Issue_1186

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Glyphosate(herbicide) banned in four districtsin view of fast spreading kidney disease

Don Asoka Wijewardena(Island) - In a bid to prevent farmers fromharmful effects of agrochemicals, thegovernment has banned the use ofglyphosate in four districts with immediateeffect.Agriculture Minister Mahinda YapaAbeywardena told The Island that thegovernment had decided to ban the useof glyphosate in Anuradhapura,Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Monaragalaand part of the Badulla as many farmerswere contracting chronic kidney diseaseat an alarming rate in those areas.The gazette notification announcing theban had been issued and farmers in the

aforesaid districts must not useglyphosate, the minister said.Minister Abeywardena pointed out thatmany agricultural experts in severaldiscussions had pointed out the countryseconomy would collapse if glyphosatewas banned, but the loss of a life couldnot be measured in terms of money. TheDirector General Agriculture andAdditional Secretary to the AgricultureMinistry D. Wijeratne had decided to banglyphosate in four districts where paddyfarmers used the chemical to prepareland.Research conducted by the Rajarata

University on CKD has blamed the use ofglyphosate for the wide spread of thedisease.Director of the National Project for thePrevention of Kidney Disease Dr. ChannaJayasumana, contacted for comment,said that the banning of glyphosate was afar-sighted commitment of thegovernment. For, about 70,000 people ineight districts had developed chronic renalfailure due to the use of glyphosate.Glyphosate could cause renal failure aswell as birth defects in humans. Theresearch was carried out by the RajarataUniversity with the assistance of the

California State University.Dr. Jayasumana added that people ineight districts except the Westernprovince had developed CKD at analarming rate. Most families in thosedistricts had lost their breadwinners, hesaid.The Director General Agriculture Dr.Rohan Wijekoon, contacted for comment,said that the Rajarata Research team ledby Dr. Channa Jayasumana and theCalifornia State University had carried outa comprehensive research on CKD anddetermined that the use of glyphosatewas responsible CKD among farmers.

The Floating Market at Bastian Mawatha, Pettah was officially declared opened on Monday

1st Floating market in Sri LankaWigneswaran seeksTreasury approval for CMs fund

By Chris Kamalendran(Sunday Times) - The NorthernProvincial Council has soughtTreasury approval to operate a ChiefMinisters Fund despite objectionsby the Governor, a spokesman forthe Chief Ministers office said. The

Council had granted approval for theestablishment of the fund whichhopes to attract aid from foreigndonors and well-wishers. Similarfunds have been set up in threeprovincial councils the Southern,

Sabaragamuwaand the UvaPcs.The proposalwas sent forendorsement bythe Governor,Major General(Retd) G.A.Chandrasiri, buthe turned itdown on thebasis that a ...CONT P14

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(asianmirror.lk) Sadeva Dharmadasa and AvendraDharmadasa - two sons of Managing Director ofLanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS)Arjun Dharmadasa died in a fatalroad accident near the KosgamaMiriswatta railway station.The two brothers were on the wayhome after a birthday celebration inAhaliyagoda and their jeep hadcollided head-on with a private busaround 3.30 am on August 23.The driver of the bus has beentaken into police custody in connection with theaccident. Police told media that the two brotherswere rushed to the Awissawella Base Hospital. The

police added that Sadeva Dharmadasa, the elderbrother, had died on the spot and AvendraDharmadasa succumbed to his injuries a after being

admitted to the hospital.The deceased Sadeva UdayaEllawala Dharmadasa and AvendraChaminda Ellawala Dharmadasawere residents of Bambalapitiya.Sadeva Dharmadasa was a Directorof a private company and theyounger brother AvendraDharmadasa was studying at a

Malaysian University. They were known to beprominent Rugby players representing St. ThomasCollege, Mount Lavinia.

Business Leader Arjun DharmadasasTwo Sons Killed In Road Accident

(dailynews.lk) High potential fordevelopment as recreational and eco-tourism centresNew lagoons will be created bydeveloping 18 lagoons in the countrywithout harming the biodiversity of thelagoons, but by eliminating unauthorizedstructures and building the lagoonsoutward. A large number of lagoonsspecially in the North and East possess avery high potential for development asrecreational and ecotourism centres.The development work on the newlagoons is expected to be completedbefore the end of year 2015.Development work in lagoons in

Negombo, Rekawa, Koggola Urani andNaraduwa is expected to be completedbefore years end. The lagoons in Kokilai,Maduwa, Thalan, Lanka Patuna,Batticaloa, Chulanthai, Nagaru,Chilaw, Chilai and Nandaikadalare expected to be completed by2015.Development Work of theNegombo Lagoon has alreadycommenced and official sourcesin the Fisheries and AquaticResources Development said thatNegombo Lagoon developmentgot off the ground with theparticipation of Fisheries and

Aquatic Resources Development DeputyMinister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne.

BY MIRUDHULA THAMBIAH(ceylontoday.lk) Over 40 persons are admitted tothe Jaffna Teaching Hospital a day mainly due tostray dog bites, said Deputy Director of thehospital, Dr. Sanmuganathan Sribavananthan.He said the rising number of rabies cases have ledthe hospital authorities to open a separate unit forit since last Friday (22 August)."We used to treat dog bite victims at the accidentservice unit, but the number of dog bite cases perday has increased to 40. The accident service firsttreats those who are injured by accidents.Therefore as there is a delay in treating the dogbite patients a separate unit was opened," he said.The dog bites increased as the extermination of

stray dogs has been prohibited by the MahindaChinthanaya Programme, Sribavananthan said.Thereby, the number of stray dogs has increasedin the Jaffna District."We ask the patients whether they were bitten by apet dog or a stray dog. If it is a stray dog specialtreatment should be given along with tetanusvaccinations", he said.Dr. Sribavananthan said the Jaffna Municipalityand the Veterinary Department are taking action tosterilize the dogs apart from vaccinating them tocurb the increasing number of rabid cases.He also added not only the Jaffna District but alsothe other districts have recorded an increase incases of rabies.

(dailymirror.lk) A Sri Lankan man who arrived inNew Zealand using fake documents has beenarrested for a murder in Switzerland more than 13years ago. The 42-year-old man from the centralAuckland suburb of Grey Lynn is wanted inSwitzerland over the death of his former partner,23-year-old Kavitha Kandiah, in the Swiss city ofBasel on December 13, 2000.Police have been working with Swiss authorities

since late 2011 on apprehending the man sincediscovering he lived in Auckland.The man, a small business operator, will appear inAuckland District Court on Tuesday.He arrived in New Zealand in February 2001 usingfalse ID and travel documents, and was grantedNew Zealand citizenship in 2004.New Zealand has no extradition arrangement withSwitzerland, where the arrested man lived from

1990 to late 2000.(Yahoo News)

18 BRAND NEW LAGOONS!

Rabies on the rise in Jaffna

Lankan arrested for a Swiss murder

The Missing Persons Commission is to conduct itsnext public sitting in the Kilinochchi district nextmonth, a spokesman of the Commission saidtoday.Commission spokesman H.W. Gunadasa said thatthe sittings will take place from betweenSeptember 18 to the 22nd, the second time publicsittings are being held in the area this year.Public sittings were earlier held in the Kilinochchi

District from 18th January to 21st January thisyear. Gunadasa said that newly receivedcomplaints will be looked into during the sittingsnext month and public statements will be recordedduring this period.So far the Commission has received 14,471complaints from families of civilians reportedmissing and 5,000 complaints on security forcesmembers reported missing. (Colombo Gazette)

Probe on missing back to Kilinochchi

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(colombogazette.com) In his trip to Sri Lanka, thatwill take place between the 13th and the 15th ofJanuary 2015, before proceeding to the Philippines,Pope Francis will visit the Shrine of Our Lady ofMadhu and will thus be the first Pope in history toset foot in a territory where most inhabitants areTamil. Francis chooses to touch on the sore point ofthe civil war between the Sinhalese and the Tamilpeople that devastated the island for 26 years(1983-2009) and has left deep wounds, the VaticanInsider reported today.While we await the publication of the officialprogramme of the trip, the confirmation of Francispilgrimage to Madhu that appearsto be the culmination of the wholevisit to ex-Ceylon due to itssymbolic value came fromCardinal Malcolm Ranjith, thearchbishop of Colombo and thepresident of the Catholic BishopsConference of the island. Thecardinal, who is a leader forSinhalese Catholics, decided tovisit Madhu, the oldest Shrine onthe island, to celebrate the Feast of the Assumptionlast 15th of August. On that occasion, he stood nextto Rayppu Joseph, the bishop of the dioceses ofMannar who had asked the Holy See that the Popevisit Tamil territories, on behalf of numerous priestsand lay representatives of the Tamil Catholiccommunity.From the pulpit of the Shrine, Ranjith made thePapal visit, that was greatly awaited by the pilgrimsgathered there, official. Francis, said the cardinal,will celebrate Mass in the Shrine on the 14th ofJanuary, where he will meet and bless the manyTamil families who were victims of the war.

Pope Francis visit to Madhu presented somelogistical problems: Madhu is 260km north ofColombo, and the briefness of his visit rendered thejourney there rather difficult. On the other hand,Tamil people make up 12% of the Sri-Lankanpopulation and, since they are gathered almostexclusively in four of the 11 dioceses of the country,they could not be ignored by a trip that intends tohave the theme of reconciliation as its cornerstone.The Shrine of Madhu, founded by the Dutch, goesback more than 400 years and has become thesymbol for national reconciliation. The Shrine waspreserved from armed conflicts as a free zone

and has become a place where theTamils and the Sinhalese,Christians as well as believers ofother religions, met side by sidewithout hostilities. It is thedestination of incessantpilgrimages and thus it is the placethat is best suited to send amessage of social, political andreligious harmony.The presence of the Pope in

Madhu will contribute to raising awareness of thecurrent conditions of war victims in Sri Lanka,reports S. J. Emmanuel to Vatican Insider.Emmanuel is a Tamil priest who emigrated toGermany and is now leader of the Global TamilForum. Tamil people still live in a regime ofmilitary occupation, and are subject tointimidations, repressions and glaring human rightsabuses. This is without mentioning the problematicrecognition of war crimes perpetrated by the armyduring the last phase of the civil war, that thegovernment in Colombo persists in denying.(Colombo Gazette)

Pope will visit Madhu while in Lanka

(dbsjeyaraj.com) PTI- A two-day-long DharmaSansad (religious conclave) convened by theShankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswatiof Dwarka Peeth on Monday passed a resolutionthat Sai Baba, the 19th century saint ofShirdi, should not be worshipped as adeity by the followers of SanatanDharma.Kashi Vidvat Parishad has taken adecision that Sai Baba was neither agod nor a guru, therefore he cannot beworshipped, Rajesh Joshi, the media in-charge for the Dharma Sansad, whichwas held in Chhattisgarhs Kabirdhamdistrict, told PTI.After Shankaracharya Swaroopanand raked up acontroversy by opposing the worship of Sai Baba,Divya Chaturmas Mahotsav Samiti organised theconclave at Kawardha, 150km from Raipur, todebate the issue.Representatives of 13 Akharas and other religious

leaders discussed the issue.Resolutions on other issues, including introductionof Hindu scriptures in school curriculum, makingthe country free of addiction, safety of women,

construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,protection of cows, etc. were alsopassed, Mr. Joshi said.Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, which runsthe Shirdi Sai temple, did not respond tothe invitation by the Shankaracharya toattend the Dharma Sansad.However, devotees of Sai Baba fromDelhi and Ahmedabad participated in theconclave.

A minor row erupted when a sadhu on the daisinterrupted Manushya Mitra, a Sai Baba follower,while speaking, said Superintendent of Police, R.S.Nayak. Both were pacified by others present on thedais.Courtesy:The Hindu

Indian Religious Conclave Passes Resolutionthat Shirdi Sai Baba Must Not be Worshipped asa Deity Because he was Neither God nor Guru.

M B Mukthar(dailynews.lk) The Beruwala Maradana MasjidulAbrar Jumma mosque is a reminiscent of the firstMuslim settlement created with the advent ofMuslims in Sri Lanka. it is a symbol of therelationship Muslims have with Beruwala.Muslims in Sri Lanka believe that this is the firstmosque built by Muslims and it believed to dateback to 920 AD. According to the book Sunahar(authored by J CVansandem), the nameBeruwela may haveevolved from Be-Ruwalawhich means the droppingor folding of the sails byArab Muslims who arrivedby ship in the Bay.The Muslims whooriginally settled in thecoastal areas of Beruwelaare believed to haveextended further inland tothe village areas due to the hospitality by theSinhala community. History reveals that theysettled in Pinhera in this manner. They are said tohave built a mosque truly for their prayers. Althoughthe mosque is not seen today, there is a land calledPalliyawatte in the area.Since it is compulsory for Muslims to say prayersfive times a day, wherever they may beit is a

custom for them to build even a small building toengage in prayers. The Mosques built nearBeruwela and Pinhera are now non-existent. TheMaradana Mosque which had been rehabilitatedregularly over the years, it proudly represents thehistory of Muslims in Sri Lanka.At a ceremony to mark the first Arab settlementheld in June 8, 2013, two commemorative stampswere launched by the Postal Department. Although

the date of the setting upthe mosque is unclear, itcan be rememberedaccording to the availableinformation that its originwas before 920 AD.A pond built in front of thismasjid at that time stilladds to the beauty of itssurroundings.This was the only Masjidwhich existed in Beruwelaalmost a century ago. Thepresent appearance was

created when it was rehabilitated in 1986 by lateDeshamanya Al Haj M A Balveer Muskar, formerMP and Southern Province Governor. It hasfacilities to accommodate 3000 devotees at a time.The 148th Saduliya Manathib MajliCommemoration of this mosque will be held onAugust 25.

148th Anniversary of Masjidul AbrarJumma mosque

Demining narrowedto 80 sq. km- Military

(naton.lk) The military today stated that ithad completed over 97% of deminingactivities with only 80 sq. km of landremaining to be cleared.Addressing the weekly media briefing,Military Spokesperson Brigadier RuwanWanigasooriya stated that around 5,000sq.km of land were mined by the time warended.He stated that demining in all residentialareas in the North and East have beencompleted and residents have beenresettled.He further stated that 68% of land areawas cleared by the military while theremainder was cleared by local andforeign Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs). The lands that need to becleared are in Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu,he said.

(nation.lk) Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and AllIsland Hindu Federation today joined handswith each other to stand against all types ofextremism and unethical religious conversion.The movement is called Buddhist Hindu Unityagainst Extremism.Addressing a press conference today, All IslandHindu Federation, President, N. Aruna Kanthanstated that joining hands with BBS was resultof long time discussions and research.We genuinely believe that BBS is the onlyorganization which had fiercely voiced mattersrelated to extreme groups. So we thought we

should support them and make this opportunityto solve issues of Hindus as well. said N.Aruna Kanthan.He also expressed the fact that All Island HinduFederation is interested in establishing a firmstructure across the country to stand againstreligion conversion and extremis groups. Iwould like to welcome all the spiritual leaders,activists and volunteers to join hands againstsuch issues. said Aruna Kanthan.Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary,Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Theracommenting on its collaboration with All Island

Hindu Federation named Buddhist HinduUnity against Extremism, This is a historicmoment and we hope it will be amemorable day for every person whowishes for a better Sri Lanka which isenriched with religious harmony.

BBS and Hindu Federation jointo fight extremism

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(asianmirror.lk) Elections CommissionerMahinda Deshapriya has requested theInspector General of Police to increase thesecurity in areas where electionviolence has been reported,deploying the Special TaskForce if necessary.He has taken this step aftertaking the recent complaintsabout elections violence intoconsideration.During the past few days, anumber of elections lawviolations such as arson attacks on party officesand assaulting and threatening of rivalsupporters were reported from the UvaProvince. Most complaints have come from

Bibile, Badalkumbura and Viyaluwa areas.The Elections Commissioner has advised theIGP to increase the mobile police units, attach

more police officers from otherareas and increase the numberof personal in police complaintsunits.Deshapriya has also stated thatif the available funds areinadequate, he will take steps totransfer more funds for police.The Campaign For Free andFair Elections (CaFFe)

yesterday issued a statement regarding theincrease in election law violation whilehighlighting an incident where an armed grouphas opened fire on a group of JVP members

who were preparing a stage.CaFFe yesterday urged the electionauthorities and policemen to take immediatesteps to enforce election laws predicting thatthings will take a more violent turn.

Elections Commissioner AsksFor Police Protection

By Namini Wijedasa(sundaytimes.lk) Global experts say suchconditions have become a standard practice,warn of adverse effects if objections continueSri Lankan insurers, like their internationalcounterparts, have begun stating in theircontracts that policy cover will be suspended incase of the United States, the European Union orthe United Nations imposes sanctions against thecountry. The Government and sections of theprivate sector are fighting backbut expertswarn that sanction clauses are here to stay.Some weeks ago, a leading Sri Lankaninsurance firm gave a local construction companya draft agreement to provide cover for agovernment building contract it had secured. Oneof its provisions took the company and therelevant State agency by surprise.It was titled Sanction Limitation and Exclusion

Clause and held: No insurer shall be deemed toprovide cover and no insurer shall be liable topay any claim or provide any benefit hereunderto the extent that the provision of such cover,payment of such claim or provision of suchbenefit would expose that insurer to anysanction, prohibition or restriction under UnitedNations Resolutions or the trade or economicsanctions, laws or regulations of the EuropeanUnion, United Kingdom or United States ofAmerica.The construction company and the State agencyrejected the provision outright, forcing the insurerto drop it. This pattern with insurers addingthese clauses to their policies and theGovernment and private sector dismissing them,as and when could continue until a uniformapproach to the contentious subject is agreedupon.

The Attorney GeneralsDepartment has also beenobjecting to similar provisionsin agreements drafted byEuropean credit agencies.Their precise wording is notknown. Finance Ministryofficials and the AGsDepartment did not respond torequests for information.According to highly placedGovernment sources, however,the clauses state that exportcredit insurance cover will notapply in the event of economic,

trade and financial sanctions or embargoes. Afternegotiations, the sections could be amended ordropped.The Sunday Times wrote to Bank Austria, one ofthe credit agencies Sri Lanka did business withlast year, asking about sanctions clauses in theiragreements. A spokesman replied that theyunderstood the sensitivity of the relatively newtopic of sanctions. However, Austrian lawsprecluded them from revealing details of theircontractual relationships with third parties.While unfamiliar to Sri Lankans, sanctionsclauses have been imposed for several yearsand will crop up more frequently in comingmonths. In the long term, it could well be harmfulto keep objecting, said Clive OConnell, apartner with the London-based Goldberg Segallalaw firm.The current position, as we understand it fromdiscussions within our market committees, is thatmost policies issued in the London Market willnormally include a sanctions clause as astandard, said Scott Farley, Director ofCommunications of the International UnderwritingAssociation, in an email interview.Even certain classes of business that had notpreviously included these clauses are nowworking towards factoring them in. There is a lotof work ongoing around sanctions clauses atpresent, Mr. Farley said. They are on theagenda of many committees. This is because theadoption of sanctions as a political tool hasbecome more widespread.

(Contd: on P14)

Now Lankan insurers include sanction clauses

(ceylontoday.lk) The Jaffna Railway Station, whichis in its final phase of renovation, is expected to bethe centre of the Jaffna 'Railway City' to be createdby the Jaffna Municipal Council, in collaborationwith the Department of Railways, according toJaffna Mayor Yogeswary Patkunaraja.According to the Jaffna Mayor, a 'Railway City'plan is being worked out jointly by the JaffnaMunicipal Council and the Department ofRailways. "The new 'Railway City' will have allfacilities for the passengers travelling out of Jaffnaas well as those arrivimg in Jaffna. The proposedcity is also expected to house shoppingcomplexes, new recreational spots and guesthouses," the Mayor said.The Jaffna Railway Station is being developed intoa modern railway station, but will retain its original'Dravidian' architectural design.. It is expected thatthe renovation, estimated to cost Rs 143 million.will be completed by the end of next month.A new bus stand will be built in close proximity tothe station. It will help those arriving by train to

board buses to their destinations in the Peninsulasoon after arriving in Jaffna. The plan has beenapproved by the Jaffna MC, according to theJaffna Mayor.The Jaffna Railway Station was unique in manyways before the train services to the Peninsulaceased in the early nineties. During the turbulenttimes the Jaffna Railway station became an ideallocation for the Internally Displaced Persons totake cover inside the underground tunnel whichconnected the Jaffna bound and the Colombobound platforms at the Jaffna station.Several valuable Railway assets, including thecommunication equipment, furniture and the steelrail tracks, were removed when the station was notin operation. The station's underground tunnel hadeven been the hideout of the Tamil militant cadreswho launched attacks from there."The new 'Railway City' in Jaffna will be a boost forpassengers as well as the civilians in Jaffna toenjoy new facilities provided by the Jaffna MC andthe Railway Department," the Mayor said.

By Mirudhula Thambiah

Jaffna station to be centre of 'Railway City'

(colombogazette.com) ExternalAffairs Minister Professor G LPeiris met Sri LankanAmbassadors based in Europeand discussed initiatives tocounter campaigns against thecountry, using human rightsand other issues as politicaltools.At the Sri Lankan Embassy inRome, Minister Peiris met withseveral of the countrysAmbassadors in the region fora comprehensive review of theirwork, the External AffairsMinistry said.The envoys attending thediscussion were ProfessorKarunaratne Hangawatte,Ambassador in France, KarunatilakeAmunugama, Ambassador in Germany,Ravinatha P. Aryasinha, PermanentRepresentative to the United Nations in Genevaand Nawalage Bennet Cooray, Ambassador inItaly. Pradip Jayewardene, Sri Lankas Consul inFrankfurt, also participated in the meeting.Sri Lankas economic relations with thesecountries, with particular reference to trade,investment and tourism, constituted the focus ofthe discussion. Each of the Ambassadors madea presentation on the progress made last year,while the Minister indicated targets for the nextfew months, with the time-frames applicable.There was also discussion about initiatives tocounter campaigns against the country, using

human rights and other issues as political tools.The envoys participating indicated perspectivesof special relevance to the countries in whichthey are serving, and their own suggestionsregarding a co-ordinated strategy. The Ministerstressed the importance of communityinvolvement, and the need to work closely withthe Sri Lankan community in the respectivecountries.Professor Peiris had a discussion withrepresentatives of the Sri Lankan community inItaly. Earlier this year, the Minister held a similarprogress review session with Sri LankasAmbassadors in the Gulf region. This discussion,in which seven Ambassadors participated, tookplace in Abu Dhabi. (Colombo Gazette)

Envoys, G.L discuss counter moves

ACHC condemnsACHF allegations

(dailymirror.lk) The All Ceylon HinduCongress has sent the following letter withreference to news item that appeared in thenewspapers and websites: We have beenreceiving enquiries in respect of newsreports and website news of what have beensaid by All Ceylon Hindu Federation.We are unaware of existence orcommencement of any organization by thename All Ceylon Hindu Federation. Wehave no connection whatsoever with them. Itis improper for them to seek to act as thevoice of the Hindus.All Ceylon Hindu Congress has not onlybeen functioning as the Federation of HinduReligious Associations and Temple Trusts inSri Lanka since 1955, but also as theumbrella organization and as the voice of theHindus of this Country.This organization (All Ceylon HinduFederation) has also levelled unwarrantedfalse allegations such as Bishop of Mannaris converting Thiruketheeswaram Sivapoomiinto a Christian Poomi against the Bishop ofMannar who has always been raising hisvoice for Tamil people. We condemn thoseallegations.We also wish to point out that the Hindusneed not join Bodu Bala Sena to protectHinduism.

By Chamara Sumanapala(nation.lk) The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)will not support a UNP candidate at the nextpresidential election. The JVPs WesternProvincial Council Member and formerparliamentarian KD Lalkantha reiterated that aUnited National Party (UNP) member orrepresentative cannot be the common candidatefor the next presidential election.Lalkantha stated that as of now, two candidateshave more or less declared their candidacy for thenext presidential election, namely PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa and UNP leader RanilWickremesinghe. Therefore, the JVPs electoralstrategy will be based on this situation, he said,adding, we will take the final decision afterobserving the developing situation further.Commenting on the campaign for a commoncandidate, he stated that such a person shouldhave a program and people should haveconfidence in him or her. The electoral symbol is

not so important, he said. When asked whetherthe JVP will support a candidate other thanWickremesinghe as a common candidate,Lalkantha said that a UNP candidate cannot be acommon candidate under any circumstances.The JVPs objectives go beyond that of abolishingthe Executive Presidency which has become thethrust of those campaigning for a commoncandidate, Lalkantha elaborated.We believe the current system is geared towardsgrabbing power in order to accrue increasingamounts of wealth. This was the way it has beenfrom colonial times. If there was a mechanism todivide wealth more equally, no one would wantexcessive power.Lalkantha further said that there was an urgentneed to establish democracy, good governanceand rule of law, pointing that abolishing ExecutivePresidency alone will not secure these. The JVP iscurrently engaging with other groups in theopposition on the basis of its own program, ApeDakma (Our Vision), Lalkantha further stated.




JVP shuts door on UNP common candidate

JOB VACANCYJOB VACANCYA well established reputed Company in London looking

for a van salesman with following qualifications.

By Franklin R. Satyapalan(island.lk) The Communist Party of Sri Lanka(CPSL) has reelected DEW Gunasekera itsGeneral Secretary according to party Chairmanand former Parliamentarian Raja Collure.Minister Chandrasiri Gajadheera was electedDeputy Chairman.The election of office bearers followed the 20thNational Congress (NC) of the CPSL held inRatnapura from July 25 to 27. S. Sudasinghe waselected the Deputy General Secretary while AgaJayasena was elected the Organizing Secretaryand S. Nagendran the Treasurer.

A politburo of 19 members waselected. It includes SouthernProvincial MinisterWeerasumana Weerasinghe,Southern Provincial memberBindu Weerasinghe, Ven.Batapola Nanda Thera and TradeUnionist D. W. Subasinghe.Ex-Colombo Municipal Councilorand Colombo District SecretaryL. R. Stephen was electedDeputy Organiser, and Trade Unionist PremadaraDissanayake Co-organiser.

(dailymirror.lk) Former Chief Justice Sarath NandaSilva said today there were provisions to take legalaction against the Elections Commissioner if hemakes arrangements to hold the presidentialelection before November 19, 2016.He said if this was to happen he would interveneby petitioning the Supreme Court against theElections Commissioner.Mr. Silva said Section 31. 2 of the Constitutionclearly states that a President who is elected tooffice on two successive occasions wasdisqualified from contesting again in a presidentialelection but this had been changed by 18thAmendment passed in September 2010.He said where President Mahinda Rajapaksa haderred was in the non-inclusion in the 18th

Amendment that the President was qualified tohold a portfolio on more than two occasions.Mr. Silva said the President had no authority tosanction a third presidential election beforeNovember 19, 2016 and as such the fielding of acommon candidate by the opposition politicalparties did not arise because a common candidatewas only necessary for a common opponent.He said the decision on a common candidate hasto be taken after the general election which islikely to be held in January 2016 and with the 18thAmendment not providing for the President to holda portfolio on more than two occasions there wasno way that an election can be declared before2016. (Indika Sri Aravinda)

DEW re-elected Communist PartyGen. Sec. Unanimously

Ex-CJ to petition SC on snap presidential poll

(ceylontoday.lk) Eleven election offices of theOpposition Political Parties, including four of theJanatha Vimukthi Peramuna(JVP), were attacked onSaturday night and earlyyesterday in the MoneragalaDistrict. Campaign for Freeand Fair Elections (CaFFE)said Saturday had been oneof the most tense days inthe recent electioncampaign and supporters ofa leading United PeoplesFreedom Alliance (UPFA)candidate were behind theattacks."JVP offices in Obbegoda,Mariyarawa and Weliyaya, in Moneragala andMayuragama, in Kataragama, have been attacked.

Meanwhile, seven offices of other OppositionParties have also been attacked.JVP candidate for the Moneragala District, Anura

Kumara Wickremasinghehas said that a leadingUPFA candidate was behindthe attack," said CaFFEExecutive Director RajithKeerthi Tennakoon.Several UPFA candidateshave brought down goonsfrom different parts of thecountry to intimidateOpposition candidates andsupporters, he said. Thistrend is also present in theBadulla District and the lackof election law enforcement

has emboldened candidates to be more violent,Tennakoon added.

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Red alert from Sobithato MR on post

(colombogazette.com) The leader of thePeoples Movement for a Just Society theVenerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha thero todaysaid if President Mahinda Rajapaksa fails toabolish the post of Executive Presidency thenhe will gather the support of the public to fielda Common Candidate at the next Presidentialelections.Speaking toreporters aftermeeting the ChiefPrelates in Kandytoday, Sobhithathero said thatthe main target ofhis movement isto ensure the Executive Presidency isabolished.The monk said that even the current Presidenthad spoken against the Executive Presidencyand so if he fails to abolish it then a CommonCandidate will be supported to do that.He noted that even the Chief Prelates hadpreviously called for the Executive Presidency

to be abolished.The VenerableMaduluwawe Sobhithathero said that toensure democracy isprotected a PrimeMinister who isresponsible toParliament should beappointed while theExecutive Presidencyis abolished.He also noted that the17th amendment tothe Constitution mustbe fully implementedto ensure theadministration ofGovernmentinstitutions is in theright hands. (ColomboGazette)

(colombogazette.com) The Government insiststhere is no unofficial censorship on the media in SriLanka nor is there an attempt to crackdown onsocial media.Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that inhis view the best example is that localtelevision stations are allowed tobroadcast views of oppositionpoliticians, even when they criticize thePresident and his family.He said the Government is able to fullyexpress its views only through the statemedia while the opposition has severalprivate media institutions who arewilling to carry their message.Speaking to reporters in Kandy,Rambukwella said that the opposition,as usual, claims there is mediacensorship when in reality it is not the case.He also dismissed the criticism by the opposition onthe decision taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa

to donate UDS 1 million to Palestine.The Minister said when a friendly country is in needof help there is nothing wrong in offering assistanceand Sri Lanka is not a poor country so it is in aposition to help others when needed.

Rambukwella says the country hasprogressed in several areas followingthe defeat of the LTTE and has met theneeds of the people while developingthe infrastructure network.Commenting on the scheduled visits ofthe leaders of China and Japan to SriLanka, the Minister said that the visitsshow the two countries have faith onSri Lanka and its future.He said the Government is alsohopeful that Indian Prime MinisterNarendra Modi will accept the invitation

extended by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and visitSri Lanka soon. (Colombo Gazette)

Minister says the media not censored

11 party offices attacked in 24 hours

(asianmirror.lk) BBS General SecretaryGalagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera todayquestioned the role of Ministry of Social Integrationand that of Minister VasudewaNanayakkara saying theministry and the minister havedone nothing to strengthensocial integration in Sri Lanka.Gnanasara Thera said MinisterNanayakkara had done nothingto fulfill his responsibilities,apart from flying kites at GalleFace to develop nationalharmony in the country. Thekite festival was organized bythe Minister of Social Integration, under theauspices of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as away of raising awareness of unity and national

harmony in Sri Lanka.As a result of their failure, the BBS Chief said,our organization is now compelled to take

measures towards ensuringharmony and national unity in SriLanka. He added the ministryhas failed to live up to theexpectations of different ethnicgroups in the country.The BBS General Secretarymade these remarks addressinga press conference thisafternoon at the BBSheadquarters in Kirulapona,Colombo 06.

Minister Nanayakkara has been a strong critiqueof the Bodu Bala Sena since the inception of thehardcore Sinhala-Buddhist organization. He

recently called for the arrest of BBS GeneralSecretary Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera inconnection with violent clashes that occurred inBeruwala, Aluthgama and Dharga Town.

Gnanasara Thera Raises QuestionsOver The Roles Of Vasu And His Ministry

(asianmirror.lk) Apparently fearing that the BJP-AIADMK axis would steal the show on his favouriteSri Lankan Tamils issue during this round, DMKpresident M. Karunanidhi on Monday announced anemergency meeting of the Tamil EelamSupporters Organisation (TESO).Karunanidhi invited all Teso member parties toattend Tuesdays meeting at the party headquartersAnna Arivalayam, barely a few days after a six-member TNA (Tamil national alliance) delegationmet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to pushfor a political solution and get justice to the Tamils inthe island nation.The delegation is also expected to meet Tamil Nadu

chief minister J. Jayalalithaa soon. Obviously,sensing their move, Karunanidhi on Mondayannounced an emergency meeting of the Teso.Ever since the hunger strike he observed betweenbreakfast and lunch during the fag end of the Eelamwar, Karunanidhis DMK has been at the receivingend on the Lankan Tamils issue.Initially, Karunanidhi even had difficulty in retainingthe name Eelam in the revived Teso, which had tomellow down its rhetoric during the tenue of UPA-IIso as not to antagonise Sonias Congress, whichturned its back at the DMK as soon as it won 206seats in the 2009 Lok Sabha election. (DeccanChronicle)

Karunanidhi Convenes Urgent Teso MeetingDuring TNA Visit

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By Gagani Weerakoon(ceylontoday.lk) Currently, the general public hasbeen made to believe that special commissions ofinquiry are a method used by the government tosimply suppress dissent or Opposition by thepeople on certain matters, and as a timeconsuming method, when the government wants toavoid certain issues from being addressed.As the time passes, one forgets what commissionwas appointed to look into what particular issue. Afollow-up on such commissions was hardly carriedout and whether the commission submits a reportto the appointing authority or whether thegovernment or relevant authorities have adoptedrecommendations made by such commissions,remain a lesser known fact.On the other hand, while many decry suchcommissions as merely time consuming, whatmost people forget is they virtually drain publicmoney from government coffers, which couldotherwise have been invested for the betterment ofthe country and its people.In this backdrop, a debate on amending lawspertaining to the appointment of specialcommissions of inquiry and tabling suchcommission reports in Parliament, took place lastweek in Parliament with the revelation that some17 commissions of inquiry have been appointed bythe President in the past nine years and these hadcost over Rs 270 million.Responding to an oral question, raised by DNA MP

and the leader of the JVP Anura KumaraDissanayake, Chief Government Whip, MinisterDinesh Gunawardena said some 17 PresidentialCommissions were appointed from 2005 to 2013and they had cost the Government coffersRs. 272,793,583.It was revealed that16 out of those 17commissions hadsubmitted theirreports to thePresident except forthe presidentialcommission ofinquiry into theprocurement of high-value weapons,other militaryequipment andservices to the SriLanka Navy duringthe period 2001-2005 which had cost Rs11,626,751.JVP Leader Dissanayake demanded to knowwhether the reports of said commissions would bepresented to Parliament or if not why.Commissions to probe controversial issues"Even though a list of 17 commissions wassubmitted, what about those various othercommissions appointed from time to time? Thecommissions were appointed to look into themurder in Chilaw, the murder in Katunayake, the

events that unfolded in Rathupaswala. APresidential Commission is appointed wheneversome sort of controversial situation occurs in thecountry. However, we have no right to know whatthe findings of these commissions are. Headlinesare printed saying the President intervenes and

appoints a three-mancommission or acommissionconsisting of oneperson, orcommissionsconsisting of retiredpersons or universitylecturers.Honourable speaker,please present thereports of thesecommissions beforeParliament, I wouldlike to know why this

isn't being done," Dissanayake queried.A presidential commission is appointed by thePresident under powers vested in him or her by theSpecial Presidential Commission of Inquiry Act No4 of 1978 which has no specific clause stating thatthe reports of such commission should be tabled inParliament.By law, the commission is only obliged to submit itsreport to the President who is the appointingauthority.However, Dissanayake queried whether it is only

what was mentioned in an Act or Clause thatshould be disclosed in Parliament."On the other hand, this House has every right toknow everything. These are not mere incidents.These commissions were about procurement ofhigh valued weapons, controversial killings andDisappearances. It is okay to blow the trumpetwhen a commission is appointed but not a word isuttered when the report is submitted. If thesecommissions are appointed with public money andif the Parliament has a right to know monetarymatters of this country, how come we do not havea right to know about these presidentialcommissions?" Dissanayake queried.Commission to inquire into the occurrence oftsunami on 26 December 2004The commission which was appointed on 7February 2005 by then President ChandrikaBandaranaike Kumaratunga was a two membercommittee. Retired Supreme Court Judge HectorSeneviratne Yapa was appointed as the presidentof the commission while retired Court of AppealJudge P.H.K. Kulatillake was appointed as theother member.The scope of the commission was to find whetherthe relevant authorities responsible had takenmeasures to forecast and pre-warn the possibleoccurrence of a natural disaster (tsunami). If so,whether those actions were adequate and also tofind out steps to improve a pre-warningmechanism for disaster management.

(Contd: on P12)

Presidential commissions cost Rs 270M What has happened to their reports?

Election Secretariat responds to DP Leadersallegations:

(island.lk) The Election Secretariat yesterday saidthat former Army Commander Gen. SarathFonseka had conveniently forgotten thecircumstances under which Polls Chief MahindaDeshapriya recognised his Democratic Party (DP)in early April 2013.A senior Election Secretariat spokesman said thateither the DP Leader had an extremely shortmemory or was playing politics at the expense ofDeshapriya. The official was responding to Gen.Fonsekas allegation that the Polls Chief had failedto create a level playing field in the run-up to theUva Provincial Council election.Addressing the media, at his party head office atPitakotte last Thursday (Aug. 21), Gen. Fonsekaalleged that Deshapriya had turned a blind eye towhat was happening on the ground.The Election Secretariat said that no one reallybelieved that the DP would receive politicalrecognition. In fact, even the DP leadership hadbeen of the opinion that the government wouldinterfere with the Election Secretariat as well asthe Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka(HRCSL) when the DP appealed for politicalrecognition, the official said.The appeal had been made following the rejectionby Deshapriyas predecessor, DayanandaDissanayake of the DPs application on the basis itdidnt fulfill mandatory requirements required tosecure recognition, the official said.The HRCSL directed the Election Secretariat toinquire into the appeal made by Messrs Alles andRanatunga on behalf of the DP, though they wereno longer with the same party."Although, many believed Deshapriya wouldrefuse to recognise the DP on the basis that theplea had been made by two persons who were nolonger members of that party, the Election

Secretariat recognised the DP."The official pointed out that Gen. Fonseka, whohad been accusing the government and theElection Secretariat of committing computerjilmaat [fraud] at the last presidential election, atThursdays media briefing admitted that thegovernment had a vote bank consisting of 4.5 mnpeople.Responding to a query by The Island, the officialsaid that DP Chairman retired Maj. Gen. Sunil deSilva and DP General Secretary AnandaManawadu had never addressed the Polls Chief orany other official in a disparaging way. "Of course,both officials regularly attended meetings called bythe polls chief. They know our efforts to ensure alevel playing field. No one expected a peacefulenvironment at the first Northern ProvincialCouncil poll last September. Indian as well asCommonwealth polls monitors deployed in theNorthern Province subsequently praised ourefforts because they realised the important roleplayed by those serving the Election Secretariat atevery level."Had there been a special project to undermine theDP as alleged by Gen. Fonseka, how could thenewly formed party managed to do reasonablywell at Provincial Council polls held in the Centraland North Western Provinces just three monthsafter it received recognition, the official asked. AtProvincial Council polls in the Southern andWestern Provinces, the DP did even better andmanaged to come third in the Western Province atthe expense of the JVP, the official said, urging theformer army chief not to seek cheap politicalgains.The DP altogether secured 17 slots in the fourcouncils.Responding to another query, the official assertedthat perhaps the DP Leader had been attackingPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa and Polls ChiefMahinda Deshapriya in a bid to muster support forhim to be common presidential candidate.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

SF has extremely short memory(ft.lk) Government Minister and EPDP leaderDouglas Devananda has backed calls by IndianPrime Minister Narendra Modi for a politicalsolution for the Tamils based on the 13thAmendment to the Constitution.Devananda said that over the past 20 yearsGovernments in power in Sri Lanka have beenimpressed upon to provide a political solution forthe Tamils based on the 13th Amendment.However he noted that the Tamil National Alliance(TNA), which had met Modi in New Delhiyesterday, has been saying in the recent past thatthe 13th Amendment is not adequate to addressthe concerns of the Tamils.At the meeting with the TNA, Modi had stressedon the need for a political solution that addressesthe aspirations of the Tamil community forequality, dignity, justice and self respect within theframework of a united Sri Lanka, an official

statement said after the meeting.Modi urged all stakeholders in Sri Lanka toengage constructively, in a spirit of partnershipand mutual accommodation, towards finding apolitical solution.This should be built upon the 13th Amendment ofthe Sri Lankan Constitution, he said, referring theIndia-backed amendment of the 1980s whichcalled for devolving autonomous powers to theTamils.Modi also assured the TNA delegation of Indiascontinuing support to provide relief, rehabilitationand reconstruction work in Sri Lankas northeast,the former war zone where thousands have beendisplaced.He said New Delhis focus would be on projectsrelating to housing, livelihood generation, capacitybuilding, education, hospitals and infrastructure.(Colombo Gazette)

Douglas supports Modis call for 13A

(colombogazette.com) Opposition UnitedNational Party (UNP) MP Ravi Karunanayaketoday threatened to reveal details pertaining tothe visit of two Ministers to London whoseentertainment expenditure was borne by the SriLankan Embassy in London.In parliament today Karunanayake questionedthe External Affairs Ministry on the issue but

Deputy Minister NeomalPerera insisted that therewas no such incident.The UNP MP said thefunds of the Embassyhad been misuseddespite the ExternalAffairs Ministry saying no

such incident hadtaken place.Karunanayake said he would send thedetails in confidentiality in relation to theincident to the Deputy Minister.He said if the Deputy Minister fails totruthfully respond to the incident then hewill reveal the details in parliament.(Colombo Gazette)

(colombogazette.com) A delegation of TamilNational Alliance (TNA), which rules JaffnaProvince of Sri Lanka, called on External AffairsMinister Sushma Swaraj today and said India canplay a major role in resolving the ethnic Tamilproblem in the island nation, the Press Trust ofIndia reported.Indias involvement in the resolution of the SriLankan Tamil issue is vital, TNA leader RSampanthan said after meeting Swaraj in NewDelhi.They (people who live in Sri Lanka) have theirroots in India. Their culture is Indian andeverything is Indian. So, I think India is onecountry that can play a major role, he said.The delegation comprising six TNA MPs helddiscussion on various issues and complainedabout the alleged attempts by the Sri LankanGovernment to change the democratic

composition of the northern province.We have explained the position currentlyprevalent on the ground in the north and theeast The difficulties people are facing, theaggressive program implemented by the SriLankan Government to change the democraticcomposition of the northern and easternprovinces and the cultural and linguistics identityof the areas, he said.Accusing the Sri LankanGovernment of being notinterested in any politicalsolution, Sampanthan saidsteps have not been takento implement the 13thamendment for devolvingpowers to the Tamilminority.We have also talked about

various other matters that are of concern of Tamilpeople and requested that some action can betaken by India. India should be pro-active indealing with these questions, he stressed.The delegations meeting with Swaraj wascordial, he said, adding the MPs are meetingPrime Minister Narendra Modi onSaturday.(Colombo Gazette)

TNA, Swaraj discuss Tamil concerns

Ravi threatens to make all info public




Presidentialfrom P10Though the final report was not publicised andhanded over to the President, a disastermanagement centre and a tsunami warningsystem was established in the country followingthis commission which cost a total of Rs 20million.Commission to inquire into the incidents ofattacks on alleged LTTE cadres in EastThe commission headed by High Court Judge J.Vishwanathan also had T.M.P.B. Warawewa as amember and was entrusted with the task ofinvestigating the incidents of attacks on LTTEactivists operating in the Eastern Province,

mainly in the districts ofBatticaloa and Ampara.The commission whichwas appointed byPresident Kumaratunga on3 March 2005 had costgovernment coffers morethanRs 11 million at theconclusion.Commission to inquire intothe allegations madeagainst Reginald CoorayThe commissionappointed on 26 May2005, once again byPresident ChandrikaKumaratunga, compriseda retired Court of AppealJudge ChandradasaNanayakkara as thepresident and Chairman of

the Finance Commission A.S. Gunawardena as amember.It was directed to investigate allegationsmentioned in the no confidence motion againstWestern Province Chief Minister Cooray, byseveral councillors of the WPC and cost Rs 2.7million.The motion suggested that Western ProvinceChief Minister Reginald Cooray had acted againstRegulations to secure political advantage.Commission to inquire into the procurement ofhigh-value weapons to the Sri Lanka NavyPresident Mahinda Rajapakse appointed JusticeNimal Gamini Amaratunga as the one-manCommission to inquire into matters arising out ofthe procurement of high value weapons on 6March 2006.The Commission was tasked with also lookinginto other procurements of military material andservices during the period 2001 to 2005 by theSri Lanka Navy. Sri Lanka Administrative Serviceretired senior officer Edmund Jayasuriya servedas the Secretary to the Commission.The scope of the commission was to see whetherthere was a real requirement for the purchases,whether proper tender procedures were followedor in the event it was not adhered to, whetherthere was any legal rationale. The commissionwas to also investigate and report to thePresident whether the government has incurredany losses as a result of these procurements andif so who was responsible.Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said in Parliamentthat the final report on this commission has notbeen submitted yet even though it had cost Rs11.6 million.Presidential Commission appointed to inquire intoprocurement of High Value Weapons by GOSLThe Presidential Commission appointed to

Inquire into Procurement of High Value Weapons,other Military Equipment and Services during2000-2005 by the Government of Sri Lanka wasa three-member committee headed by SupremeCourt Justice Shiranee Tilakawardane.Mandate of the commission was to inquire andreport on matters relating to the procurement ofweapons, other military equipment, material andservices closing in excess of Rs 100 million eachby the Government of Sri Lanka during the period2000-2005. The commission was also mandatedto find out whether government tenderprocedures were violated in the process andwhether any losses were incurred.The commission appointed on 24 April 2006costs the government a sum ofRs 12.4 million and the final report was submittedto the President in January 2007.Commission to inquire the killing of TNAParliamentarianA two-member Commission of Inquiry to probethe murder of Batticaloa district ParliamentarianJoseph Pararajasingham headed by formerJudge Mahanama Tillekeratne and had formermagistrate S.V.P. Munidasa Nanayakkara as amember.It was mandated to inquire into and obtaininformation in respect of the circumstancesrelating to the assassination of the late JosephPararajasingham in Batticaloa on or about 25December 2005 and the person or personsdirectly or indirectly responsible for such killing.The ommission also examined whether themanner in which the investigations were carriedout by the Police and other security personnelwas adequate and impartial having due regard tothe proceedings established by law.

(Contd: on P14)

(colombogazette.com) The Sri LankanGovernment says sections of the Tamil Diaspora inthe USA are carrying out vicious campaignsagainst Sri Lanka and so there was a need toprovide an accurate account of the Sri Lankanpolitical and economic environment to the US.The Central Bank said this in a statement todayreleased to counter allegations raised over thecampaign carried out in the US by the Sri LankanGovernment through US lobby firms.The statement said the Monetary Board of theBank decided to implement a comprehensiveoverseas campaign to provide an accurateaccount of the Sri Lankan political and economicenvironment to US leaders, think tanks, investors,business chambers and interested citizens to keepthem abreast of the true situation in the countryCentral Bank efforts have complemented andsupported the activities of the Ministry of ForeignAffairs who have also been implementing manyprogrammes in the face of the extra ordinary andvicious campaigns carried out by sections of theTamil Diaspora in the USA, the statement said.The Bank added that similar awareness efforts arecarried out by a large number of countries andglobal organizations in the USA, in order toapprise the US leaders and other influentialagencies about various matters that thosecountries or organizations, wish to place beforethe aforementioned leaders and agencies.The Central Bank says since the end of the

conflict, many investments have flown into thecountry, based upon the benign conditions as wellas robust economic growth that has beenexperienced since then.However, some of the Tamil Diaspora and themedia yet continue their efforts to discourageforeign investments into Sri Lanka, the Bankadded.Since the end of the conflict in May 2009, theCentral Bank has observed with deep concern,that well-organized and well-funded sections bycertain members of the Tamil Diaspora and thelocal and international media, have been trying toconvey inaccurate stories which are detrimental toSri Lanka, which if allowed to continue uncheckedand unchallenged, could affect the image of thecountry and the economy, the statement issuedtoday said.Last week the Central Bank confirmed reports thatit had signed a deal with the US firm to develop acomprehensive information platform wheredecision makers in the USA would receive clearand accurate information about conditions in SriLanka.Under the deal, approximately US$ 63,300 is to bepaid to Liberty International Group by the CentralBank Monetary Board after the end of each monthof the contract period up to July 31, 2015 subjectto the satisfactory completion of the monthlydeliverables referred to in the contract. (ColomboGazette)

(colombogazette.com) The Government says theNorthern Province will not be given land and policepowers as demanded by the Provincial Council inthe area.Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake saysgiving land and police powers to the North couldresult in another armed struggle and the LTTEbeing allowed to regroup.Speaking at a public rally in Passara today he said

that the LTTE is fully active in Europe and if theyare allowed to regroup in Sri Lanka then thepeople in Jaffna will be the first to suffer.We cannot allow terrorism to raise its head again.We cannot give what the TNA wants. We cannotgive what the Northern Provincial Council wants.We cannot give land and police powers, theMinister said.At the meeting yesterday with the TNA, Indian

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed onthe need for a political solution that addressesthe aspirations of the Tamil community forequality, dignity, justice and self respect withinthe framework of a united Sri Lanka, an officialstatement said after todays meeting.Modi urged all stakeholders in Sri Lanka toengage constructively, in a spirit of partnershipand mutual accommodation, towards finding apolitical solution.This should be built upon the 13th amendmentof the Sri Lankan constitution, he said,referring the India-backed amendment of the1980s which called for devolving autonomouspowers to the Tamils. (Colombo Gazette)

Government targets diaspora moves

North will not get land, police powers(colombogazette.com) The Office of the HighCommissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) hasstrengthened its investigation on the war in SriLanka by adding more clauses to the terms ofreference which includes a clause on theassistance expected forforeign governments and thebasis under which findingsof the investigation will beaccepted.The new clauses note thatconsistent with the practiceof other United Nations fact-finding bodies, the OHCHRInvestigation on Sri Lanka(OISL) will base its findingson a reasonable grounds tobelieve standard of proof.The terms of referencestates that there arereasonable grounds to believe that an incident orpattern of violations or crimes occurred if the OISLhas obtained a reliable body of information,consistent with other information, indicating theiroccurrence. This standard of proof may besufficiently high to call for judicial investigations

into violations of international humanitarian andhuman rights law and international crimes.With regard to assessing information that identifiesalleged individuals to have been involved in theviolations, the OISL will comply with the standards

that require a reliable bodyof material consistent withother verified circumstances,which tends to show that aperson may reasonably besuspected of being involvedin the commission of acrime. The OISL will notmake final judgments as tocriminal guilt; rather, it wouldmake an assessment ofpossible suspects that maypave the way for futurecriminal investigations.Meanwhile a new clause

also says other Governments in whose territorythe OISL may interview victims, witnesses andsources and gather information are invited tocooperate with the investigation.

(Contd: on P14)

OHCHR strengthens probe on Lanka

(colombogazette.com) A Tamil diaspora groupbased in the US says it will stage a protest duringthe scheduled visit to New York by PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa next month to address the UNGeneral Assembly (UNGA).The Transnational Government ofTamil Eelam (TGTE) led by V.Rudrakumaran has written to UNSecretary General Ban ki-moonurging him to publicly censure theSri Lankan government for denyingdirect access for the victims ofinternational crimes in the island ofSri Lanka to UN investigators.The TGTE said it will also beorganizing a protest rally outsidethe UN in New York on September25th to protest against the SriLankan Government.It is time for the UN Secretary General to publicly

censure the Sri Lankan government for denyingdirect access for the victims of international crimesin the island of Sri Lanka to OISL investigators. Asthe UN Internal Review Panel Report

demonstrates, quiet diplomacy orappeasement does not work withthe Sri Lankan government, whichis not susceptible to reason. Thus itis time for robust public diplomacy.We urge the Secretary General touse his office as a moral pulpit togalvanize international opinionagainst the obstinacy of the SriLankan government, the TGTEsaid.TGTE has also urged UN Memberstates to raise the Sri Lankan issuein the appropriate forums to

safeguard the credibility and effectiveness of theUnited Nations. (Colombo Gazette)

Rudras TGTE to protest outside UN

By Camelia Nathaniel(thesundayleader.lk) The Northern ProvincialCouncil (NPC) is not interested in developing theNorth or working for the people, but instead it is ona political drive to discredit the governmentsefforts, the government spokesman, MinisterKeheliya Rambukwella, said.Speaking to The Sunday Leader, the ministeraccused the TNA of using the 13th Amendment for

their political goals. If the provincial councils in allother areas can work without police powers, whyis it that only the TNA is harping on this issue?We have implemented all the other provisions inthe 13th Amendment except granting policepowers, but the TNA is still going round the worlddwelling on this one issue rather than settlingdown and serving the people with what they have.

(Contd: on P16)

Government Slams NPC, TNA




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The commission, which was appointedon 24 April 2006 concluded sessions inMarch 2007 and submitted the report tothe President but the findings remainunpublicised.Presidential Commission on theDisappearedThe commission headed by former judgeMahanama Tillekaratne was vestedpowers to examine the circumstancesthat led to such incidents of abductions,disappearances, unidentified dead bodiesand unexplained killings as were reportedthroughout Sri Lanka in the few monthstill 13 September 2006.The commission was also mandated to

identify any armed group or groups, anyother forces or persons who were directlyor indirectly responsible for or involved inthese incidents, to identify the causesand motives for such incidents, to assessthe adequacy of the securityarrangements made by the police and thesecurity forces to prevent such incidents.Commission was appointed on 15September 2006 and the mandate wasextended and changed on 11 July 2007.It had submitted two interim reports on 12December 2006 and 23 March 2007before submitting the final report.The Commission of Inquiry into seriousHR violationsThis commission appointed to investigateand inquire into serious violations ofHuman Rights which are alleged to have

arisen in Sri Lanka since1 August 2005 to 16 October 2006 ispopularly referred to as the UdalagamaCommission as it was headed by SCJustice Nissanka Udalagama. "To causeindependent and comprehensiveinvestigations into incidents involvingalleged serious violations of human rightsarising since 1 August 2005, specificallyincluding serious violations of humanrights specified in the schedule of thewarrant of the commission.To examinethe adequacy and propriety of theinvestigations that were conductedpertaining to such incidents amounting toserious violations of human rights and topresent a report or such Interim Reportsto the President,

Presidentialfrom P12

(Contd: on P22)

OHCHRfrom P12The terms of reference called on the Governmentto cooperate with the probe in a manner whichentails freedom of movement throughout theterritory; unhindered access to all places andestablishments; freedom to meet and interviewrepresentatives of national, local and militaryauthorities, community leaders, non-governmentalorganizations and other institutions, and any suchperson whose testimony is considered necessaryfor the fulfilment of its mandate; and free access toall sources of information, including documentary

material and physical evidence.The added clause also notes that experts of theOISL shall enjoy the privileges and immunitiesaccorded to experts on mission under Article IV ofthe 1948 Convention on Privileges and Immunitiesof the UN, and the OHCHR staff of the OISL shallenjoy the privileges and immunities of officialsunder Article V and VII of the Convention in theconduct of the investigation. All Governments arereminded of this obligation and invited to ensurethat facilities necessary for the independentconduct of the investigation are provided.The Government has already said it will notsupport the investigations and has sought thesupport of other countries against the probe.

(Colombo Gazette)

(asianmirror.lk) A large number of British Tamilsprotested outside No 10, Downing Street inLondon to commemorate Sencholai incidentwhere 53 girls were killed by air strikes.The demonstrators, according to Tamil Guardian,held placards calling for an end towhat they termed as the Sri Lankanstate sponsored genocide of the Tamilpeople and demanded aninternationally monitored referendumon an independent Tamil Eelam in SriLanka.Shencholai bombing took place onAugust 14, 2006 when the Sri LankanAir Force bombed what they statedwas a rebel LTTE training camp killing.Those who were killed in the attackwere girls, aged between 16 and 18.The LTTE, UNICEF, SLMM and UTHRstated that those in the compoundwere not LTTE cadres, but orphans ofwar.

The Sri Lankan government claimed to bemonitoring the site since 2004 and claimed that itwas a training camp, adding that it was notmistaken or wrong target

British Tamils Demonstrate DemandingA Referendum On A Tamil Eelam In SL

CM's fundCONT FROM P1... Governors Fund was already in operation, theChief Ministers Coordinating Secretary M.Manmadaraja said. Though we sent the requestto the Governor it was not mandatory to get hisapproval. The Chief Minister has now sent therequest to the Treasury to operate the fund, hesaid.The move to establish the fund came after aprovincial minister obtained Rs. 5 million from well-wishers in Australia for public use but deposited

the money in his personal account. The ProvincesHealth Minister, Dr S. Sathiyalingam, had collectedthe money from the Tamil diaspora in Australiapromising it would be used to take care ofhandicapped people and others in need.However, Chief Minister Wigneswaran this weektold the council meeting that the Government wasclosely monitoring the financial transactions of thecouncil and therefore establishing a chiefministers fund would be important to maintaintransparency.He said that under the 13th Amendment to theConstitution such funds could be set up.

Lankan insurersfrom P6There is probably more reliance on sanctionsnow than in any time in history, said Mr.OConnell, one of the worlds leading insuranceand reinsurance lawyers, in a telephoneinterview. The reason is that they are a meansof effectively exercising political control overparts of the world where military intervention isnot appropriate or possible.These sanctions are being enforced largelythrough financial services such as banks andinsurance. And global reinsurers are a key tool.All leading insurers in Sri Lanka havereinsured some of their risks with globalreinsurers for a premium. This means that, inthe event of large claims, their dues will beshared by these international firms.About four or five years ago, reinsurancecompanies imposed clauses on their primaryinsurers saying no cover will be given ifpayment of a claim would be a breach ofsanctions, said Mr. OConnell.Thus, Sri Lankan insurers like the onementioned above are probably addingsanctions clauses into their contracts becausethe global reinsurers they share their risks withinsist on it. This practice will only grow in future.And, while all contracts are open to negotiation,fighting it could lead to other complications.If sanction clauses are repeatedly turned down,only those insurers who are not reinsured bylarge global or other Western reinsurers wouldbe able to write the business, Mr. OConnellsaid. This would have the effect of

concentrating risk in a geographic area andmake it more susceptible to accumulations.Ultimately, it could expose Sri Lanka tosignificant peril from a natural catastrophe orother disaster, he explained. The risk wouldnot be spread around the world but focused ona number of more local reinsurers. In the eventof a tsunami, for instance, Sri Lankas localinsurers could be faced with massive payoutsthat will not be shared by global reinsurers.Experts pointed out that the inclusion ofsanction clauses did not necessarily mean thatsuch penalties were expected or anticipated. Itis not necessarily the case that the use of suchclauses indicates a belief that there is a dangerof sanctions being imposed on a particularcountry, Mr. Farley asserted.Sanction clauses will crop up in future exportcredit insurance agreements that theGovernment hopes to sign. I would be verysurprised to see contracts like that withoutsanction clauses, Mr. OConnell admitted.However, it may be possible for the Sri LankanGovernment to demonstrate that an insurancecontract has no likelihood of running afoul ofsanctions. Sanctions clauses might also beavoided if an insurer had no reinsurance withreinsurers bound by sanctions, said Mr.OConnell. In the case of export creditinsurance, the second option seems unviable.It is not known what tools the Government hadused to avoid sanction clauses in its exportcredit insurance agreements. Whether it willcontinue to adopt the same strategies andhow successful these will be remains to beseen. What the private sector will do remainsan entirely different story.

(colombogazette.com) A group of sixinternational rights organisations have, in a jointletter, called on the President and memberstates of the Human Rights Council, as well asthe government of Sri Lanka, to take action toensure no-one faces reprisals for cooperatingwith the United Nations.In an open letter, the organisations cite a numberof recent incidents, particularly around theongoing investigation by the United NationsOffice of the High Commissioner for Human

Rights into human rights violations in Sri Lanka.The letter makes specific calls for action to theGovernment of Sri Lanka, to the President of theHuman Rights Council, and to the memberstates of the Council.The letter was sent by the ICJ, AmnestyInternational, Asia Forum for Human Rights andDevelopment, CIVICUS, the InternationalMovement Against Discrimination and All Formsof Racism, and the International Service forHuman Rights.

Rights groups write to UN, Ravinatha(ft.lk) Modern shopping complex with old worldcharm to enhance landmark in southern townUDA to restore additional historic locationsHot on the heels of the Floating Market opening,the landmark Dutch Hospital building within theGalle Fort, refurbished by the Government as anexclusive modern shopping complex whilemaintaining its old world charm, will be openedthis week.Urban DevelopmentAuthority (UDA)officials who undertookthe demanding task ofrestoring anddeveloping the GalleDutch Hospital hadcompleted the project,preserving its originalarchitectural aspectsaid officials. It is to beopened on 28 August.The exterior has beenchanged to make it aunique andsophisticated building within the locality. Theinternal ambiance blends with modern facilitieswhich have been developed while maintaining itsoriginal architectural designs, a statement postedby the official Government website said.The complex will include gems and jewelleryshops, tea and spice shops, antiques, collectiblesshops, a traditional Ayurveda spa and food shops.Along with the Dutch Hospital, the UDA hastaken the responsibility of restoring all historicplaces in Galle, it added.

With the success of the redevelopment of theColombo Dutch Hospital project, the Galle Fort issure to be a cynosure of old world charm coupledwith modern amenities that would draw in bothlocal and foreigners in their numbers.The 400-year-old historic Fort in Galle was builtby the Portuguese. This 52-hectare citadel wasone of the most important stops along the ancient

spice route. Due to itshistoric importance itwas announced aUNESCO Heritagesite.In 1640, the DutchEast India Companytook over the fort andbuilt a three kilometrerampart wall and 14bastions that stand tillthis day. With theBritish taking control ofthe island, the onceimportant trading postbegan to lose

importance and gradually was neglected.Under the heritage building development project,steps were taken to renovate the buildings in theGalle Fort. Under the direction of SecretaryDefence and Urban Development GotabayaRajapaksa, plans were drawn to give this Fort afacelift and put it to good use.The Galle Dutch Hospital was renovated by theSri Lanka Armys Engineering Services Regiment,under the instructions of the Project ManagementDepartment of the UDA.

Galle Fort Dutch Hospital to be opened




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Governmentfrom P12The TNA is only using the 13thAmendment and Human Rights as anexcuse, but they have done nothing forthe development of the North which thepeople voted them in to do, he added.His comments came as a TNA delegationvisited India last week for talks withIndian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi,and Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj.When asked if the government was

concerned regarding the visit of the TNAto India, Rambukwella told The SundayLeader that the government has had togo through worse difficulties andopposition, and the latest move by theTNA is being viewed as another futileeffort by them to disrupt the governmentsdevelopment drive. The time will comewhen the Tamil people who voted forthem will realize that the TNA has onlybeen engaging in slinging mud at thegovernment and had not delivered onany of the promises they had made.They claim to not be able to work without

police powers but in that case how arethe other provincial councils functioning?They can complain to anyone regardingthe non provision of the police powersbut we will not cow down to theirpressures.The people will realize their agendabefore long and these parties will perish,Rambukwella declared. He said thegovernment is steadfast in its drive todevelop the country and safeguard thehard fought peace, and it will not allowanyone to obstruct that drive or createturmoil once again.

Sara Pathirana(dailynews.lk) Bringing forth glory to Sri Lanka inthe form of an overwhelming win after 10 years ofpersevered competition, SLIM Resource Person,as well as renowned Business Educationist and

Public Speaker Dananjaya Hettiarachchi madehistory by being the first Sri Lankan to have beencrowned the World Champion in Public Speaking2014, from Toastmasters District 82 at theToastmasters International Convention which tookplace in Malaysia.

I regard this as a teamtrophy, a great teameffort that we haveenvisaged for the pastten years and to havehad the privilege tocontest withcompetitors from over105 countries wasoverwhelming,Hettiarachchi said atan event which wasorganized through theSmedley Toastmastersorganization, on behalfof all Toastmastersaround the country.This is the first time aspeaker from theSouth Asian region hadstep foot onto aninternational platformand got the chance todeliver as well as beacknowledged byprevious worldchampions who werepresent at the event.A Past President of

Toastmasters, DavidMuller said, Getting to bethe World Champion ofPublic Speaking was noeasy feat and Dananjayahad won in style throughcontinuous persistenceand perseverance. Wehave shown the worldthat Sri Lanka is able toproduce quality speakersas well as compete on international levels.After ten years, Hettiarachchi managed to proveto the world what he was made of and hedisclosed that hisspeech was not justabout delivery but alsoabout unanimousunderstanding fromeveryone who listened.It is about talking fromyour heart and I believeI helped bring adifference through thetitle of being aToastmaster as well assend a message toother speakers in thecountry to go for it andtake that step forward,Hettiarachchiacknowledged,He also declared that heheld no sentimentalvalues towards trophies

and so offered his trophy to be handed downToastmaster Clubs around the country toencourage other speakers to look up towards thisachievement and persevere in their endeavours.

The Smedley Toastmaster Club members at the reception which wasorganized by the group to welcome home the World Champion

First Lankan crowned Toastmaster World Champ

Bank of Ceylon, the bank that played a prominentrole in shaping the economic and financiallandscapes of the country, celebrated the 75thmilestone of its journey on 1 August.As part of the 75th anniversary celebrations, thebank organised its anniversary walk las

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