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‌“We see only Muslim villages have been developed. but not the Tamil villages. The only way for Catholic and Hindu villages to get developed is to vote for Gota.” Namal Rajapaksa in Mannar. “We have to act against Muslims. We Tamil youth have to think and act.” – leaflet by Kiran youth front for SLPP. […]

Image: Sri Lanka’s elections chief Mahinda Deshapriya displays ballot boxes that will be used in the upcoming presidential election in Colombo, Sri Lanka on Thursday, October 31, 2019. The voting is scheduled to be held on November 16.  © 2019 AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena. (New York) – The winner of Sri Lanka’s presidential election on November 16, 2019 will face enormous challenges to […]

 The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) urges Tamil people from the North-East and throughout Sri Lanka to freely exercise their franchise at the November 16 Presidential Election, giving careful consideration to the political formations and agendas of the major contenders.  After playing a decisive role in the political change of 2015 and experiencing disappointments on the […]

I condemn in the strongest possible terms your desperate attempt to drag the Venerable Mahanayake Theras of the Three Nikayas into your fearmongering election campaign. On Wednesday, you publicly appealed to these Venerable Prelates to inject themselves into a political debate on your behalf by manipulating and misrepresenting the letter and spirit of my election […]

Image: Minister Rajitha Senaratne with the ‘White Van’ drivers at the press conference yesterday.Picture by Kelum Liyanage. The Government will begin investigations into the rest of the murders and abductions committed during the Rajapaksa era after its affirmation in power on November 17, Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday. The […]

Image: “Also, there is no meaning when politicians and the top-level officials of related to the fisheries sector are using their power and misusing the law. If so, what is the use of our Fisheries Assembly, Fisheries Committee ?” they added.. “We do not know to do any other jobs. We are the traditional fishers and Fishers who are engaging […]

Who is winning? This seems to be the question many people these days are keen to find an answer to. Whenever this question is put to me, my usual answer is one that disappoints the interlocutor: “It is difficult to say. But I can tell you a little bit about what I speculate as the […]

“We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men.” George Orwell. (The Adelphi – January 1939) “The first duty of the Memory Police was to ensure disappearances,” writes Japanese author Yoko Ogawa in her tale of an island where things disappear, and disappeared things cease […]

On 21 September 2019, in accordance with the Constitution, the Election Commission issued media guidelines to ensure a free and fair presidential election.3 These guidelines were issued under article 104B(5)(a) which was introduced through the 17th amendment to the Constitution.4 The guidelines encompass a wide range of responsibilities and duties that the media has with respect to […]

Image: Fishing boats docked at Negambo habour: Fisheries exports was  doubled in the first year since the removal of the fish ban and granting of GSP+  © Sunanda Deshapriya. Following the granting of GSP+, Sri Lanka’s exports to the EU have increased more than 20%, according to the EU. Notable growth sectors of this economic development […]

The winner of Sri Lanka’s upcoming presidential elections could change the nature of India’s relationship with its neighbour. India’s Buddhist neighbours, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, are preparing for fresh elections in the coming months. While Sri Lanka’s presidential elections are just around the corner, Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi is preparing to face the electorate […]

Edited image: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, leaving a campaign rally this week, is running for president in the Nov. 16 election. DINUKA LIYANAWATTE/REUTERS. The Rajapaksa family’s prior rule was stained by allegations of human-rights violations and corruption, sparking worries in Western capitals. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—A controversial political dynasty that made Sri Lanka a centerpiece of China’s efforts to expand its […]

Presidential Election – 16th November 2019. An Election for a President to be democratically elected for Sri Lanka is due to be held on 16th November 2019. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) -The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) as the party with the third largest number of seats in Parliament desires to state its position, […]

7 November 2019, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is releasing a letter sent to Mr Senura Abeywardene, the Country Representative for Sri Lanka at Facebook, on 30 September 2019, with specific asks around ads oversight in relation to the 2019 Presidential Election. Download the letter as a PDF here. It is also reproduced […]

Implementation of Committee Recommendations providing relief to Media Persons who were subjected to harassment and persecution during 2005 to 2015 Period. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by H. E. the President upon the request of Non-Cabinet Minister of Mass Media to compensate 78 journalists who were subjected to harassment and persecution during […]

Sandya Ekneligoda, wife of the missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, yesterday lodged a complaint with the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) with regard to a statement made by SLPP Presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa on an election campaign stage in Anuradhapura. “Gotabaya Rajapaksa on October 10 said that he will release intelligence […]

Attorney General Dappula de Livera PC has filed indictments in the High Court against seven army intelligence officers in connection with the abduction of journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda. The Co-ordinating Officer to the Attorney General, State Counsel Ms. Nishara Jayaratne told news media that the Attorney General has already filed indictments in the Homagama High Court […]

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on Sri Lanka’s presidential candidates to give firm pledges to respect press freedom after a media owner threatened and then fired a radio news editor for refusing to broadcast fabricated and biased information, in an incident that speaks volumes about intimidation of journalists in Sri Lanka. “He shouted at me, […]

In Brief What is MCC? It is an independent development organization, like USAID, funded by US Taxpayer dollars. Is MCC a grant or a loan? A Grant. Not a loan. Is it connected to SOFA and ACSA military agreements? No connection to ACSA or SOFA. No military connection what-so-ever. MCC has signed 37 grant agreements up to date in 30 different […]

Former MP Sajin Vaas Gunawardena today said he had lodged a police complaint saying that Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa had told another SLPP MP that Sajin and his family will be killed if he continued to support the New Democratic Front (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa in the presidential election. Speaking at a media briefing, […]

Image: Sajith Premadasa. The election manifesto of Sajith Premadasa was released last week and it is interesting to analyse it with the same criteria that was used by me to evaluate the manifesto of Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week. What’s good The most eye-catching aspect of the manifesto could be the concessions offered to small enterprises. […]

Many of us were hoping for a new dawn in 2015. The hope for a ‘Yahapalanaya’ Government now leaves ashes in the mouth of many people. It is true they brought us back our freedom and strengthened independent institutions but they failed fundamentally in convincing people that democracy and freedom should be the pillars of […]

The TNA has decided to support New Democratic Party (NDF) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa. The decision was announced by TNA MP and spokesman M.A. Sumanthiran in Vavuniya yesterday. Sumanthiran said the TNA had made the decision not on the basis of Premadasa’s response to the demands made by the TNA but in view of the […]

Image: Peter Ilancheliyan. Peter Ilancheliyan, a prominent member of ITAK’s youth wing and son of the late former deputy chair of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Anthony Jeyanathan, is the fourth Mullaitivu-based individual to be summoned for questioning in recent weeks. Journalist Shanmugam Thavaseelan, former NPC member A Puvaneswaran, and vice chair of the Puthukudiyiruppu […]

A Batticaloa based journalist for Vasantham TV was admitted into hospital on Friday, after being attacked by a group of unknown persons. Mohamed Saji of Kattankudy was reportedly on his way to his office on Friday, when he was assaulted. Saji told police that the attackers also warned that Irfan Mohamed, the manager of Vasantham […]

Image: EC Mahinda Deshapriya. Sri Lanka’s election commission chief on Sunday backed down from plans to censor a state-owned TV station following criticism that his actions were supporting the main opposition candidate at this month’s presidential polls. In a surprise move, commission chairman Mahinda Deshapriya had banned any political programing on the Independent Television Network […]

Image: Three weeks of non-stop demonstrations demand jobs (unemployment is 35%), an end to corruption and resignation of the Lebanon government are ongoing. At no time since 1848 in Europe has unrest, rebellion, street fighting and mob rule erupted as much as in 2019. This time it is worldwide – South America, Africa, the Middle East, […]

Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya yesterday banned state-owned ITN from telecasting any politically-oriented program after accusing it of broadcasting an interview which he said was unfavourable to opposition candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The sweeping censorship of the state television broadcaster also caused a rift within the independent commission. One of the three members said there had […]

Image: UNP Prime Minister (Ranil Wickremesinghe) and his inner coterie had not robbed the Central Bank of Sri Lanka … As Sri Lanka’s Presidential election counts down to a tense culmination in two weeks, let us have the comfort of imagining in a parallel and more hopeful universe, that following the crushing defeat of the Rajapaksas […]

Sajith Premadasa hasn’t killed anyone, he’s a Sri Lankan citizen and he has political experience, so he has my vote by default. That’s how low the bar is, and gives you a sense of his main opponent. I’m happy to vote for him because he’s young, he’s pro-poor, and he has good people around him. […]