• SLFP general secretary to be common opposition candidate

    Nov 20

    Sirisena and Kumaratunga (2nd and 3rd from right) at press conference announcing his candidateship for presidency/ColollmboMirror

    The general secretary of President Rajapaksa’s SLFP, Maithripala Sirisena, announced on Friday that he would contest the presidential election as the opposition’s common candidate.

    “I thank all political parties and political groups for selecting me as the Common Candidate,” Sirisena, who is also the minister of health, said at a special press conference in Colombo, flanked by former president Chandrika Bandranaike Kumaratunga and other officials who have left the government.

    The minister said a catastrophe had befallen the country and vowed to bring change, pledging to abolish the executive presidency within 100 days of being elected as president.

    “One family is creating a soft dictatorship,” Sirisena told reporters today in Colombo. “There is corruption, injustice and rule of law has broken down. We have taken a decision to change the situation.”

    Sirisena expressed his gratitude to the UNP and said he would appoint UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe as the prime minister, if elected.

  • Presidential polls to be held on January 8

    The Sri Lankan presidential elections will be held on January 8, according to the country’s election commission.

    President Mahinda Rajapaksa will contest the poll for an unprecedented third term, against the common opposition candidate announced earlier today, his former health minister Maithripala Sirisena.

  • Protest against death sentence of remaining Eelam-Tamil fishermen held in North-East

    Relatives of the fishermen outside Jaffna prison (Uthayan)

    Relatives of three Tamil fishermen, who remain on death row, have staged a protest outside Jaffna prison, calling on the Sri Lankan state to release the men, reported the Uthayan.

    A total of 8 fishermen were sentenced to death over drug trafficking charges, however the 5 Indian Tamil fishermen were released after protests in Tamil Nadu and subsequent intervention by the Indian government.

  • Tamil Nadu asked to ban celebrations of LTTE by BJP's Swamy
    Tamil Nadu politicians who called for the birthday of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader, to be celebrated were threatened with calls for arrest under the National Security Act, on Friday.
  • Navy acquires 66 acres of private land in Mathakal
    The Sri Lankan navy has acquired 66 acres of private land in Mathakal, Jaffna reports the Uthayan.

    The latest acquisition by Sri Lanka's military comes after a protest earlier this week. Villagers in Mathakal prevented the Sri Lankan navy from surveying lands, which were to be acquired by the military this week.
  • Sri Lankan elections commissioner to announce presidential election date within 48 hours
    The Sri Lankan elections commissioner announced that a date for the presidential elections would be revealed within the next 48 hours after the Sri Lankan president signed a proclamation, on Thursday, declaring his intention to hold a presidential election seeking another term. 
  • Sri Lanka and Belarus commit to enhancing business ties
    The chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and his Sri Lankan counterpart at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, signed a memorandum to enhance partnerships between business circles in the two nations.
  • Solheim provided parts for LTTE air force - Sri Lanka

    The Sri Lankan government has accused former peace negotiator Eric Solheim of being "a liar and a supporter of terrorists", after he rejected claims made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, reported the Daily Mirror.

  • Former LTTE cadre reported missing in Jaffna

    A former LTTE cadre has been reported as missing by his family, since he disappeared in Jaffna earlier this month.

    Antonymutthu Anton Jeyaron was staying at an apartment in the Kurunagar Housing development authority, when he went missing on November 17, stated his wife, who has filed a complaint with Jaffna police.

    The 31 year old left his home to go shopping and did not return.

    Jeyaron was held by Sri Lankan authorities after the end of the armed conflict in 2009 and subsequently put through the government rehabilitation process.

    The latest disappearance follows the murder of a former LTTE policeman in Mannar this month alongside an increasing number of arrests by the Sri Lankan government. The incidents have reportedly led to an increased climate of fear amongst former cadres and Tamil activists in the North-East.

  • BBS backs UNP leader as 'suitable' common presidential candidate
    The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Buddhist movement backed the United National Party (UNP) leader as the best option for a common opposition presidential candidate reports Colombo Page.
  • NPC passes resolution calling for the release of untried Tamil political prisoners
    The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) adopted a resolution calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners who have been detained without trial for several years.
  • Indian fishermen freed after Rajapaksa issues pardon
    The five Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan security forces over alleged drug trafficking charges and sentenced to death, were freed on Wednesday by President Rajapaksa who issued a presidential pardon.

    The release comes after widespread protests in Tamil Nadu and strong pressure from the Modi led central government on Sri Lankan authorities.

    An appeal filed by the Indian authorities was withdrawn, after the Sri Lankan government said a presidential pardon could not proceed without its withdrawal.

    On Tuesday, a delegation from Tamil Nadu met with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, calling for the detained fishermen's "immediate release", reported Jagran Post.

    The delegation included local fishermen and the Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnanan, as well as senior BJP leaders, the paper reported .

    The release has been hailed as a major diplomatic victory in India. 

    "We feel the fishermen are not guilty. We will follow the legal process and will do our best to get them back to India," the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin said.

  • MoD warns of ongoing threat of secessionists
    The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence warned on Wednesday of the ongoing threat of secessionist both on and off the island.

    "Although we have defeated terrorism in Sri Lanka, it was only armed terrorism that was defeated. While armed terrorism was defeated there are still secessionists in various locations. They could be within Sri Lanka as well. It is certainly clear that they exist outside of Sri Lanka, they speak about it openly," said the Ministry's spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya at a press briefing on Wednesday.

    "There are groups in foreign countries which have said they will not turn back until a separate state has been created within Sri Lanka. There could be groups within Sri Lanka which are sponsored by them," he warned, vowing that "nevertheless, the Army will never allow for the people to be deprived of the freedom to spend time freely in Sri Lanka".

  • Sri Lanka says domestic probe will include human rights abuses
    In its latest attempt to detract from the UN inquiry into mass atrocities against the Tamil people, the Sri Lankan government announced on Tuesday that its domestic inquiry - the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances - would now also examine human rights abuses in the North-East of the island.

    "The Commission has decided to entertain public complaints on any war crimes and human rights abuses in the north and east. This could be done until December 31," the Secretary to the Commission, HW Gunadasa, was quoted by DNA India as saying.

    The inquiry, which has been severely critiqued by domestic and international NGOs and civil society actors over its lack of independence and witness protection, amongst other aspects, is currently holding public sittings in the North-East.

  • India, China, Russia to attend Sri Lanka's defence chiefs' conference
    India, China and Russia are to attend Sri Lanka's South and Southeast Asian Nations (SASEAN) Defense Chiefs' Dialogue at the end of this month in Colombo.

    The conference, held on November 27th till 29th, will include defence heads from eight SAARC and ten ASEAN nations, the Sri Lankan government's official news site reported.

    Bangladesh, the Maldives, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei are amongst other nations attending.
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