we carried out this great humanitarian operation only to eliminate terrorism," Rajapaksa said... -Full Story- (thedailystar.net - 18/06/10)

Chinese infiltrators in Sri Lanka: Jayalalithaa
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Friday claimed that the Chinese labour force in Sri Lanka had been infiltrated with intelligence personnel with a specific mandate to begin anti-Indian surveillance. “We certainly have a problem on our hands and India should have used Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa's recent visit to India to put things in perspective rather than merely exchanging empty pleasantries,” she said in a statement.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 18/06/10)

US gives more aid to refugees
The US will contribute an additional $2.25mn to support people displaced by the Sri Lanka conflict as they return to their homes and villages in the country’s north. The money will enable some 9,000 families to receive the shelter cash grant provided to returning families by the Sri Lanka office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a US embassy statement said. The shelter cash grant of Rs25,000 ($220) “is a modest but integral part of returnees’ return packages”, the statement said. “Many returnees have used the grant money to purchase bicycles, which allow them to access services, transport... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 18/06/10)

HERO IS A HERO FOR EVER
RANJIT WICKREMERATNE
Heroism, Sacrifices our war heros did during thirty years of war fighting the most brutal murderer and his gang of Tamil terrorists cannot be described in one or two days or in years. They were our heros for ever. God bless them. They should be remembered every single moment of our lives,if not for them our homeland will not be celebrating heros day like what we are going to witness tomorrow 18 June 2010. Young and old sacrificed in thousands to free our nation. Sri Lankan governments spends millions of rupees to eradicate terrorism. Governments fall because of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 17/06/10)

ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදයට කොන්දේසියක්
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
අප කැමති වුවද, අකමැති වුවද, ව්‍යාවස්ථානුකූලව මෙරට පවතින්නේ, ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී, සමාජවාදී ජනරජයකි. මෙම ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යාවස්ථාව මෙරට තුල ස්ථාපිත කරන ලද්දේ, උග්‍ර බටහිර ඒජන්තයකු වූ ජේ. ආර් ජයවර්ධන මහතා විසිනි. 1977දී ඒ මහතාට විශේෂිත ජනවරමක් ලැබෙන තෙක්ම, මෙරට ව්‍යාවස්ථාව රාජ්‍ය පාලකයාට පාලනය කල යුතු වාර ගනන සම්බන්ධව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදයට කොන්දේසි පැනවූයේ නැත. ඔවුනගේ අර්ථ විග්‍රහයනට අනුව ප්‍රජාතනත්‍රවාදය යනු මහජනතාවගේ අවශ්‍යතාවයට අනුව පාලනය කිරීම වන අතර, මහජන අවශ්‍යතාවයට කොන්දේසි පැනවීම ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදය නොවේ යනු ඔවුන් දැරුව මතය විය. මිනිසුන්ට අවශ්‍ය පාලකයා තේරීම, ඔහුව තමනට ඇවැසි කාලයක් පාලන තන්ත්‍රය තුල රදවා ගැනීම හා ජනතාවට අවශ්‍ය වූ විට ඔහුව බලයෙන් පහකිරීම යන සියළු... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 17/06/10)

Sri Lanka to axe over 400,000 coconut trees to keep vectors at bay
The Sri Lankan government has decided to axe over 400,000 coconut trees to prevent the spreading of a coconut disease called "blight" (phytoplasma) which has reduced the country's coconut yield by over 45 percent. "We detected the disease in 2006 and it is now spreading fast in several districts in the south," Coconut Research Institute (CRI) Director Chithrangani Jayasekara told reporters on Thursday. Coconut is a major ingredient of daily diet of Sri Lankans, with each person consuming over 110 nuts annually. The island currently has 450,000 hectares of coconut land, yielding 2,522 million nuts every years. Over 80 percent... -Full Story- (english.people.com.cn - 17/06/10)

U.N. panel on Sri Lanka to be named next week
The United Nations should by next week name a panel to advise Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on accountability for potential war crimes in Sri Lanka, the world body's top political official said on Thursday.... -Full Story- (Reuters - 17/06/10)

Centre seeks feasibility study from State on Rameswaram-Talaimannar ferry service
C. Jaishankar
RAMANATHAPURAM: The Central Government has asked the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board to study the feasibility of resuming ferry service between the Rameswaram and Talaimannar and Tuticorin and Colombo sectors. The proposal was agreed upon by India and Sri Lanka a few days ago following the bilateral discussion between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaka in New Delhi. Informed sources told The Hindu that the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board in turn asked a Chennai-based industrial and technical consultancy company to carry out the feasibility study and it has already started collecting data. The... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 17/06/10)

What India plans next for Sri Lanka & the Real Tamil Homeland
Shenali Waduge
Given the argument that India planned for and orchestrated an internal problem in Sri Lanka in the form of the LTTE it had to have thought of varied off-shoots of such an endeavor and its own actions to counter same. Would it actually allow an Eelaam, if not how long would it desire the strife to continue, how best within this time frame would India be able to devour Sri Lanka and how would it deal with the other internal & external players must have been thought of by all those who strategized the Sri Lanka plan.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/06/10)

Sri Lanka dependent on India
by Padraig Colman
Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa visited New Delhi for four days last week for talks with Indian ministers. He returned home with seven bi-lateral agreements with India, and immediately met China’s deputy prime minister in Colombo. Small nations are bound to have complex relationships with large powerful neighbours. Ireland, for instance, had an ambivalent association with Britain, and the imperial power continued to exert power long after Ireland became independent. Cyprus’s fate will always be intertwined with that of Turkey and Greece. Sri Lanka is a nation about the same size as Ireland with a population of... -Full Story-
(mondediplo.com - 16/06/10)

Dengue and boru talk
Editorial, Island Courtesy The Island 
The government seems to have taken the people for a bunch of suckers. There may be suckers among them all right but it cannot fool all the people all the time. It promised to bring BTI bacteria to battle dengue years ago but it has, true to form, not yet honoured its promise. Dengue is on the rise and people continue to die of it. Only mosquitoes and mosquito repellent manufacturers seem to have benefited from the government's much advertised dengue eradication programme, which has become a grand flop.It is against this backdrop that... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/06/10)

China: China's interest in ports in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
By B.RAMAN
China, which is already meeting in the form of a soft loan from its Ex-Im Bank 85 per cent of the cost of construction ( US $ 360 million) of the first phase of the Hambantota port in Southern Sri Lanka, has agreed to give another soft loan of US $ 200 million towards the cost of construction of the second phase due to start early next year. An agreement in this regard was signed by the concerned officials during the visit of Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang to Colombo from June 10 to 12,2010. With this,... -Full Story-
(ionglobaltrends.blogspot.com - 16/06/10)

Sri Lanka to celebrate victory over rebels every year
Sri Lanka will celebrate its military victory over Tamil Tiger rebels as an annual event, the government said on Tuesday. Keheliya Rambukwella, minister of Media and government spokesman told reporters that the event will be celebrated every year. This year's celebrations, the first anniversary, will be held on Friday with a colorful ceremony commemorating the soldiers who had done the supreme sacrifice to protect the motherland, Major General Prasad Samarasinghe, the military spokesman said. Sri Lankan military ended the rebels' decades-old separatist campaign on May 18 last year.... -Full Story- (english.people.com.cn - 16/06/10)

Sri Lanka Keeps Interest Rates Unchanged for Growth
June 16 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka’s central bank kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged for a seventh month, taking advantage of low inflation to accelerate economic growth. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka left the reverse repurchase rate at 9.75 percent, the lowest level since August 2005, and the repurchase rate at 7.5 percent, according to a statement on the Colombo-based bank’s website today.... -Full Story- (Bloomberg - 16/06/10)

New Tamil arrests in Netherlands
The Dutch authorities have again arrested a number of Tamils as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) movement in the Netherlands. The organisation, which seeks to establish an independent Tamil state in northeast Sri Lanka, was placed on the EU list of terrorist organisations in 2006.A spokesperson for the Public Prosecutors' Office has announced that four suspects have been arrested in Breda, Rotterdam, Heemskerk and Heerlen. The arrests come after seven suspects were arrested in April. The police investigation focusses on attempts to raise funds for the LTTE. The investigation... -Full Story- (rnw.nl - 16/06/10)

Honouring Suu Kyi to condemn military election in Burma
Nava Thakuria
The Burmese communities living in different parts of the world have started coordinated demonstrations against the military controlled election in their country. After observing the Global Day of Action on May 27 in different parts of the world, the exile Burmese activists are celebrating the birthday of pro-democracy icon, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi spreading the message that the great lady continues to be a symbol of freedom and democracy for people in Burma. The Ten Alliances of Burma’s movement for democracy and ethnic rights has prepared to observe the 65th birthday on June 17 with various... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 16/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—34 GETTY VILLA THEN AND NOW: AN ART MUSEUM FOR ALL;AND THE JOYS OF CROSSING LA’S MULHOLLAND DRIVE
By Shelton A. Gunaratne©2010
When we passed through the scenic coastal highway from Santa Monica to Malibu on our way to Santa Barbara in mid-1983, we were intrigued by the impressive architecture of the J. Paul Getty Museum we sighted in the proximity of Topanga Canyon. Although we were not fans of art museums, the novelty and the architectural elegance of the building enticed us to put it on our “must visit” list. Four months later, we did indeed visit the Getty Villa, the art museum located at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, in Pacific Palisades, a mile east of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/06/10)

India’s continued insisting on 13th Amendment
S. Akurugoda
According to the Joint Declaration issued following the State visit of President Mahind Rajapaksa to India, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has emphasized that a meaningful devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would create the necessary conditions for a lasting political settlement. In addition to the various agreements said to have been reached, mainly granting of loans (to payback with interest and within a specified period by the people of Sri Lanka) for the welfare of the people in the North, East and the Upcountry, two leaders have agreed to establish Consulates General of India... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/06/10)

Hariharan's Take on Who is Running Sri Lanka - June 15,2010
Ira de Silva London, Canada
The Editor The Island Colombo, Sri Lanka   Dear Sir:   Reference Col. Hariharan's response to Who is Running Sri Lanka, his explanation is that his original publication of June 8th was written primarily for Indian readers. Was he reinforcing the perception of ordinary Indians that they have the right to interfere in the internal matters of Sri Lanka, India's other neighbours as well as countries where Indians are resident? Statements from various leaders of the Indian Government through the years clearly indicate that this is India's mindset however illogical and illegal it is. Indian "viceroy"... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/06/10)

Yes, I cried today.
by Charles.S.Perera
 Yes I cried to-day, warm tears trickled down my old cheeks.  All the feelings I have for people  and all beings is love.  I have no hatred.   If I speak loud, or write insolent words, it is merely to pour  out my feelings in different ways, to ask why we cannot love every one without building barriers around those  who are different.  In Sri Lanka there was a war it was a war to end terrorism.  Terrorism is against all human norms of living.  Terrorism is to perpetrate extreme hatred  to others who are different  in colour,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/06/10)

THE WAR AGAINST ISI
ALI SUKHANVER
 The USA could have never been so powerful and authoritative if the CIA and the FBI were not as effective and organized as they are now. Apparently this democratic unison of different states seems flourishing and nourishing under the flag of a very compact and integrated independent system of ‘choose and own’ but in fact the credit goes to these all time vigilant intelligent, inquisitive and hard working organizations. It is no one else but the CIA which is doing its best to keep the USA safe from all possible internal and external factors which may be... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 15/06/10)

Sri Lanka shows how to defeat terrorism
By Llanesca T. Panti, Reporter
A strong leadership and a disciplined military are the keys in wiping out separatist movements that have resorted to terrorism, the Sri Lankan ambassador to the Philippines said on Tuesday. Nawalge Bennet Cooray cited the principal weapons during a roundtable with editors and reporters of The Manila Times in reference to his country’s successful offensives that neutralized the 30-year-old separatist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 2009, just three years after the country’s military launched an all out-war against the LTTE in August 2006. The LTTE was known for its violent secessionist campaign... -Full Story-
(manilatimes.net - 15/06/10)

Big brother India, also the big bully?
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Mahinda Rajapaksa recently said India should benignly look out for Sri Lanka like its little sister. But not many here currently seem to share that tender emotion; India is being looked upon more as a big bully. India is currently receiving much flak from political parties and the media here over a bilateral business pact, for planning to talk to minority parties directly and — editorials I’m sure are on way — for triggering the Sunday earthquake off the Nicobar coast that rattled parts of Sri Lanka. The critics included Weemal Weerawansa of the National Freedom... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 15/06/10)

International envoys arrive as Sri Lanka defends war
A host of international figures, including a US war crimes investigator, landed in Sri Lanka yesterday for visits expected to focus on alleged atrocities committed during the country’s civil war. As the separate US, Japanese and United Nations officials arrived in Colombo, the government furiously denied that any war crimes were committed during the final months of fighting last year.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 15/06/10)

Obama aides in Colombo to talk human rights and war crimes
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Two high-ranking advisors of US President Barack Obama arrived in Colombo on Monday night to discuss reconciliation and accountability with the Sri Lankan leadership. Samantha Power, special assistant to Obama on multilateral affairs and human rights, and David Pressman, national security council director for war crimes and atrocities met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday. The Rajapaksa administration has been under international pressure, especially from the US, European Union and UN, to allow an international probe into allegations of large-scale human rights violations as the war between Tamil seperatists and government troops came to an end in... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 15/06/10)

Govinda has got the team of Raavan in trouble
By: Upala KBR
The actor gets admonished by Raavan team for attending an awards event in Sri Lanka The South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce has issued a warning that it would boycott the films of all actors and technicians who attended an awards event recently held in Colombo. It was made clear that films of the attendees would not to be allowed to release anywhere in the south.... -Full Story-
(mid-day.com - 15/06/10)

S.Lanka challenges allegations
COLOMBO (Sri Lanka) - SRI Lanka's top defence official has challenged international human rights groups to present any evidence of war crimes alleged to have been committed in the last phase of the island's civil war. Sri Lanka has faced growing international criticism for not examining alleged abuses committed during the final months of the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels. The quarter-century war, in which tens of thousands of combatants and civilians died, ended last year after the military crushed the Tamil Tiger rebels in their stronghold in the country's north. According to UN documents, more than 7,000 civilians... -Full Story- (straitstimes.com - 15/06/10)

Great Expectations: Sri Lanka's Post-Conflict Economic Boom Attracts Global Media Coverage, Higher GDP and Sovereign Ratings Expected
WASHINGTON, June 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sri Lanka's economic resurgence over the past year continues, according to international media coverage. The AFP has reported that "Sri Lanka's central bank raised its growth forecast for the year, citing strong post-war expansion in reconstruction and agriculture, particularly in former conflict zones." Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal forecasted the economy will expand to 7 percent in 2010, higher than its previous prediction of 6.5 percent and a sharp rise on the 3.5 percent recorded in 2009, according to financial press reports. The press coverage comes after the Central Bank Governor finished a two-day visit... -Full Story- (prnewswire.com - 15/06/10)

White House officials meet Sri Lankan president
By Ranga Sirilal
Two White House officials met Sri Lanka's president on Tuesday, part of a series of diplomatic visits this week amid renewed heat on the island nation to probe possible rights violations at the end of its civil war last year. The U.S. visit coincides with those of U.N. political chief Lynn Pascoe, expected to meet the president and others on Wednesday and Thursday, and a Japanese peace envoy on his 20th trip to Sri Lanka. U.S. President Barack Obama's administration has urged Sri Lanka to ensure its investigation into allegations of war crimes, largely involving civilian deaths,... -Full Story-
(in.reuters.com - 15/06/10)

BIG DEAL
The slew of pacts signed between Sri Lanka and India during President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent visit to India marks the changed contours of the nations’ bilateral ties. The cooperation pledged by India in security matters, power and rail linkages, oil exploration and cultural exchange is expected and designed to deepen India’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s economy and development. The focus on furthering mutual economic and strategic interests is what has kept the interaction going between the two nations since the 1990s, when India consciously rolled back its self-destructive policy of intrusion. The seven pacts signed in New Delhi reaffirm India’s... -Full Story- (telegraphindia.com - 15/06/10)

War Crimes Committed by Tamil Elamists Other than the LTTE - Part 1 - Culpable Ideologists
- Kumar Moses 
LTTE has become an easy scapegoat for all war crimes, the double genocide and crimes against humanity committed by Tamil Elamists. True, LTTE did commit most crimes but it was not the LTTE alone. Tamil Elamists actively participated in all these war crimes. Ideological, physical and propaganda support for these war crimes came from non-LTTE sections of Tamil Elamists. It is essential to investigate these crimes to stop their recurrence, punish the culprits, put the nation in order and deter the malicious false campaign launched by Tamil Elamists abroad to divert attention from real war crimes.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/06/10)

Chandrika Kumaratunga lies with knowledge of things she says, and Arundhathi Roy lies with no knowledge of anything she say.Part One.
By Charles.S.Perera
 There were statements from  two women that appeared one  in the Sunday Island of the  6 June,2010, and the other in the  Times of India of the  5 June,2010.  The former  is from Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaratunga, a woman known very well in Sri Lanka, and who knows about Sri Lanka.   The other is from a woman called Arundhati Roy who is little known in Sri Lanka and who knows nothing about Sri Lanka.  It is interesting to know what one who knows  Sri Lanka and the other who does not know  Sri Lanka at all, have to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/06/10)

Now the other woman Arundhati Roy who lies not knowing anything about Sri Lanka. Part Two,
by Charles.S.Perera
Arundhati Roy came to fame after writing a book, The God of Small Things, for which she got the Booker Prize for 1997. Six million copies were said to have been sold in 80 languages. She now writes essays from Nuclear weaponisation in India and Pakistan to terrorism in Sri Lanka.  She has become an activist on Issues related to Social Justice and Economic Inequality. This allows her to put every thing that she knows nothing about into either Social Justice, or Economic Inequality. It is like the human rights activists, and international crisis peddlers. There is... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/06/10)

BBC meets its match in Sri Lankan Defense Secretary
OPEN NOTEBOOK BY RANDOM JOTTINGS Courtesy The Manila Times
WITH its foreboding lighting effects that appear to have been plucked straight out of Dante’s dark epic Inferno—and cleverly devised one suspects to reduce its willing, and oftentimes unsuspecting, “victims” to submission—the BBC’s HARDtalk program has attained a universal reputation (or should that be notoriety?) for tough and bruising interviews that border on intimidation. Why, in its trailer for the widely popular program the BBC has fierce animals from the wild locking horns in deadly tussles, while HARDtalk inquisitor-in-chief Stephen Sackur looks on arms folded barely able to disguise the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/06/10)

Neo-colonialist interference takes many shapes and forms
By Neville de Silva The Nation - ANN
 Briefing Bangkok-based diplomats at the height of the recent red- shirt protest and violence, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya warned foreign governments and NGOs not to interfere in Thailand’s internal affairs.Obviously irked by offers of mediation or attempts at interference by foreign governments, international bodies - governmental or non-governmental -Kasit was explicit that Thailand was quite capable of handling its problems without unsolicited advice and intervention. "We are not a failed state," was Kasit’s jibe at those who seemed to suggest that Thailand could not deal with the violent protest without... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 14/06/10)

UN political chief heads to Sri Lanka for talks on reconciliation and rights
B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, is scheduled to hold talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, other senior Government officials, opposition and minority party representatives, Tamil leaders, media representatives and civil society groups during the two-day visit... -Full Story- (un.org - 14/06/10)

Chalo Sri Lanka, says Salman
By: Subhash K Jha
Salman Khan forces Anees Bazmee to move shooting location from Mauritius to Sri Lanka Salman Khan has convinced his Ready director Anees Bazmee to change the location for the film, barely days before the unit was to begin shooting in Mauritius.Salman is so sold on Sri Lanka that he wants his next film to be shot there. According to a source, he enjoyed every minute of the experience and made the decision while at a film awards event in Colombo. "I'll be back," he promised smitten Lankan fans and has kept his promise. The minute... -Full Story-
(mid-day.com - 14/06/10)

POLL-Sri Lanka Q1 GDP seen growing 6.4 pct; full-year 6.5 pct
REUTERS FORECAST:
Forecast: Gross domestic product (GDP) likely expanded 6.4 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, picking up from annual growth of 6.2 percent in the fourth quarter last year. Ten analysts gave a range of estimates from 3.3 percent to 10.4 percent. The median of forecasts for full-year growth is 6.5 percent, with estimates from 5.5 percent to 7.1 percent. FACTORS TO WATCH: - Exports have rebounded along with the global economic recovery while tourist arrivals have risen sharply since the end of the country's 25-year civil war in May 2008. Tourism is a key foreign... -Full Story-
(in.reuters.com - 14/06/10)

S.Lanka stocks at record on growth, earnings hopes
By Ranga Sirilal
COLOMBO, June 14 (Reuters) - Sri Lankan shares hit a record high on Monday as low interest rates and good company earnings fuelled buying across the board, traders said. The Colombo Stock Exchange's All-Share Price Index .CSE hit an all-time high of 4,612.76 points, surpassing its previous peak of 4,581.80 hit on Friday. It closed 51.43 points or 1.1 percent firmer at 4,612.76. The index is up 36.3 percent so far in 2010, making it Asia's best performer. Turnover was 1.7 billion rupees ($15 million), well above last year's daily average of 593.6 million.... -Full Story-
(Reuters - 14/06/10)

Sri Lanka Plans to Sell $275 Million of Bonds in June
By Anusha Ondaatjie
June 14 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka plans to sell $275 million of dollar-denominated bonds locally this month to pay for maturing debt, three months after failing to raise a targeted $100 million through a debt auction. The South Asian nation will issue $175 million of two-year debt and $100 million of three-year paper, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said on its website today. Subscriptions for the so- called development bonds close on June 18. The nation raised $92 million by selling development bonds through competitive bidding in March, and the central bank subsequently raised $8 million... -Full Story-
(Bloomberg - 14/06/10)

The Peace Polls survey is as 'dodgy' as the CPA
Ajit Randeniya
Attempts by (N)GOs and numerous peace merchants to sell solutions to Sri Lanka’s ‘problem’ appear to be continuing unabated: the latest is a sort of an ‘opinion poll’ conducted by a private concern named ‘Peace Polls’, masquerading as another ‘study’.   There appears to be a concerted move by the proponents of the devolution idea to suggest that the findings of this particular poll prove that there is widespread support among all sections of the Sri Lankan people for the implementation of the package of proposals of the All Parties’ Representatives Committee (APRC).  But as usual, a careful look at... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

ආචාර්ය රාධිකා සමරසේකර මහත්මිය, ඩෙංගු මර්ධනයේ වගකීම බාරගනී.
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
අප සමාජය කාලාන්තරයක් මුලුල්ලේ සිටම මෙරට තුල සිදුවෙන ඩෙංගු මර්ධන ව්‍යාපෘතීන් සම්බන්ධව හාස්‍යයෙන් කථා කරන තත්වයකට පත්ව තිබිණ. 2009 වර්ෂයේදී ඩෙංගු රෝගීන් 27,496 සම්බන්ධව වාර්තා වී ඉන් 343 දෙනෙකු මියයාමත් සමගම, මේ සම්බන්ධව මෙරට ජන සමාජයේ අවධානය එම රෝගය සම්බන්ධව වඩාත් බැරෑරුම් ලෙස යොමුවූ අතර, එම රෝගය මර්ධනය කිරීමේ ක්‍රියාවලියම සමාජයේ උපහාසයට භාජනය විය. මේ වනවිට අලුත්ම තත්වය වන්නේ ආචාර්ය රාධිකා සමරසේකර මහත්මිය විසින් මෙරටට ඔබින ආකාරයේ ඩෙංගු මදුරු කීඨ මර්ධනය කරන බී. ටී. බැක්ටීරියාව නිශ්පාදනය කිරීමේ වගකීම බාරගෙන ඇති බවයි. ඒ සම්බන්ධව අප ඇයට ශුභ පතමු.! පලමුව ඇය ශ්‍රී ලාංකික විද්‍යාඥවරියකු වීම, දෙවනුව ඇය නිශ්පාදනය... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

MR.SPEAKER ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?
Ranjit Wickremeratne 
I was shocked and angry to read in the newspapers that you have given Sarath Fonseka the traitor to my Motherland permission to attend COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY meeting to be held in Kenya. Mr Speaker how can you allow such a coward and a traitor to move around with important people outside the country like that for four days or more? He is a prisoner in my country like any other criminal and he is there for treason for his crimes against our Motherland so how can you justify his attendence to such a high profile meeting abroad.  There are... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

India's Concerns in Sri Lanka - Island June 8,2010
Ira de Silva London, Canada
The Editor The Island Colombo, Sri Lanka   Dear Sir:   The very title of this article is indicative that the writer, Colonel Hariharan representing India, is only concerned about India. Sri Lanka has been crucified by India too many times in the past for Sri Lanka to only consider India's concerns. It is incumbent on the President and Government of Sri Lanka to consider Sri Lanka first, India second.   Who in Sri Lanka can  forget that it was because India considered only India's concerns that they transformed Prabhakaran and his band into murderous... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

BBC - 'Barefaced' Broadcasting Corporation
By: Manisha Fernando Courtesy the “Opinion Page” of  the Ministry of Defence web site
BBC, or the British Broadcasting Corporation is renowned for their deliberate and biased misrepresentation of facts and events during its history of news reporting. It is true that human beings are not perfect and susceptible to "human - mistakes". But apparently the reporters and editors of BBC seem to have a knack for deliberately misinforming the events without due diligence. During the last decade, the reports and news items carried by the BBC in the mass media including its official news web, are ample proof... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

වාහන මිල පහත වැටීම හා මෙරට ජනතාව
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
රජය වාහන වල මිල පහත දමා ඇත. ඊට හේතුව වශයෙන් රජය පැත්තෙන්, නිලධාරි මට්ටමේ කරුණු දැක්වීමක් සිදුවිය. ඒ අවස්තාවේදී පුකාශ කරන ලද්දේ, වාහන වල අලෙවිය ඉතා පහල මට්ටමක පවතින බැවින්, වාහන මිලදී ගැනීම සදහා ජනතාව උනන්දු කරවීමට, ඒ සදහා අයකල බදු පහත දැමූ බවයි. මෙම පුකාශය තුල ජනතාවට ඉගෙන ගැනීමට ඉතා වටනා පාඩමක් ඇත. ඒ ජනතාවගේ බලය සම්බන්ධවයි. ජනතාව නොදැනුවත්වම වාහන මිලදී ගැනීම පහත හෙලා ඇත. ඒ නිසා වාහන මිල රජය විසින් ඉතා විශාල ප්‍රමාණයකින් අඩු කරනු ලැබ ඇත. ඒ අනුව බඩු මිල අඩු කරන සූත්‍රයේ ප්‍රබල කොටසක් ජනතාව මත රදා ඇති බව වැටහේ. මෙරට ජනතාව... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

The pull factor
R Bandarage, Cottesloe. 
 Having recently returned from Sri Lanka, I see the absurdity of Australia still entertaining Sri Lankan asylum claims. There are no ‘push’ factors as Labor politicians say but it’s the ‘pull’ factor from Australia that bring the boatloads here.  The defeat of the Tamil Tiger terrorists brought peace to Sri Lanka and anyone can now travel anywhere across the country without fear of a bomb blast or suicide attack. The presidential election and general election returned a very stable government. Tamils occupy key positions in the government and serve as professionals.   Yet, in the West a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

Parvathi says no to medical treatment in State
G Saravanan Express News Service
CHENNAI: A day after the Indian government relaxed its conditions imposed on slain LTTE leader V Prabakaran’s mother Parvathi Ammal to receive her treatment in Tamil Nadu, her counsel and former Jaffna MP K Shivajilingam on Saturday categorically said that she is in no mood to consider it owing to personal problems. Speaking to Express over phone from Jaffna, the former MP and a close relative of Parvathi Ammal, said, “Due to her tedious journey on stretcher and bitter experience of deportation from Chennai airport in mid-April this year, Parvathi Ammal is very much... -Full Story-
(ExpressBuzz - 13/06/10)

Former Tamil Tigers wed in mass ceremony in Sri Lanka
... -Full Story- (BBC - 13/06/10)

Sri Lanka organises mass wedding for former rebels
More than 100 people said to be former Tamil Tiger rebels were married yesterday in a mass wedding ceremony as part of the government’s rehabilitation plans for ex-fighters after a 25-year separatist war. Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi witnessed the mass wedding of 53 couples, who the government said had all fought to create a separate state for minority Tamils in the north and east of the Indian ocean island nation.... -Full Story- (Gulf Times - 13/06/10)

How little Lanka beat the big, bad West -Part III
H. L. D. Mahindapala
 The 11th Special Session of UNHRC held in Geneva in May 2009 was to deal exclusively with the resolution titled: The human rights situation in Sri Lanka.  The title was ominous. The Western powers had failed on all fronts to stop the advance of Sri Lankan forces just at the moment when the forces were about to capture the last few acres of Mullativu occupied by the Tamil Tigers in the east coast.. The last throw of the dice of the anti-Sri Lankan West, allied to the Tamil diaspora, was to send David Milliband and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

Tiger agents blast rail track in Tamil Nadu – a violent attempt to disrupt Delhi-Colombo relations
H. L. D. Mahindapala
 Indian news agencies report that “Chennai Rockfort Express had a narrow escape when suspected pro-LTTE elements blasted railway tracks at Perani railway station in Villupuram district in the wee hours on Saturday. “ ( Indian Express  -- 12/6/10)) The report also said: “Leaflets condemning the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa were found from the spot, police said.” India is already plagued by the Maoists whose violence is considered by the Indian government to be the biggest threat to India’s peace, stability and progress in the central and northern regions. This new blast of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—33 ,HOLIDAYING IN ‘THE AMERICAN RIVIERA’ JUST WEST OF GREATER LOS ANGELES
By Shelton A. Gunaratne©2010
 Don Voegele, who hailed from Santa Barbara, was an adjunct instructor at Fullerton College in 1983, the year I spent in California as an exchange instructor. Although he was not from the Division of Communications, he made it his business to get acquainted with us for the simple reason that we came from Down Under.   A card-carrying member of the Sierra Club, he was perhaps enamored by Australia’s open country façade. Many locals knew our alien presence on FC campus within a couple of months after our arrival because of good publicity we received from... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

Karunanidhi and the politics of Tamil culture
Iqbal Mohideen
Sri Lankan newspapers have had no coverage of the World Classical Tamil Conference that begins in Coimbatore on June 23. The Karunanidhi administration in Tamil Nadu is sponsoring the event. 2011 is an election year in Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi, allied to the Congress party in New Delhi, just celebrated his 87th birthday. His DMK is on a strong wicket until such time that he retires. That would likely lead to a split in the party between his two sons, Stalin and Azhagiri. This conference is an effort to bolster the image of his party in the run-up... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

Is Sri Lanka giving into India’s expansionist ambition, perhaps without realising the role India is playing for the Agenda of the West ?
By Charles.S.Perera
 President Mahinda Rajapaksa has returned after a three day  official visit to India, after which he has released a statement that his visit had strengthened traditional friendly relations between India and Sri Lanka.  India’s  traditional friendly relations with Sri Lanka existed long time  ago  when King Asoka was the ruler.  After that  the Jawaharlal Nerhu Government had extended friendly relations with Bandaranaike Government as SWRD Bandaranaike was already a friend of his from his Oxford Days.   But things changed after Indra Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India.    Since then  India cultivated  expansionist intentions.  1983 riots in... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

India’s manipulation of Sri Lanka to hide Tamil Nadu demands for separatism
Shenali Waduge
India’s manipulation of Sri Lanka to hide Tamil Nadu demands for separatism   Creating, aiding & assisting the separatist agenda in Sri Lanka was for India a necessary evil that annulled any goodwill shared or nurtured between the two nations. In probably a few sentences we can but summarize the outcome & how India fooled Tamil Nadu, while the LTTE fooled the Tamils & the International Community piggybacked to plug its western agenda in Asia while realistically India’s designs on Sri Lanka have just started & LTTE was only the appetizer.     The difference in Tamil... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

HIGH COMMISSIONER TO PAKISTAN OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO HEAD OF AHMADIYYA MUSLIM JAMA’AT
By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, Mr Wajid Shamsul Hasan visited His Holiness, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad at the Fazl Mosque in London recently to offer his condolences for the terrorist attacks that took place at two Ahmadi Mosques in Lahore on May 28.  During the forty minute meeting the prevailing political situation in Pakistan was discussed. His Holiness commented that all the attacks taking place in Pakistan were a direct result of mixing religion with politics. He expressed a hope that some leaders in Pakistan would stand... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 13/06/10)

China signs trade deals with Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (AFP) – Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang held talks with Sri Lanka's president Saturday after signing six trade and economic deals, the president's office said in a statement. Zhang had a breakfast meeting with President Mahinda Rajapakse and the two reviewed ongoing Chinese-assisted infrastructure projects. "Today?s meeting followed the signing of agreements between China and Sri Lanka for economic and technical cooperation, highways development... IT and the development of maritime ports," the statement said without giving details. Zhang arrived in Colombo on Thursday with a 30-member delegation.... -Full Story- (Yahoo - 13/06/10)

Path to reconciliation in Sri Lanka
By JAMES COREA Mississauga, Canada
Regarding the June 4 opinion article "Sri Lanka must invest in rights protection": Many foreign journalists do not take enough trouble to ascertain the pulse and feelings of the majority Sinhalese. Sri Lanka was under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule for centuries before independence in 1947. During that period the Sinhalese majority suffered terrible indignations at the hands of the imperialist powers. During this time the Tamils, Malays, Muslims and other minorities in Sri Lanka had an edge over the Sinhalese. Sri Lanka is still dealing with this. Journalists who suggest implementation of the... -Full Story-
(search.japantimes.co.jp - 13/06/10)

AFTERMATH OF A WEB OF DECIET-A SOUTH ASIAN PERSPECT-
J JAYASUNDERA
When the future of Humanity is at the edge of an abyss, when 40% of the world are living below poverty lines, with worsening disparity between the Rich and the Poor, worsening environmental damage and rapid depletion of resources it is time to reflect. Independence from Britain heralded by the rousing speech from Prime Minister Nehru gave the south Asians the hope to aspire for a better world after almost hundred years of subjugation. The post war western economies had other ideas heralded the new mechanics of exploitation and subjugation. This neo-colonial agenda has inflicted great harm... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

Implementation of 13th Amendment; wise or otherwise?
Mario Perera, Kadawata
The President’s visit to India had many positive consequences in spite of the protests in the South Indian States. The signing of so many bi-lateral agreements goes to show that the two countries need each other. India naturally does not want its links .with Sri Lanka to dwindle as a result of the China factor. Now right on the heels of the President’s visit to the big neighbour a high powered delegation has arrived from China. This illustrates the geopolitically drama being enacted centering on this Island.  One disconcerting feature was what appears to be the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

Wrongful Portrayal Of Tamil Diaspora Bashing By Overseas Missions Is High Handed!
Insight By Sunil Kumar
June 12th 2010  On June 11 it has been posted on the Sri Lankan Guardian that a certain Mr. Rajasingham Jayadevan has accused the Sri Lanka Administration of using foreign missions towards Tamil Diaspora Bashing which needs to be put into proper perspective  and is the furthest from the truth as it is a totally distorted presentation which  world audiences need not swallow hook Line and sinker as it comes from  an individual who is presenting himself as one of the remaining vestiges of Tamil Tiger sympathiser by his body language alone and if one reads between... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

SON OF RUHUNA WE SALUTE YOU.
Ranjit Wickremeratne
40 Years of immense servise to Motherlanka by this greatest son of our nation should be apprecaited by every citizen irrespective of race,color or religion. There are so many things which any young politician can learn from this great politician,lawyer and a father of three great children. He is not an ordinary politician or a human being. His father was a heavy weight in our political field serving our country with greats like D.S. Dudly,Bandaranayaka,J.R. Philip,Dr.N.M. and more of that same calibre. Born as Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa became our beloved President as MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA in 2005 after serving our... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

M.I.A.
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 Canada
June 11, 2010   The Editor (Letters) THE OTTAWA CITIZEN)   Sir:   Recently MIA has got into spats not only with New York Time Magazine's Lynn Hirschberg but also with many others including me for her pro-Tamil Tiger incendiary lyrics without being honest with facts.   May be, when you want to sell your music such honesty is not factored in as important.  When her lyrics does not have a "WOW" factor, I suppose that is the reason why she got into trouble with American hip-hop artist DeLon who dissed... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

New Canadian Citizenship Legislation
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent. Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1
June 11, 2010 The Editor (Letters)   THE OTTAWA CITIZEN Sir: One has give it to Canadian Minister of Citizenship & Immigration, Jason Kenney, for introducing legislation to curb fraudulent refugees and also cap the money making schemes of human traffickers who become millionaires quickly as happened in the past, and thus protect the value of the Canadian citizenship. Further, the new rules will keep away the trained terrorists from our great country.  As reported by the RCMP and Canadian Intelligence we have almost 10,000 Tamil Tiger terrorists, who were... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

Christian Science Monitor on Sri Lanka
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
June 11, 2010 Ms. Navi Pillay UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Geneva, Switzerland. Dear Navi Pillay: Sweet Mother of Jesus! Did you read what the prestigious Newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor, which is a pro-LTTE  newspaper had to say?  Strap onto your seat Navi, or you might fall off your chair.  Here’s what it said: “The published list of the 10 World’s Worst Human Rights Violators – Tibet – Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan – Sudan – Somalia – North Korea – Libya – Eritrea – Equatorial... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

සිංහල බෞද්ධයින් හීලෑ කිරීම
චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම
    ජූනි 10 දින සන්ඩේ ලීඩර් පත්තරයට ඉන්දි සමරජීව නම් කෙනෙක්  යාපනයේ හමුදාව මූලිකව පැවැත්වූ වෙසක් උත්සවය ගැන "මිලිටරි-බුඩිස්ට් කම්ප්ලෙක්ස්" යන මාතෘකාවෙන් වාර්තා වක් ලියා ඈත. දැන් කාලයේ තත්තාට තාත්ති හා අම්මාට අම්මි කියන නිසා "ඉන්දි" යනු පිරිමි නමක් ද ගෑණු නමක් ද කියා මට සිතා ගත නොහැකිය. මෙම පුද්ගලයා තරුණ කෙනෙක් බව සඳහන් කරමින් ඒ අයට ස්තුති කරන දයාන් ජයතිලක, වාර්තාවේ මාතෘකාව ගැන විශේෂයෙන් සිය සතුට ප්‍රකාශ කරයි. ක්‍රිස්තියානි මාක්ස්වාදී පසු බිමක් දයාන්ට මෙන් මේ ඉන්දිට ද ඈත්දැයි මම නොදනිමි.     උතුරේ වෙසක් ගැන යාපනයේ සිට වාර්තා ලිවීමට ඉන්දිලා වැනි අයට අයිතියක් ඈත. නමුත් සියළු කාරණා... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

New CD launch / Charity Show for the Dibulagala Senasana Aranya on the 10th of July 2010 at the Roville Secondary College Hall in Rowville
Charity Musical evening & CD Launch by Ruvinie Dunuwille in Melbourne, Australia
Charity Musical evening & CD Launch - Ruvinie Dunuwille. At Rowville Secondary College, Humphrey's Way, Rowville (Melway 82 F1).  Duets With Ranil Mallawarachchi, Athula Lewke Bandara, Adiran Dunuwille, Rohana Karunaratna and Christy Amaranath.  Dances by Visharada Keshala Aparekka, Bharath Ashram in Melbourne. Music by Camaron Colabage with Tharanga.  Tickets $15.  (click here for details of the musical show).http://www.slnewsonline.net/Ruvinie_Gee_Muthu_Mini_Advertisement.asp Contact: Ruvinie Dunuwille +61 432 226 772:  Email ruvinie.dunuwille

y7mail.com Home Tel No:  + 61 3 8339 7591 Rohitha Welmillage +61 3 9209 2923 Watch the Video Clip in U-Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLZ9RRgEC4g... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/06/10)

THE FRIENDS AND ENEMIES OF SRI LANKA
By  Lt Col. (Retd) Anil Amarasekera
After nearly three decades people in this country took to the streets to see the Vesak decorations sans any fear of possible terrorist attacks in crowded places.  The people were at last free to move about as they pleased and the enjoyment of such freedom of movement was made possible thanks to the dedicated joint efforts of the Security Forces, the Police and the Civil Defence Force in eradicating LTTE terrorism from this country. Many had to sacrifice their life and limb to usher in a better tomorrow for all of us. It... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

War Crimes in Sri Lanka – Asia Report 191 0f May 17, 2010
Mahinda Gunasekera
By E-mail Madam Louise Arbour President & CEO International Crisis Group Brussels, Belgium  Dear Madam Louise Arbour,  War Crimes in Sri Lanka – Asia Report 191 0f May 17, 2010  I read the above report authored by your organization which is full of assumptions and lacking reliable evidence and specificity.  I was amazed to find a bunch of highly paid executives and an army of research officers along with academics, jurists and yesterday’s men and women of the political scene putting together a lopsided report based on highly questionable evidence put together apparently from prejudiced sources,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

In Recognition Of "Cassandra"'s Very Perceptive Recent Comments On Ret.Gen. Sarath Fonseka.
In Retrospect By Sarath Kumara
June 10th,2010  There has been a very appropriate response by the writer under pseudonym "Cassandra" to the recent item ~ "Is Sarath Fonseka Touting Capital Punishment In Addition To The Court Martial..." which needs to be highlighted and acolladed as a brilliant analysis by a very perceptive observer under the pseudonym "Cassandra".   "Cassandra "wrote in response on June 19, 2010 that : " It is difficult to know what to make of Sarath Fonseka. Having noted his reported comments since he left the Army and went on to contest the Presidential elections, the best... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

India agrees $1 bln loan for post-war Sri Lanka -official
June 10 (Reuters) - India has agreed to lend $1 billion to fund Sri Lanka's infrastructure projects, mainly in former war zones in the country's north and east, the island nation's treasury secretary said on Thursday. "India assured us $800 million for the reconstruction of railway and a further $200 million for a power plant," P.B. Jayasundera, the secretary to the treasury and the ministry of finance, told Reuters in a mobile phone text message from India. "It is a 20-year credit at an absolutely low interest rate. About $250 million in a grant will also be available in support... -Full Story- (in.reuters.com - 10/06/10)

Dirty Tricks of Daily Mirror EXPOSED!
Kumar Moses
 It is no secret Daily Mirror is Ranil’s mother’s newspaper. DR Wijewardena’s (Ranil’s grandfather) media empire continued in the hands of Edmond Wickramasinghe (Ranil’s father) and from there it went to the children and Edmond’s wife Nalini. This is a clear case of how media freedom meant for the consumption of the masses has been abused, robbed and exploited by dirty political elements. Using the power vested in the politicians who own it, Dayaseeli – the editor of its Sinhala newspaper – was asked to resign from the post at the heat of the 2010 Presidential Election... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Lee Kuan Yew rewrites Sri Lankan HISTORY!
Ananda De Costa
Lee Kuan Yew’s latest’s comments on Sri Lanka are outrageous, racist and inaccurate by any standard. Recently he said, “Another example is Sri Lanka. It is not a happy, united country. Yes, they [the majority Sinhalese government] have beaten the Tamil Tigers this time, but the Sinhalese who are less capable are putting down a minority of Jaffna Tamils who are more capable. They were squeezing them out. That's why the Tamils rebelled. But I do not see them ethnic cleansing all two million-plus Jaffna Tamils. The Jaffna Tamils have been in Sri Lanka as... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Kuldip Nayar got his wires crossed.
Herold Leelawardena
Kuldip Nayar is known to be great journalist and a pundit. No matter how erudite he is; I think he has got his wires crossed with regards to his opinion on Tamil aspirations. In a write-up that appeared in transcurrent.com dateline 30th may 2010, Nayar inter alia insisted that India should have imposed Federalism to Sri Lanka before allowing Sri Lanka to decimate LTTE. And that’s a diabolical lie. The truth is; in 1997, Rajeev had forced Federalism to Sri Lanka. He has done so by forcing JRJ to ram the 13th amendment to our constitution. 13A has all... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Psychological aspects of the Jathaka Stories
By Dr. Ruwan M. Jayatunge
Stories are part of a human environment. Human beings have probably been telling stories since the very early days of our civilisation. Buddhist Jathaka stories are unique. The Jataka stories are a voluminous body of folklore concerned with previous births of the Buddha, which is based as a collection of five hundred and fifty stories. According to archaeological and literary evidence the Jataka stories were compiled in the period, the 3rd Century B.C. to the 5th Century A.D. The Khuddaka Nikaya contains 550 stories the Buddha told of his previous lifetimes as an aspiring... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Interview with Ms. Tamara Kunanayakam, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Cuba
This is an English translation of Ambassador Gunanayagam’s Interview to the Venezeula newspaper "Correo del Orinoco")
1. You are Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Cuba. What brought you to Caracas? 
Our attention was drawn to the active presence in Caracas of a  delegation representing Canadian HART meeting Government authorities  making false, fabricated and defamatory accusations against the  Government of Sri Lanka, alleging that there was a ‘genocide’ against  the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and ‘concentration camps.'    It baffles me why an organisation in Canada, an immigration country with some 250,000 Tamil residents, should ask Venezuela country world - Indonesia and who... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Letter to the Editor - The first family has to set exemplary trends
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
Irrespective of the party once may belong to, once  a President is selected he becomes the president of ALL  citizens of the country. This way people look up to the family in some way and hope they will set the trend. Specially for the youngsters, they should set an example that  the parents will be happy to follow.  One strong supporting  factor that was a reason for the  success of our President is the fact that he a has stable, strong family, which, our countrymen still value.   Therefore it was a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

The Ahmadiyya Position.Ahmedi teachings prohibit protests, demonstrations, industrial strikes and agitations
Dr. Ifthikhar Ahmad Ayaz, OBE
1.(Officer of the Excellent Order of the British Empire) 2. Consul General of Tuvalu Island in the United Kingdom 3. Senator World Nations Congress 4. Ambassador of Peace appointed Universal Peace Foundation 5. Recipient of International Peace Prize 6. Member UN Human Rights Council Committee in the Rights of     Minorities – Rights of Woman / Rights of Children 7. Member World Poverty Alleviation Forum 8. Honored as the 2010 Man of the Year in Human Rights. 9.  An eminent member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam. The Ahmadiyya Muslims are now a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 10/06/10)

Why India embraces Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa in first postwar visit
By Mian Ridge,
Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa signed several deals with India during his visit this week, his first since quashing the Tamil Tiger rebels. He also faced protests from India’s sizable Tamil community over the wartime death of civilians. India and Sri Lanka bolstered their friendship following a meeting between their leaders in New Delhi Wednesday, despite deep resentment among many Indians at the neighbor.The state visit by President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka this week sparked protests from India’s Tamil community. Like Tamils around the world, they blame him for the deaths of thousands of Tamil civilians... -Full Story-
(csmonitor.com - 10/06/10)

Sri Lanka drops gov't parliamentarian from cricket team for poor form
Sri Lanka's national cricket selectors have dropped government parliamentarian Sanath Jayasuriya from the team due to his poor form, said the national team governing body Sri Lanka Cricket on Thursday. The team announced by Sri Lanka Cricket for the Asia Cup cricket tournament did not have Jayasuriya's name. Jayasuriya, a star player in the national team was elected a government parliamentarian in the election held in April.... -Full Story- (english.people.com.cn - 10/06/10)

I didn’t skip IIFA: Abhishek Bachchan
New Delhi: Abhishek Bachchan, who missed the 11th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) event in Sri Lanka, defended his absence from the gala due to work commitments. "I didn’t skip the IIFA awards. I have been shooting in Istanbul for one of my films called ’Game’ so unfortunately I couldn’t attend it," Abhishek said via live chat. Abhishek was on live chat on http://raavan.zapak.com/ with over 40,000 fans for almost an hour, to promote his upcoming movie "Raavan". Many Bollywood stars skipped IIFA this year including its brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan as well as superstar Shah Rukh Khan and according... -Full Story- (manoramaonline.com - 10/06/10)

All leaders pardoned in 1987: Douglas Devananda
IANS
NEW DELHI/COLOMBO: Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, who was declared a proclaimed offender by a Chennai court in 1986 and is accompanying President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his India visit, said Thursday that all political leaders were pardoned under the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord. Devananda, whose presence in the presidential delegation created a stir in India as he was accorded treatment due to a state guest despite being declared a proclaimed offender by a Chennai court in 1986, also said he was ready to face any legal action. "...according to the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement, they have given pardon to... -Full Story-
(ExpressBuzz - 10/06/10)

Sri Lanka plans Constitutional reform
B. Muralidhar Reddy
Presidential powers to be amended Consensus on reforming 1978 Constitution Senate under consideration COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has approved a proposal for “important amendments” to the 1978 Constitution dealing with presidency, procedure and powers of Parliament and the establishment of provincial councils. Acting Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena hinted at a news conference here of a provision for an Upper Chamber and to make the President directly accountable to Parliament. The proposal assumes significance as there is consensus among political parties that the 1978 Constitution, introduced by the... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 10/06/10)

Chennai Police alert Delhi on Douglas Devananda
Special Correspondent
CHENNAI: The Chennai Police have alerted their New Delhi counterpart to the cases against visiting Sri Lankan Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Douglas Devananda. “We have sent a message to the Delhi Police Commissioner that Douglas Devananda is a proclaimed offender. We are in touch with the Delhi Police…a response is awaited,” Commissioner of Police T. Rajendran said here on Thursday.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 10/06/10)

Sri Lankans prove to be quick learners
Sunil Gavaskar
Sri Lankan players showed that they were quicker learners than the Indians. Having been surprised by Zimbabwe in the last of the round robin games even though it was inconsequential for qualifying for the final, they were better prepared this time around and ensured that another surprise wasn't on the way. Zimbabwe had got the runs in that round robin match with ease and the Lankans had seen enough to realise that good spin was the weapon needed to stop the Zimbabwe batsmen.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 10/06/10)

Rajapaksa says pacts will fortify ties
Kanwar Yogendra... -Full Story- (The Hindu - 10/06/10)

Proposal to resume ferry services welcomed
C. Jaishankar
RAMANATHAPURAM: The proposal to resume ferry services between Dhanushkodi and Talaimannar and Tuticorin and Colombo, as agreed by India and Sri Lanka on Wednesday in New Delhi, has received good response from people of the region and trade bodies. The Dhanushkodi-Talaimmanar service, which began in 1914 during the British rule, was stopped after the 1964 cyclone that destroyed Dhanushkodi town.... -Full Story-
(The Hindu - 10/06/10)

Chennai cops pass on Douglas Devananda file to Delhi
CHENNAI: A day after TOI reported the "proclaimed offender" status of Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, who is visiting India as part of President Mahinda Rajapaksa's delegation, the Chennai police confirmed the details of the case to their counterparts and passed on details of criminal cases pending against him in Tamil Nadu. Devananda said he was ready to face any legal action though he claimed amnesty under the Indo-Sri Lankan accord of 1987. "We have sent a message to Delhi police. We are awaiting a reply," Chennai police commissioner T Rajendran said.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 10/06/10)

Fall outs from the IIFA Awards ceremony and the Tamil diaspora
Dr.P.A.Samaraweera, Australia
At a media conference held on 9th May on the IIFA Awards ceremony, the UNP and the JVP had raised the question about funding and had said that the govt. had squandered Rs. 600 million on the event. The Deputy Minister's ( Econ. Development) reply had been that Rs.450 million were on much needed improvements to the Sugathadasa Stadium and the rest on groundwork events. So it was killing two birds with one stone, renovate the stadium without letting it fall to pieces and also accommodate the IIFA Awards ceremony.   Both the UNP and the JVP, had accused the govt.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/06/10)

C O R R U P T ac T I O N ?
Ranjit Wickremeratne      
Corruption is the dirtiest word in every country in the world. Politicians and the big coporate boses are the most corrupt guys in any country. Our main issue was corruption during the past elections and the President promised that he will do his best to eradicate corruption from our society as soon as he can the same way he end the war of thirty years. President should not wait too long to take ACTION to wipe out this menace. He should create a special department  and appoint a strong bipartisan individual with extraordinary powers as head to catch the culprits and to... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/06/10)

මම සරත් ෆොන්සේකා නම් !
චන්ද්‍රසිරි විජයවික්‍රම
මම සරත් ෆොන්සේකා නම් දකුණු අප්‍රිකාවේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු රැස්වීමට ගිය විට මම ආපසු ලංකාවට එන්නේ නැත. ලංකාවෙන් ගැලවී යෑමට කදිම අවස්ථාවක් කතානායක චමල් රාජපක්‍ෂ විසින් ඔහුට ලබා දී ඈත.   ඔහුගේ දුවලා දෙන්නා ඔක්ලහෝමා වලය. ඔහුගේ බෑනා රටින් පැන ගියේ ය. ඩර්බන් වල සිට නිව් යෝර්ක් වලට ටිකට් එකක් ගත් විට සරත් ඈමරිකාවේය. අනෝමා ෆොන්සේකා ලංකාවෙන් යෑම වැලැක්වීමට නොහැක.                 සරත් බුද්ධගයාවේ වන්දනාවේ ගිය විට ඔහුව දුටු ලංකාවේ අනිත් වන්දනාකරුවන් ඔහු ලංකාව ප්‍රභාකරන් ගෙන් බේරා ගැනීමට කරන සටන් ගැන ඔහුට වැන්ද බව මා අසා ඈත. මෙවැනි කීර්තියක් ලද සරත් ට රාජ යෝගයක් තිබෙනවාය කියා ජනාධිපති තරගයට දැක්කුවේ අනෝමාය.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/06/10)

It's war crimes stupid
Editorial Island News Paper 10th June 2010
One day a father cleaned an infected jab-wound on his son's left arm and was about to dress it when the latter requested that his right arm be bandaged instead. A puzzled father faulted the son for being so eccentric: "What do you know about wound-dressing?" he demanded to know. "Dad, what do you know about the brats in my class?" the boy asked. "The wound will be safe under my shirt sleeve but the dressing will only reveal where it is and the boys won't do anything in school but poke... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/06/10)

එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මහා මණ්ඩලයේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සලයේ නායිකා නවී පිල්ලේ නාටකය 2
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
ඕනෑම පුද්ගලයකු තම ජීවන කාර්යයේදී, උපයෝගී කරගන්නා දැනුම ලබාගන්නේ තමා ජීවත් වන වටාපිටාවෙනි. නවී පිල්ලේ මහත්මිය වර්ෂ 1941දී, දකුණු අප්‍රිකාවේ ඩර්බන් නගරයේදී උපත ලබන විටම, දකුණු අප්‍රිකාණු ව්‍යාවස්ථාවට අනුව, ඇයව මානව වර්ගයන්ගේ පහත් වංශයකට අනුයුක්ත කර තිබුණි. ඇය මුළු ජීවිත කාලයෙන්ම අවුරුදු පනහකට අධික කාලයක්ම ව්‍යාවස්ථාපිතවම පහත් මානව වාංශිකයනට උරුමයයි එරට පාලකයින් තීරණය කල අතර, එවන් පහත් වාංශිකයින්ට පමණක් අරුම වූ හැම දෙයක්ම ඇය ලද්දාහ. එරට තුලදී නීතිඥ වරියක ලෙස අධ්‍යාපනය ලදද එය සුදු නීතිඥ ගනයට වඩා පහත් තලයක වූ අධ්‍යපන තත්වයක් යයි එරට ව්‍යාවස්ථාවම ප්‍රකාශ කරන අතර, එවන් තත්වයක් යටතේ ඇය අවුරුදු 50ක් ඊට අනුගතව... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 09/06/10)

Sri Lanka police detain young couples for kissing
Police in two Sri Lankan towns have detained nearly 200 young couples they accuse of indecent behaviour. Locals complained the young lovers were kissing, cuddling or simply holding hands, reports say. In the central town of Kurunegala about 350 youngsters have been detained and reprimanded in the past two weeks.... -Full Story- (BBC - 09/06/10)

Sri Lanka's child soldiers
... -Full Story- (BBC - 09/06/10)

Minister in Rajapakasa team is a proclaimed offender in India
A Subramani, TNN,
CHENNAI: Accompanying Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on his India visit is a tall, well-built, bearded, bespectacled man. As with the other ministers in the delegation, this man -- Douglas Devananda, minister for traditional industries and small enterprises development -- is being accorded full state protocol. Ironically, he is a proclaimed offender in India and liable for arrest.... -Full Story-
(Times of India - 09/06/10)

India, Sri Lanka sign pacts on security and power
New Delhi: India and Sri Lanka Wednesday inked seven agreements, including key pacts on security and power, as Colombo reassured New Delhi about its plans to quickly resettle displaced Tamils and to seek a political solution to the ethnic issue. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held wide-ranging delegation-level talks with Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse and conveyed India's concerns over the plight of displaced Tamils and pressed for a political settlement of the Tamil issue, official sources said.... -Full Story- (gulfnews.com - 09/06/10)

India to build 50k homes for displaced SL Tamils
TNN,
NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday announced major sops for Sri Lanka, including a programme to construct 50,000 houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northern and eastern provinces. In his meeting with PM Manmohan Singh, President Mahinda Rajapaksa also expressed gratitude for the $800 million offered by India for railway projects in Sri Lanka. Both leaders condemned terrorism and signed two agreements "to strengthen the security and legal framework of their bilateral relationship". These include Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners.... -Full Story-
(Times of India - 09/06/10)

India, Lanka to step up defence ties
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, June 9: India today promised to train a much larger number of Sri Lankan military personnel at its defence training facilities as part of its increased defence co-operation with Colombo. After the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) experiment, when Delhi sent military contingents to LTTE-ravaged Lanka between 1987 and 1990, India had largely kept its defence co-operation with the island country on the backburner. After the annihilation of the Tamil Tigers, India now seems more assured of increasing its defence co-operation with Colombo.... -Full Story-
(telegraphindia.com - 09/06/10)

The CEPA(Comprehensive Economic Partnership Act) Debate: How can we create Employment
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D. Former Government Agent, Matara District
A great deal of water has flown down arguing the pros and cons of the CEPA which India wants Sri Lanka to sign. Even the Mahasangha has got involved with utterances by the Mahanayaka Theros at Kandy. To start with let us see what happened to Sri Lanka when Chandrika Kumaranatunge signed the earlier Indo Sri Lanka Trade Agreement. I lived in Sri Lanka at that time and saw for myself how our industries gradually ceased to exist due to competition from indian products. Our bureaucrats think in terms of... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/06/10)

The Nation in Mortal Danger Again This Time from Greedy Swine Called Treasure Hunters
Kumar Moses
LTTE remnants vehemently protested when Department of Archaeology recommenced archaeological excavations in the North and the East. Sensing the revelation of the truth about their bogus racist homeland claims, they tried every trick in the book to stop it. And they failed. Although many comforted themselves to think that it was the end of it, found that terrorists employed a new method to achieve the same end result. Treasure hunters have been contracted by LTTE remnants to destroy all traces of ancient Sri Lankan monuments. Once these are destroyed, they plan to use suicide bomber memorials as... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/06/10)

'Sinhalese in South celebrate and Tamils in North mourn for the same reasons occasion', by Shanie.
A response by Harin Chandradeva
http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/06/sinhalese_in_south_celebrate_a.html   According to the author, the ‘Sinhalese from the South’ are celebrating, while the ‘Tamils from the North’ are mourning. Is it just the Sinhalese from the South who are celebrating? What of the Tamils and Muslims from the ‘South’ who suffered equally when LTTE bombs went off? What of the Sinhalese and Muslims from the border villages who had to live in constant fear of attack by sadistic terrorists? Have we forgotten the Katankudy massacre of Muslims while they were praying in a mosque, and the hacking of pregnant women and crushing... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/06/10)

ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
අධිරාජ්‍යවාදීන්ට එරෙහිව අඛණ්ඩව ගෙනගිය අරගලයේ එක් අදියරක්, කොටි ත්‍රස්තවාදයට එරෙහිව කල අරගලයක් සේ දිස්විය. ත්‍රස්තවාදය නිර්මාණය කිරීම, විවිධ රට වලට එය ගෙන ගොස් අතහැරීම, සුද්දාගේ එක් විනෝදාංශයක් විය. එය පලමුවරට ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේදී අමතක නොවන ආකාරයේ අර්බූදයකට ලක්වීම, ලෝක ඉතිහාසයේ සුදුදාගේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී බල ඇණිය ලැබූ අති දැවැන්ත පරාජයයි. සුද්දා විසින්ම, අනභිබවනීය යයිද, පරාජය කල නොහැකි යයිද, ගෙනහැර පාමින් මානසිකව ශ්‍රී ලංකා රාජ්‍ය නායකත්වය පාරාජිකත්වයට පමුණවා, රට කැබලි වලට කඩමින් උද්දාමයෙන් කටයුතු කරමින් සිටි ආකාරය දෙන බලා සිටි දේශප්‍රේමීන් අතර සිටි අති උදාර පුද්ගලයෙකි ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂයන්. මේ රට තුල නිසි අවස්ථාවලදී උදාර මිනිසුන් මේ රට වෙනුවෙන් මතු වුවද,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 08/06/10)

Chandrika’s Comments on Corruption & Bad Governance today: An Answer
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.(Michigan State University)
  Chandrika Kumaranatunge, the former President of Sri Lanka has commented in “Politics – the most lucrative of Lankan businesses” in the Sunday Island that “Engaging in politics in Sri Lanka today is the easiest and fastest way to making a quick buck. At present politics is the most lucrative of businesses in this country and around 80 percent of those carrying out political functions are corrupt”.    I am certain that many would agree with me that this comment would aptly apply with equal force to her reign as President. Is there a... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

Tharoor Could Not Mention At Least One Benefit of CEPA While the List of Dangers Grows
Dilrook Kannangara
During the IPL semi-finals match played in Dharmasala, the presence of his holiness Dalai Lama graced the occasion. For an ignorant observer it was just a coincidence. A number of Sri Lankan players and possibly a few others from other nations were told by their respective government bodies to avoid meeting the dignitary. Nevertheless, for a careful India watcher, it was a well planned political manoeuvre to unnecessarily discredit China and unease a number of foreign players contracted to play in IPL. China prefers, to say the very least, state representatives from around the world not... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

Sri Lanka: Foreign Trade Agreements should not end up another form of invasion
Shenali Waduge
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA had been negotiated over two years ago. If India is now seen pressing for its activation we need to not only question why but more importantly ask whether our Government is likely to blindly sign & activate these documents without safeguarding the interests of the country.  One of the most discerning of arguments in Sri Lanka is that following the terrorist element that has had adverse effects on Sri Lanka for over thirty years, the country needs more than a little space to recoup, regroup & re-unite amongst each other.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

What does this woman Louise Arbour want ?
By Charles.S.Perera
 There is money in the business of accusing Sri Lanka government for elimination of terrorism from its soil. It looks the money in the “game” is much greater than we can imagine. It is a gold mine for those who take the trouble to adventure into being a human rights activist to investigate into the military operations against the terrorists in Sri Lanka.  In a recent interview, such a human rights activist - Nimalka Fernando admitted that she gets lots of fund from NGOs, but unable to spend them to help the people in the North and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

Is Retd.Gen. Fonseka Touting Danger Of A Court Martial As Well As Capital Punishment?
Insight By Sunil Kumar
June 7th 2010  The anxiety related perils of retd.Military Gen. Sarath Fonseka seem to be never ending and mainly because he does not seem to have proper direction in going about how to redeem himself and resorts to wild accusations against the Administration where more often than not he implicates himself in so doing and appears to totally lose control leaving him very vulnerable to greater  punitive action during the process of his incarceration.    Having played a major role in the victory against the Tamil Tigers albeit never singlehandedly, his ambitions instigated by some who egged... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

HATS OFF TO THOSE WHO DEFIED TAMIL DIASPORA
RANJIT WICKREMERATNE
 Atlast IIFA has come to an end. It was a big boost to Sri Lankan economy and tourism as well. Every one was happy except the evil Tamil diaspora all over the world. We have great Tamil sons and daughters in our midst and some sacrificed their lives on behalf of the Motherland in the past but this Tamil Diaspora who was scattered all over the world licking white man's boots still trying to fool the world by telling lies about our Motherland and try to get sympathy from them to do their dirty work in those... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

Here is the BBC Hard talk First programme on Srilanka (30 mins.)
7 minutes excerpts from Gotabaya's interview is at the end.... -Full Story- (bbc.co.uk - 07/06/10)

Letter to the Editor- Open letter to Basil Rajapakse
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Vanderwert Place,  Dehiwela.
Open letter to Basil Rajapakse  Today the Daily Mirror (7/6/2010) carries an article about one Isuru Prabath, a 17 year old student dying due to Dengue. A little girl from our orphanage is very sick today and is  in ICU, Kalubowila hospital,  – suffering from Dengue. Many households in Dehiwela are still reeling from the damage caused by the sudden floods. Whose fault is this? We always keep our surrounding very clean. But we cannot help if there are sili sili bags in the drains in front of the orphanage. We... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

‘3 Idiots’ steals the show at the Micromax IIFA Awards 2010 in Colombo
Press Release
Grand Performances by Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor & Bipasha Basu  IIFA stormed into its second decade of celebrations with a spectacular Awards night on 5th June, with ‘3 Idiots’ winning a majority of the top awards, including the Best Film and Best Director Award.  The Micromax IIFA Awards ceremony was held today at the Sughathadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  The legend of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan won the Award for Best Actor for his much acclaimed role in ‘Paa’, while the Best Actress Award was a tie between Kareena... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 07/06/10)

CEPA – Brace for the Second Parippu Invasion!
Janaka Yagirala
Over the past few days articles were published on Lankaweb regarding the grim prospects of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). It is indeed not a time to be silent. First of all, the President MR and the current regime won an astounding victory in the January 27 Presidential and April 8 Parliamentary Poll respectively. It was the patriotic masses who voted this President MR and this government into power. Signing the CEPA would inevitably become the major political blunder that would erode the steadily rising Sri Lankan economy as well as the mandate of the people.... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Israel's status as a pariah nation is now confirmed
Ajit Randeniya
Last week’s dastardly murder of nine unarmed aid workers on the Mavi Marmara that was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza by the Israelis was a war crime committed by Benjamin Netanyahu, the unprincipled thug addicted to the use of Israeli military might provided by America.  This latest display of Israeli criminality provides further proof that Israel is almost completely morally insensitive to the right of the Palestinian people to a homeland, and is impervious to the opinion of the international community.  The dead have joined Rachel Corrie, Tom Hurndall, James Miller and Brian Avery in giving up... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

'Vanni, northern Sri Lanka, where the war has never ended', By Melani Manel Perera-
A Response by Harin Chandradeva
http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/06/vanni_northern_sri_lanka_where.html Having googled Melani’s name, I came across some other articles authored by her. Nearly all of these are similar in context to the above article- that is, they all denigrate the Sri Lankan Security Forces, insinuates the commission of war crimes by the Security Forces, and attempts to portray divisions within Sri Lankan society mainly along ethnic and religious lines.  The rather deceptively titled ‘Asia News’ media organisation (http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&geo=44&size=A) for which Melani is a reporter, is in fact a media organisation which seeks to promote Christian missionary activities in Asia. This is probably... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Sri Lankan government threatens to execute Sarath Fonseka
Military commander who led the campaign to defeat the Tamil Tigers 'is a liar and traitor', government claims.The Sri Lankan government is threatening to execute Sarath Fonseka, the army commander who delivered victory over the Tamil Tigers, if he continues to suggest top officials may have ordered war crimes during the final hours of the civil war. The threat, issued by Sri Lanka's defence secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, is the latest sign of a bitter feud within the Sri Lankan political establishment, little more than a year after the end of the Tamil war. Rajapaksa, who worked closely with Fonseka on... -Full Story- (guardian.co.uk - 06/06/10)

Professors Philip Alston Francis A. Boyle exposed
Ben Silva
Attention of Mr Moon, Secretary General, UN Professors  Philip Alston  Francis A. Boyle exposed 
United Nations special envoy, Prof. Philip Alston, on seeing a video clip, with some one dressed in GOSL uniforms shooting, a number of men, with background sound containing unintelligible Sinhala sounding noise, immediately jumped to the conclusion that the killing was carried out by GOSL forces. Only a biased fool or an idiot can come to these conclusions as any one could have dressed in GOSL uniforms and carried out the killing. Fortunately senior officials of UN realised that Alston is wrong... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

DESERTIFICATION OF GREATER TELDENIYA AREA
Mahinda Weerasinghe
The people in Teldeniya are fed up by the destruction caused to the their environment by the corrupt agents of the environmental authority, and are getting organised for a demonstration next Saturday by blocking these huge quarrying material carrying trucks plying the local roads by blocking them. I am forwarding a vital letter sent to the Minister of Environment. Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa Ministry of Environment ‘Sampathpaya’ No. 82, Rajamalwatta Road, Battaramulla 03-06-2010 DESERTIFICATION OF GREATER TELDENIYA AREA Hon. Minster,                          It is with deep misgiving that I pen this letter. I am the owner of Powrugolla... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Patience and prayers on great sacrifices of the Lahore martyrs
By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama.at, Sri Lanka.
(Given below is an excerpt of the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered at ‘Baithul Futhuh’, London, U.K., on 4th June, 2010 gave a discourse on the Patience and prayers on great sacrifices of the Lahore martyrs  Ahmadiyya Khalifa  recited verses 31 – 33 of Surah Ha Mim Al Sajdah, the translation reads: ‘As for those who say, ‘Our Lord is Allah,’ and then remain steadfast, the angels descend on them, saying: ‘Fear ye not, nor... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

තර්ජනයෙන් යට කිරීම හා ආදරයෙන් යට කිරීම
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි .
මෙලොව වසන කිසිදු සත්වයකු පරුෂව කථා කිරීමකට හෝ තර්ජන වලට ප්‍රිය නොකරත්, හැම දෙනෙක්ම ප්‍රිය කරන්නේ සොදුරු වචන වලට හා ආදරයටයි. මුදල රජ කරන සමාජයක ආදරයද අර්බූදයකට මැදිව සිටී. එදා තර්ජනය කිරීම් හරහා ආ බලහත්කාරය, අද හිතවත්කම් හා සොදුරු වදන් හරහා මෙරටට ගොඩවැදීම; වර්තමාන සමාජය මුහුණ දෙන ප්‍රබලම අභියෝගයයි. අපි කාලාන්තරයක් මුලුල්ලේආදරය කරුණාව නොදැක, තර්ජන ගර්ජන වලට ලක්වූ ජන සමාජයක කොටස් කරුවෝ වෙමු. විටෙක රාජ්‍ය ත්‍රස්තවාදයත් තවත් විටෙක ද්‍රවිඩ .ත්‍රස්තවාදයත්,තවත් විටෙක ජාත්‍යන්තර ප්‍රජාවගේ ත්‍රස්තවාදයත්, මීට අමතරව සමාජයතුල අන්තර් ගත විවිධ ත්‍රස්තවාදී ප්‍රවනතාවයන්ටද හොදට මුහුණදී සිටින මේ ජනතාව තුල එවන් වාතාවරණයන්ට නිතිපතාම මුහුණ දීම හරහා, නිරන්තරවම... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Speech by Ambassador Sarath Wijesinghe before the Sri Lankan Business Chamber in UAE
Press Release
Initially I thank Mr. Farook Kassim and Mr Wasantha Senanayaka for having initiated this discussion and inviting me for the occasion, which I feel is unique and important during this transitional period in international affairs, world affairs and economic affairs on this part of the world. I thank the Executive Committee of the Sri Lankan business council Dubai for excellent arrangements made within short notice.  World economy was badly hit during the last few years resulting deep down tern economically in most of the developed and developing counties. Western block is the worst affected, followed by the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Kidnappers
KV.    
To All concern, This is not for rocket scientist to research or understand.    Simple answer is that the assistance from both Bambalapitiya, Wellawatta, Dehiwala, Mount lavinia, and many other  police stations fully involved in this racket. There are many other police stations around the country. Sorry to say but if you go to the night club in Duplication road not far from Vajira Road, Bambalapitiya, you can see the white van parked some days on the of corner waiting for their pray. Every taxi driver knows who they are. This is not a secret and the taxi driver... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 06/06/10)

Karuna Amman warns arm groups in the East
Karuna Amman warns arm groups in the East... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 06/06/10)

Why Bipasha's performance was a low point and how Hrithik dazzled
by Ruchika Kher and Shilpa Raina
There was nothing official about the absence of the Bachchans, including Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, as also Shah Rukh Khan, who had previously announced he would be at Colombo, but it was quite clear that Bollywood was taking the boycott threat seriously.Still, the event weathered the storm, as was evident at the ritzy grand finale, the highpoint of which was Hrithik Roshan's mindblowing livewire performance when he not only danced but wowed the audience by singing as well. The other highlight was the compering by Lara Dutta along with Boman Irani-Riteish Deshmukh... -Full Story-
(masala.com - 06/06/10)

The IIFA Magic
LEAVING Chennai’s sweltering heat, I boarded a Sri Lankan airways plane with mixed feelings. Having covered the IIFAs twice in my career, I knew one thing for sure — It is a Bachchans show with the happy foursome and friends dancing, socialising and spreading goodwill. This time around, the Bachchans all had different engagements, or so they say.... -Full Story- (ExpressBuzz - 06/06/10)

Even Hrithik's grandfather J Om Prakash was at IIFA
The Bachchan clan was sorely missed at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Sri Lanka but the Roshan family seemed to make up for their absence as Hrithik's filmmaker grandfather J. Om Prakash too walked in to receive a special award. So the entire family - Hrithik, his wife Suzanne Roshan, father Rakesh Roshan, mother Pinky, sister Sunaina along with her husband, and maternal grandparents - attended the glitzy ceremony.... -Full Story- (masala.com - 06/06/10)

Sanjay Dutt declared Best Comic Actor at IIFA
Colombo: Sanjay Dutt, Bollywood’s affable Munnabhai, walked away with the Best Comic Actor trophy for his rib-tickling performance in "All The Best", while Boman Irani received the Best Actor in Negative Role honour for his brilliant portrayal of an eccentric professor in "3 Idiots" at the International Indian Film Academy Awards here.... -Full Story- (manoramaonline.com - 06/06/10)

3 Idiots sweeps Indian film awards
Film wins best picture, best directing and most of the technical awards. The comedy 3 Idiots was a giant winner at the International Indian Film Awards, dubbed the Bollywood Oscars, raking in 16 of 31 awards including best picture. Bollywood is the name given to India's prolific movie industry, which is located mostly in Mumbai, although the Saturday night awards ceremony was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The blockbuster hit about the lives of three engineering students nabbed eight of the 12 technical prizes as well as best screenplay, cinematography and editing. 3 Idiots' director, Rajkumar Hirani, also took home... -Full Story- (cbc.ca - 06/06/10)

As shuttle program ends photographer stops time
CAPE CANAVERAL – At any given launch there are a number of photographers that attempt to capture the moment, to hold the power and majesty that is spaceflight. Most amateur photographers catch a blur, professionals pick up far more and then there are those that manage to actually freeze time. One of these photographers is Suresh Atapattu. His body of work shows an eye for detail and the uncanny appearance of a moment literally frozen in time.... -Full Story- (examiner.com - 06/06/10)

Ranil no longer Mr. Clean: more corrupt than Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena
H. L. D. Mahindapala
Nothing is going right for Ranil Wickremesinghe, the UNP leader who is not sure when his head would roll. The crisis within the UNP is deepening with scandals of corruption breaking out ever week. First a week-end English newspaper screamed that he is the head of a homosexual mafia of old Royalists. Party members said they had no access to the leadership and that the party was controlled by the homosexual mafia. It was a scandal, though well known, was not made public until recently. In fact when Mangala Samaraweera joined the UNP some... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—32, HOLLYWOOD IS MORE THAN A PLACE: VISITING THE ‘TINSELTOWN’ DISTRICT
By Shelton A. Gunaratne © 2010
I first visited Hollywood on 22 Dec. 1966 (a Thursday), during the West Coast tour of the World Press Institute fellows. I was impressed by the gigantic sign that spelled out HOLLYWOOD in 45-foot-tall, pure-white caps in the Hollywood Hills area of Mount Lee on Griffith Park. Although the sign is visible from most parts the city, insiders say that the view from Griffith Observatory is the best. It’s this landmark (established in 1923) that races into my mind whenever I hear or read the word Hollywood. Wow! I have not yet attained... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

Colombian is not just a city dweller; he/she is a believer, an enforcer of an unscrupulous immoral political ideology of the west
Geethanjana Kudaligamage
Rajapakse, regional politics, “Eurocentric Developmentalism” and the western hegemony (Part 8-E) Who is Colombian? Is he just a city dweller, like Londoner, Parisian or New Yorker? No, not at all!!!! He is a believer; in that sense, he is a tenant of an ideological space. Colombo is not only a geographical space, but also a diabolical ideological space, that dominating the whole nation including very lives living in remote corners of the land. That is the political space where, very often, this Colombian takes decisions to throw sand into the rice of the rural masses in the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

Indian Activist -Writer Roy's Conclusions About Sri Lanka's War Delusionary!
Insight By Suni Kumar
6th June 2010 Has Indian political activist  and writer Arundhati Roy been overcome with delusions or has she been prompted towards the malfunctioning of her perceptions with a little help from truckloads of dissentors  who cry foul on the flimsiest of pretexts against administrations trying to do their job relative to the well being of the country  with particular reference to Sri Lanka where little knowledge seems to be dangerous in her case to make comments suggesting that "The war in Sri Lanka was not just a war of the Sri Lankans against the Tamil... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

Jamie Metzl & Sharmila Silva: Sri Lanka's false Dawn
Asoka Weerasinghe King Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
6  June 2010 Editors   KHALEEJ TIMES (UAE) & The Japan Times ONLINE OPEN LETTER to Jamie Metzl, Exec Vice-President of Asia Society & Sharmila Silva( pseudonym is a leading Sri Lanka public figure) on  their article Sri Lanka’s false dawn of June 3, 2010. I was fascinated how you two articulated your piffle about Sri Lanka as if you two knew it all. Let me try to figure out whether the substance in the article would really tag you as two excellent international ‘Probing’ journalists... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

අප දෑස් ඉදිරියේ රගදෙන ඉන්දියානු ව්‍යාප්තවාදය
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
ඉන්දීයානු ව්‍යාප්තවාදය, කලකට පෙර මෙරට සිටි බොහෝ උගත් බුද්ධිමත් පිරිස් විවෘත තලයක සිට් සාකච්ඡා කරන ලද දේශපාලන මාතෘකාවකි. මෙරටට ඉන්දීය අධිරාජ්‍යවාදී බලපෑම් වැඩවසම් යුගයේදීත්, ඉන්දීය ධනේශ්වර පන්තියේ බලපෑම් ඉන්දීයාව නිදහස ලබාගත්තාට පසුවත් අඛණ්ඩවම කර ගෙන යන දේශපාලන ක්‍රියාවලියකි. මේ වන විට අතීතයේ සිදු කල ඉන්දීය ව්‍යාප්තවාදී කාර්යයන් සම්බන්ධව කථා කරමින් ඉන්නවාට වඩා, වර්තමානයේ අපට කරන බලපෑම් සම්බන්ධව සාකච්ඡා නොකර සිටීමේ සීමාව ඉක්මවා ගොස් ඇත. මෙයට අවුරුද්දකට පෙර මුලු ලොවම සලිත කරවමින් ලොවෙහි අනභිබවණීය ත්‍රස්තවාදී සංවිධානයයි පාරම් බාමින් අපට එරෙහිව මෙහෙය වූ ඒ බටහිර පිල්ලිය විනාශ කර දමා මුලු ලොවෙහිම දෑස් අප වෙත යොමු කරවා ගත් අප... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

Shakespearean Work and Common Mental Disorders
Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge  
Every normal person, in fact, is only normal on the average. His ego approximates to that of the psychotic in some part or other and to a greater or lesser extent. Sigmund Freud The eminent English poet and playwright William Shakespeare created many characters that appear to be afflicted by psychological and psychiatric disorders.  Shakespeare had an exclusive ability to grasp the dynamics of the human mind and fathom the dysfunctions of the human psyche. Indeed Shakespeare was very comprehensible in his descriptions of various psychological and psychiatric symptoms. Shakespeare’s influence on psychopathology... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO PEACE
Prem Rawat, known also by the honorary title Maharaji, has traveled the world for four decades, inspiring people to find peace within. His message is simple and profound. It is independent of and compatible with any philosophy, religion, or spiritual path. At the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, he said, “Peace needs to be in everyone’s life. The peace we are looking for is within. It is in the Heart, waiting to be felt. It is not the world that needs peace; it is people. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace.” ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

B E W A R E OF BIG B e e' S
Ranjit Wickremeratne
He was the brand manager the great BIG B Actor,Producer,Director,Businessman and Entertainer. He praised our country and our leaders when he visited our beautiful country for the first time.We welcomed him in grand style and our country and the people were very greatful to him and to the whole Bollywood cinema for bringing this great event IIFA 2010 to SRI LANKA my Motherland. We suffered 30 long years of war and now the time for our people to breath freedom freely from North to South and East to West. We Sinhalese never treated Tamils in a different way as... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 05/06/10)

Shotgun takes a potshot at Big B
Shatrughan Sinha, always known for taking digs at the IIFA, surprised many by his presence in Colombo this time. Word has it that he flew down at the last minute on the insistence of Salman Khan to fill in for Amitabh Bachchan. But that didn’t stop him from lashing out at Big B once again. “I was told Salman has suggested my name to be the next IIFA brand ambassador. I thank him, but it is for the IIFA committee to decide. It is unfortunate that Amitabh didn’t make it to Sri Lanka. He is the brand ambassador of IIFA... -Full Story- (deccanchronicle.com - 05/06/10)

Elbow China out of India-Lanka snapshot
Kamal Davar
It has been a year since the guns fell silent in the 25-year-long insurgency in Sri Lanka with the comprehensive defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the death of its megalomaniac supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran by the Sri Lankan armed forces. Importantly, a total military victory though a rarity in a full-blown insurgency, it goes to the credit of the Sri Lankan Army to have successfully terminated the civil war on its terms in the “emerald island”. Credit for this unprecedented military success must also be given to the unflagging resolute leadership exhibited by... -Full Story-
(deccanchronicle.com - 05/06/10)

Human rights hijacked by “liears, d--d liears and experts”-Part II
H. L. D. Mahindapala
Raising the issues of human rights for the sake of human rights principles, or for the sake of being champions of human rights, however laudable both may be, do not serve human rights under all circumstances. Nor does it serve the immediate and the long-term needs of protecting and preserving human rights under siege by the enemies of human rights. In short, the application of the principles of human rights is not the answer to all conditions and circumstances. For instance, Gandhi succeeded in the tolerant British political culture in India. Neither he nor his... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

CEPA – Is it a disaster ?
Ben Silva
I wish to thank Dilrook for bringing this new threat to the public domain. India is the land of our ancestors. It is the land where we got our culture, language and belief systems from and I have respect and affection to India like most Sri Lankans. However India is a large and powerful country with a growing population, expected  to exceed one billion. Indians do not appear to have a one child policy like the Chinese  do and over population in India would soon cause massive problems to all its neighbors including Sri Lanka. There will... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

‘IIFA Rocks’ on Day 1 of the Videocon IIFA Weekend
Press Release
The style quotient was high at the IIFA Fashion Extravaganza 2010 held in Colombo on Day 1 of the Videocon IIFA Fashion Extravaganza. Stars like Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu walked the ramp for India and Sri Lanka's leading designers. The first night of the Weekend, which was hosted by Viveik Oberoi and Dia Mirza was a glitzy event, with Indian and Sri Lankan fashion designers showcasing their collections. Indian designers featured were Manish Malhotra and Vikram Phadnis, while the Sri Lankan designers were Yoland and Kanchana (KT Brown).  Malaika Arora Khan walked the... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

Lessons leraned and Reconciliation
Ananda De Costa
Lesson 1 Never ever follow India in anything before thorough investigation. In early sixties Sri Lankan governing style was distinctly different from Indian style. We had proper roads, proper bus service proper schools and proper hospitals. We did not have and still do not have people using roadside as toilets. Inward looking closed economic policies taught by Indian pundits killed that order. Indian products gradually flooded our country with no apparent benefit. Then India started training Tamil Tigers in Tamil Nadu to sabotage Sri Lanka. Before anything else shouldn’t we demand a sincere apology from... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

A REPLY TO CBK -
Lanka Peiris
WAR HAS BEEN WON, BUT NOT PEACE, SAYS CBK (June 03, 2010) Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga still wants to grab credit without just fading away. 10 years in the lifespan of a country is a long time. You had all the Presidential powers that President Rajapakse has.  What did you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Basically bugger all.  The Professionals of a country are employed to do the development projects and work, but as the chief executive the President of Sri Lanka signs all such documents. At the time you sat on the documents and did not execute anything except... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

පදික වේදිකාවට කඩා වැටුන ශ්‍රී ලංකා රාජ්‍යය.
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි
මේ දිනවල පදිකවේදිකා වෙළදාම නතර කිරීමේ වෑයමක රජය නිරත වී සිටී. පදික වෙළද කඩ, කඩා දැමූ විට, ඉස්මතුවන්නේ මෙතෙක්කල් පදික වෙළද සැල්වලින් වැසී තිබූ අවසර ලත් වෙළද සැල් පද්ධතියයි. මේ වනවිට මෙම නිල අවසරලත් කඩවල පෙනුම ජරාවර්ණව ඇත්තේ මෙතෙක් කල් ඒවා ඉදිරිපිට තිබූ පදික වෙළද ප්‍රජාවගේ ජීවිතවල ගැබ්ව තිබූ දුර්වර්ණයයි. තව සති කීපයකින් මහා වැසි නිමවූ වහාම, මෙම වෙළද සැල් පද්ධතීන් වර්ණවත් තීන්ත ආලේපනයකින් නවතාවයකට පත්කල හැක. එවිට නව අග නුවරක් සේ කොළඹ දිස්වෙනු ඇත. මේ වර්ණවත් අගනුවර ගොඩනැංවීමට, යුද්ධයේදී රට ගලවා ගැනීම කලාක් මෙන්ම මෙරට පොඩි මිනිසුන් ජීවිත කැප කල යුතුමය. බඩගින්න දරා ගතහැක්කේ පොඩි... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 04/06/10)

Sri Lanka a new hotspot for India Inc
Tushar Srivastava, Hindustan Times
Sri Lanka is looking to be the next big investment destination for India Inc as the decades-long armed conflict is finally over in the island nation. India, which is already the largest source of imports (nearly 17.8 per cent), ranks among the top five investors in Sri Lanka. It was the second highest donor country — with $209.2 million (Rs 978 crore) in loans and grants — next only to Japan last year. “India’s exports to Sri Lanka in 2008-09 were $2.4 billion (Rs 11,232 crore) while imports were $356.6 million (Rs 1671 crore),” said Jyotsna... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 04/06/10)

Anupam Kher to open acting school in Sri Lanka
Veteran actor Anupam Kher today said that the Sri Lankan government has requested him to open a branch of his acting school, 'An Actor Prepares' in the country. The 55 year-old-actor, who was felicitated with the CNBC-IIFA global leadership award for his contribution to the field of art by President Mahinda Rajpaksha here at the IIFA Global Business Forum admitted, "he is in talks with the authorities on the modalities." The acting school in it's fifth year now, has an alumni list that include stars like Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Kunal Kapoor and Deepika Padukone. It has branches in Mumbai,... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 04/06/10)

Prof. Peiris takes on I/NGOs pushing partisan politics-Part 1
H. L. D. Mahindapala
After giving a free hand for the I/NGOs to play the role of subversive interlopers in the domestic affairs for decades the Sri Lankan government has at last decided to confront the foreign-funded agents in I/NGOs head-on. In Washington External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris, last week took them on and challenged their moral/political authority to dictate terms to Sri Lanka. Quite bluntly, he told them that Sri Lanka will give due consideration to Security Council and the Human Rights Commission in Geneva but not to a couple of I/NGOs. In an interview with Al... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

IIFA debacle is a forewarning not to be missed when deciding on CEPA
Ramanie de Zoysa
(The writer hoAccountantlds an Honours Degree in Economics from the University of Sri Lanka, a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University in New Zealand and is a New Zealand Chartered .) Sri Lanka, in all good faith, went all out to embrace the International Indian Film Academy (‘IIFA’) Awards event to be staged starting today in Colombo. Mega Bollywood promises of an ‘international’ gala event in the Sri Lankan capital were warmly welcomed with typical Sri Lankan exuberance- sparing no public expense. Sri Lanka evicted pavement hawkers to clear the pavements and beautify the city-... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

Beware of Men Economic Hit
Samantha Kumarasinghe
American Economist John Perkins in his book “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man” describes chilling true stories of his role in building the “American Economic Empire” by economically, socially and environmentally destroying Latin American, African, Middle Eastern and some Asian countries.  He describes Economic Hit Men (EHM) as highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars. The tools of EHM include Fraudulent Financial Reports, Rigged Elections, Payoffs, Extortion, Sex and Murder.  Although he had actually been an EHM, John Perkins was introduced to the above countries as a Leading Economist and... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

Bollywood stars hailed for ignoring call to boycott movie awards
COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's cricket captain Thursday applauded the "courage" of stars attending the annual Bollywood film awards being held this year in Sri Lanka despite a boycott call by the Tamil cinema industry. Kumar Sangakkara said the Bollywood celebrities who have already arrived in Colombo for Saturday's glitzy Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) awards had refused to bow to outside pressure. "I applaud you for your courage and commitment and standing by the ideals of IIFA," Sangakkara told reporters.... -Full Story- (vancouversun.com - 03/06/10)

Salman visits war-torn village in Lanka
Bollywood star Salman Khan accompanied by Sri Lankan beauty queen Jacqueline Fernandez visited a project site in Sri Lanka where homes for the people displaced by the three-decade long civil war would be built. The 43-year-old actor, who is participating in the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend said, “Many people lost their lives or have been displaced due to war, and constructing 100 homes is a commendable and a good start.”... -Full Story- (Deccan Herald - 03/06/10)

Sri Lanka: Canada's statement at UN's HRC, 31 May 2010
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 Cnada
June 3, 2010 Hon. Stephen Harper, PC., MP Prime Minister of  Canada House of Commons  Ottawa, Ontario cc: Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs;   Hon. Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; Hon. Bev Oda, Minister for International Cooperation; Hon. Jim Abbott, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation Dear Prime Minister: The Interactive dialogue  in reference to Sri Lanka by the Canadian representative with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights during the Human Rights Council Session on May 31, 2010, had... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

Sri Lanka - Renewed Call for Investigations
Ira de Silva London,  Canada
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 17:56:29 -0400 Ms. Navanetham Pillay United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights  Geneva, Switzerland   CC: UN Secretary General    Dear Madam:   I note that you have renewed your call of investigations into alleged war crimes committed during the last stages of Sri Lanka's conflict with Tamil terrorists, namely the LTTE. I presume that this renewed call is because it is the anniversary of the death of Velu Pillai Prabhakaran, a fellow Tamil also named Pillai who probably was your hero and you are once again seeking revenge at... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

Reply to Ann Abayasekara
Ratanapala
3 Jun 2010 Ann is  a person who lives in Sri Lanka but is completely alienated with the ordinary Sri Lankan. Her thinking is foreign as her first name and probably the faith she professes to. She has to go half way around the world to Gettysburg in USA to find her example. She is fond of using foreign metaphors completely out of context to find answers to the treatment of the LTTE war dead. She has to quote Abraham Lincoln because her audience is as alienated from the land they live as Ann is and can only... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

WAR AGAINST PAKISTANI NUKES
ALI SUKHANVER
The writer is a Pakistan based bilingual analyst on defense and strategic affairs. In the streets of Pakistan it is very easy to find a lot of youngsters saying, “If war is the last option, we must go for it”. The hatred and disliking for the USA in Pakistan is growing like a wild fire. Most of the people are of the opinion that it is none but the USA behind all the problems the people of Pakistan have been facing for the last many years. Increasing terrorist activities multiplied by all time growing number of drone... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

Indian Film Fraternity gears up for the biggest IIFA Weekend & Awards yet ,Mega film stars, Sri Lanka Cricket Team participate in cricket for charity
Press Release
Celebrating the start of its second glorious decade, the International Indian Film Academy is set to write its grandest chapter yet. The Videocon IIFA Weekend to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from 3rd-5th June, 2010 is slated to be a spectacular weekend with India’s biggest cinema stars in action.  IIFA 2010 will host the IIFA Foundation Celebrity Cricket Match, in support of UNICEF’s ‘Cricket for Children’ project, to be played between India’s top cinema stars and Sri Lankan cricketers. Mandira Bedi, Chunky Pandey and Javed Jaffrey will host the match. Set to face-off are team captains... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 03/06/10)

The GSP Plus Fiasco: Are We That Helpless?
By Garvin Karunaratne, Ph.D.(Michigan State University)
It is reported that finally the European Union(EU) has rejected our overtures and has decided to withhold granting the GSP Concessions to Sri Lanka. In fact a writer in the Sunday Island has even gone to the extent of stating that the Government should enlist the services of Ranil Wickremasinghe to lead a delegation to lick the boots of the EU.   It is said that the EU was actually hoping that the United National Party(UNP) would be victorious at the elections and that the Government should lick the boots of Ranil Wickremasinghe,... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

Navi Pillay: You still want a pound of flesh off Sri Lanka
Asoka Weerasinghe Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
June 1, 2010 Ms. Navi Pillay UN High Commissioner for  Human Rights Geneva, Switzerland Cc: Ban ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the UN, New York, US  Dear Navi Pillay: Just read that you are still trying to get a pound of flesh off Sri Lanka requesting that Sri Lanka allow an international probe into the government’s final offensive against the Tamil Tiger terrorists last year. Come on Navi, are you trying to tell us that you are suffering from Alzheimers with a partial memory loss.  You seem to be... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

Let No Presumptious Negative Journalism Hamper The Progress Of The Present Administration!
Lankaweb Weekly Editorial
June 1st 2010 There is a common assent amongst many discerning analysts within and without Sri lanka that presumptious journalism hinged to paranoia is an impediment to any administration whether past or present and a distraction towards the smooth functioning of administrative direction and many are these types who continue in this very manner  in post insurgent Sri Lanka regardless of the Policies the Administration has chosen to set in place in the best interests of the nation.   It seems somewhat of an overkill by some who dare to comment in journalistic guise against the aspirations for... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

SLBC event highlights investment opportunities in Sri Lanka
PR Log (Press Release)
The Sri Lanka Business Council (Dubai & Northern Emirates) hosted a successful dinner and networking event last week to discuss investment opportunities and to welcome Mr. Sarath Wijesinghe, Sri Lanka’s newly appointed ambassador to the UAE. Jun 01, 2010 – The Sri Lanka Business Council (Dubai & Northern Emirates) hosted a successful dinner and networking event last week to discuss investment opportunities and to welcome Mr. Sarath Wijesinghe, Sri Lanka’s newly appointed ambassador to the UAE.. The event, attended by the country’s top Sri Lankan businessmen and professionals, highlighted the growing trade between the UAE... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මහා මණ්ඩලයේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සලයේ නායිකා නවීන් පිල්ලේ නාටකය 1
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලයේ නායිකා නවීන් පිල්ලෙයි මහත්මිය, ඇයගේ දේශපාලන රංගනය නැවත වරක් කරලියට දමා තිබේ. සත්‍ය වශයෙන්ම මෙය ඇයගේ උවමනාවට හෝ එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මහා ලේකම් වන බංකී මූන් මහතාගේ අවශ්‍යතාවය මත සිදුවන්නක් නොවන බව අප මැනවින්ම දනිමු. මේ පදවි ලබා ගන්නන් වැඩ කල යුත්තේ එම පදවි පිරිනමන්නන්ගේ අවශ්‍යතාවයන් සැපිරීම සදහා වන අතර, එම දෙපල තම හාම්පුතුන්ගේ ඕනෑ එපා කම් අවශ්‍ය ප්‍රමාණයටත් වඩා සපුරමින් සිටී. මෙම මානව හිමිකම් රංගන ශිල්පිනිය වන නවීන් පිල්ලේ මහත්මිය හා බැදුන වටපිටාව සම්බන්ධව හා එහි ඇති මානව හිමිකම් සම්බන්ධව කථා කිරීමට ඇත්තේ අසීමිත කථාන්දරයක් බැවින් අප එම කථාන්දරය දිග හැරීම... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

Future Education Policy Must Follow Economic Realities Not Sympathy
Dilrook Kannangara
Everyone has a right to education, as it is a globally accepted fundamental right. However, there is no such accepted fundamental right to free education at tertiary level. This clearly spells out the path government should take. Opening up private universities and other higher education institutions is necessary because taxpayers can only finance the higher education needs of 1%-2% of Sri Lankans and the remaining 98%-99% have a right to educate themselves. Even richer governments like Australia, USA, etc. do not spend on university education that is completely free of charge. Students of free university education... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

Singapore Changi Airport Tax Free Scam
Prof. Hudson McLean
Singapore Changi Airport Tax Free Scam I travel frequently to Singapore on business and except to buy my three bottles of Chivas Regal, I spend my time in the Business Class Lounge. Several times, I have cruised passed some of the "Tax Free?" shops in the glorious Changi Airport.  The prices are over 50-120% higher than in the City of Singapore. This is an arrogant "SCAM" at the Changi Airport. Although the Business Class Lounge offers a wide range of drinks the cuisine is very basic compared with the Thai BKK Airport Business Class Lounges. Even... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

In appreciation of T.Gamani Perera -Mr. T. Gamini Perera who protected the just rights of the Sinhala Buddhist majority.
Lt Col (Retd) Anil Amarasekera.
Mr. T. Gamini Perera known to many as TG, died one month ago, leaving behind a void that is much felt by those in this country who are working with much dedication to protect and preserve the unity and territorial integrity of our nation and also its Sinhala Buddhist heritage for posterity. Efforts Gamini took to protect the rights of Sinhala Buddhist majority while being a member of Success Colombo, the Dharmavijaya Foundation and many other Buddhist and national minded organizations is well known to many. India, the birth place of the Buddha is... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 02/06/10)

The Travels of a Journalist—31, GREATER L.A. OFFERS MANY OFFBEAT ATTRACTIONS EN ROUTE TO CAMPING IN SAN GABRIEL WILDERNESS
By Shelton A. Gunaratne © 2010
 Those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of sprawling Greater Los Angeles from time to time can do so by retreating to the Chilao Campground in the Angeles National Forest, an open space of 1,000 square miles, lying amidst the San Gabriel Mountains. The campground, located along the 66-mile-long Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2), is just 40 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles (or about 70 miles north of Fullerton, where we lived in 1983). Having had the experience of two long-durée camping trips in July and August, we—my 3-year-old son... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

Sri Lanka must act against traitors
George Rupesinghe
Anne Abayasekara, writing in The Island (19 May) posed the question, "Is it necessary to demonise the enemy?" in response to Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse's statement that "anyone seeking to undermine Sri Lanka’s sovereignty should be regarded as a traitor... and traitors deserved capital punishment." Mrs Abayasekara, no doubt, is driven by a strong sense of magnanimity and charity that is, sadly, misplaced in the harsh realities and machinations of the Tamil diaspora challenging Sri Lanka now. The LTTE military may have been vanquished on the battlefields but its supporters and sympathisers are very... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

Tamil racism in UN ?
Ben Silva
Attention of Mr Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General, UN Dear Sir, Tamil racism  in UN ?       Ben Silva Ms Pillay previously behaved like a Tamil tigress from the way she was apathetic to LTTE and aggressive towards Sri Lanka. It has to be pointed out that Ms Pillai, is a Tamil, with even a name that sounds like the terrorist leader Velu Pillai. In fact the manner in which she is hounding GOSL, with added vigor, for liberating Sri Lanka from the misery of Tamil racist terrorism, indicate that she is now behaving like a racist  bitch.  I... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

Tigers out, hyenas in
Editorial Courtesy The Island 02 June 2010
When western colonial powers descended on the Global South centuries ago brandishing as they did sabres and flintlocks, they were accompanied by phalanxes of 'priests', who justified their brutal conquests and the attendant savagery as well as ruthless exploitation of human and physical resources. But, today, neocolonialists are employing far more sophisticated methods to achieve the same results. They no longer resort to naked military aggression unless they are really desperate to secure cheap oil and mineral supplies or to remove an imminent threat to their interests. Instead, they craftily use suave envoys... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

ICG REPORT: The LYING GAME
By: Gomin Dayasri
International Crisis Group (ICG) is preparing an expert report calling for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka. To give credibility to itself, there will also be a vague finding against the LTTE. With the LTTE ceasing to exist - such an adverse finding would cause no impact on a defunct LTTE. ICG naming them too as a guilty party- will be a mere eyewash. It is the backroom boys at the ICG that are playing the role of scripting the ghost report to discredit the Defense Forces of Sri Lanka. Why does... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

It is India that must be grateful to Sri Lanka
Shenali Waduge
It was the nationalist thrust with a clear message that Sri Lanka wanted thirty years of terror to end that galvanized & provided courage to the Government of Sri Lanka to firmly commit itself towards the military defeat of the LTTE. It is this same nationalist thrust that is now gathering momentum to ensure that Sri Lanka’s sovereignty is not ridiculed & humiliated & solutions to Sri Lanka’s problems are solved internally & not according to any dictates by any foreign nation.  The eyes on Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s geographical presence has been the major reason or... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

AN EXHIBITION OF BUDDHIST PAINTINGS FOUND IN VIHARAS ACROSS THE COUNTRY – May 28th to June 05t 2010
At the Gangaramaya Viharaya,  Hunupitiya, Colombo 
The Office of the President of Sri Lanka and the Gangaramaya Viharaya of Hunupitiya Colombo is presenting jointly "A Visual Feast for Vesak" in the form of a comprehensive exhibition of Vihara painting found in selected vihares across the country. The photo images are those of Dr. Daya Hewapathirane and Dr. Sesath Hewapathirane.  Found in thousands of Buddhist temples all over the country, Buddhist paintings reflect a wonderful integration of aesthetics and spirituality. The photographic work presented at this exhibition is the result of in-depth study of ancient paintings produced on... -Full Story-
(LankaWeb - 01/06/10)

Sri Lankan foreign minister denounces UN rights chief
By Charles Haviland... -Full Story- (BBC - 01/06/10)

Sleepless in Sri Lanka
Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Last week, President Mahinda Rajapaksa completed 40 years in politics. But all the experience and diplomatic acumen collected over four decades could not prevent him from losing his cool in an interview, also held last week, to the Al Jazeera television channel. "You don’t ask that from the Americans! You don’t go and ask that of the British about Iraq, or Afghanistan or what is happening in Pakistan? Be fair with us…be fair with us… don’t treat Sri Lanka like this because we defeated terrorism," Rajapaksa said when asked uncomfortable questions on human rights violations.... -Full Story-
(Hindustan Times - 01/06/10)

VIEW: The Second Amendment —Yasser Latif Hamdani
The Second Amendment laid the foundations of intolerance and religious tyranny in Pakistan, which has manifested itself in other ways. Since then our state has been in a downward spiral The violence against the Ahmediyya community underscores the bigotry that has become the hallmark of our beloved homeland. A community — already sacrificed at the altar of political expediency — has now been made to pay the ultimate price.... -Full Story- (dailytimes.com.pk - 01/06/10)


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