rule of law

05 July 2011/By Sandun A. JayasekeraThe law and democratic principles sometimes hamper development but a pinch of dictatorship can expedite the expected target at the expected time as witnessed in many Asian Tiger countries, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.Minister de Silva was on an inspection tour of the ‘Deduru […]

• Former captain uses MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture for speech• ‘Players became involved in power games within the board’  Kumar Sangakkara has chosen the MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture to launch a scathing attack on the endless political power-struggles that bedevil Sri Lanka Cricket and to reflect upon the heavy responsibilities on Sri Lankan […]

 By Namini WijedasaPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa last week categorically told newspaper editors that a law to protect the people’s right to information was unnecessary. He said instead that he could ensure access to information excluding what was covered by the Official Secrecy Act and national security. If a journalist lodged a request, the president said, he […]

04 July 2011 The Ministry of Defence has lifted the travel restrictions on foreign passport holders to visit north from today. This restriction had also affected many former Sri Lankans who have obtained citizenship in other countries when they visit north.According to Military Liaison Officer Officials, foreign pass port holders are no longer required to […]

Gurusinghage Priyantha alias Neluwe Priyantha a criminal allegedly involved in a number of crimes died when the police task force opened fire on him this morning.During the interrogation of him , it has come to light that a cache of arms are hidden in the Sooriyakande district. It is reported that when he police went […]

by Basil FernandoIn my earlier short essay titled Replacing investigations with gossip, I tried to point to the absence of outrage against forced disappearances in Sri Lanka, which I ended by saying that there must be some cultural for such an attitude. In this second short essay I venture to look into what that cultural […]

The country today desperately needs a vigorous civil society that will stand up and speak up for the preservation of our democratic freedoms. These freedoms include not only the freedom of speech and association and equality before the law but also economic and social freedoms as the right to work, to an adequate livelihood and […]

Northern and Eastern divisions relatively better, though B’caloa remains major trouble spot July 3, 2011/ By Shamindra FerdinandoIn the post-war era, Batticaloa police division has logged the highest number of incidents among the Northern and Eastern divisions for two consecutive years.Police sources told The Island that in spite of dawn of peace Batticaloa division remained […]

By Kishali Pinto JayawardeneIn terms of democratic freedoms, are Sri Lankans worse off now than they were before the war ended?This is perhaps a most crucial question in the current post war phrase. When the danger of oneself or one’s loved ones being blown to bits on any given day is no longer a threat, […]

The next day (last) Sunday morning, his blood-drenched body was hanging from a goal post in a playground in Putur, just two kilometres from his home. It bore torture marks. The nails of fingers in both hands had been plucked out, Jaffna Judicial Medical Officer (JMO), Dr. S. Sivaruban, testified at the post-mortem inquiry. He […]

 Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa when addressing the media briefing yesterday reveal the cabinet decisions to the media , said, the Govt. has decided that the telecasting rights regarding the Sri Lanka (SL) cricket tournaments where the SL team is participating , shall be given exclusively to the State media . However he added that private […]

 Commanding chief of the East Major General Boniface Perera at a special media briefing held yesterday at Deavar Hall, Batticaloa referring to yesterday’s Bank heist at Batticaloa said , this robbery is not only a threat to the security not only of Batticaloa , but of the entire Island.‘After one and half years , looting […]

1 July 2011/wswsDespite disruptive actions by the military and the police in the military-occupied city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, workers, youth and housewives participated in a well-attended June 19 public meeting organised by the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) on “The Middle East upheavals and the theory of the permanent revolution.”Two days before the […]

Sivaram was abducted in Colombo in April 2005 and his body was found dumped in a HSZ, a day laterA court in Sri Lanka has set the dates for the trial of the abduction and murder of a senior Tamil journalist.The Colombo High Court has decided to proceed with the trial on the murder of […]

01 July 2011 Certain armed elements are hiding behind political parties in the Eastern Province and we will take steps to disarm them, Eastern Commander Major General Boniface Perera saidHe expressed these views at a meeting held between General Mangers and Political party representatives of the eastern province in the aftermath of the recent Batticaloa […]

Parents of disappeared Tamil youth staged a protest before the Fort Railway station last evening urging the authorities to release details of the political prisoners while urging their release. Seen in the pictures are the tearful parents holding photographs of their missing children and placards depicting details of them.for more photos: DM

Too often, the argument is made that one should not speak out for fear of consequences. But this is a weak defence. Instead, the truth is rather that one does not speak out because it is inconvenient to do so, either professionally or personally. (Keynote address delivered at the annual general meeting (agm) of the […]

After two and a half years, no suspects yet The investigation into the murder of the founding editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper, Lasantha Wickrematunge, has been unable to find a murder suspect even two and a half years after investigations into the incident since the main aim of the investigation is to blame former […]

President should not be making comments without being properly informed about the current situation. 30 June 2011/ By Lakna ParanamannaThe Federation of University Teachers Association (FUTA) yesterday charged that it was unfortunate for the President to be unaware of the academics’ real demands.While responding to a statement, allegedly made by President Rajapaksa claiming that he […]

By Ranga JayasuriyaThe government on Tuesday (23td June) turned down an opposition request to table the report of the presidential commission, which probed allegations of corruption and irregularities in the procurement of high value military supplies for the security forces.Chief Government Whip and Minister Dinesh Gunawardene told the House that the report of the presidential […]

Sutirtho Patranobis, June 28, 2011 A two-thirds majority in a 225-member Parliament usually means that in the last election the people overwhelmingly voted for the current government. But does that mean that citizens have abdicated the right to ask questions? Or, even better, have handed over the right to control their thoughts to thegovernment?Last week, […]

Sri Lanka says Parliament Committee on political solution will strengthen Parliament-28 June 2011Sri Lankan President said that the appointing of a Parliamentary Select Committee to find a permanent political solution to the ethnic problem was by no means a delaying tactic, but one that sought to obtain the concurrence of Parliament for any decision made, […]

Statement by Sri Lankan Civil Society Activists 27th June 2011 On 25th June 2011 we marked 500 days since the disappearance of Mr. Pattani Razeek, a Sri Lankan Human Rights Defender, Managing Trustee of the Community Trust Fund (CTF) in Puttalam and Executive Committee Member of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUMASIA). […]

The 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report released by the United States stated that Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking the country but is making significant efforts to do so.The report said Sri Lanka is primarily a source and to a much lesser extent, a destination […]

A 30-year-old male who had recently returned to Jaffna, after staying in south for 2 years, was found beaten and hanged to death Sunday morning at a playground in Achchuveali Thoappu in Valikaamam East, 20 km northeast of Jaffna city. The victim, Balachandran Satkunanathan, had sought refuge in South after he had been harassed by […]

26 June 2011,  by Sumanasiri Liyanage TNA67b Both print and electronic media in Sri Lanka and abroad have reported that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) party meeting held in Jaffna was attacked by an armed group in uniforms on Thursday 16 June. It was also reported that a number of TNA parliamentarians were present at […]

A succinct account of how India got caught in a cleft stick during the regime of Lankan President Premadasa who continued to engage in a deadly game of political brinkmanshipBy Lakhan Mehrotra.Reviewed by SJS ChhatwalA former High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka, the author comprehensively deals with the unfortunate discrimination against Tamils in Sri […]

  16 June 2011  The discrimination faced by the Northern Muslims have become an unending story. The governments’ neglect against minorities in this country is once again rearing its ugly head as Northern Muslims are denied of their voting rights. The LTTE’s oppression against the innocent people was elevated to an entire new level when […]

25 June 2011 / BY Tisaranee Gunasekara“This disposition to admire, and almost worship, the rich and the powerful, and to despise, or at least, to neglect, persons of poor and mean condition…is the great and most universal cause of corruption of our moral sentiments.” – Adam Smith (The Theory of Moral Sentiments)Bucket-lavatories are unheard of […]

    Long-delayed Freedom of Information Bill defeated in parliament, chink in Rajapaksa regime’s armour exposed     Bill would have strengthened democracy amidst allegations of oppression and human rights violationsBy Sunday Times Political Editor Weeks ago, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkoddy was in the chair at a party leaders’ meeting that discussed Parliamentary business in the days […]