News Archive for Apr 2012

What India denied Sikhs India will deny Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelaam
Shenali Waduge
India’s problems are many though it hides behind a claim that it is a country united in diversity. As a sovereign country, it is not our concern how India runs its country or treats its people. Naturally, we expect India to respect Sri Lanka’s sovereign status as well. Nevertheless, the issue of Tamil Nadu wanting to separate and India promoting Tamil Eelaam in Sri Lanka has turned into triangular battle for which India stands accountable. The similarities in the Sikh struggle for a Khalistan and Tamil Nadu’s own quest for separatism is evident while India continues to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

Dambulla Protests and Insult to Buddhism
anuradhini
All Sri Lanka patriots should ponder over aftermaths of  the Dambulla Mosque incident. First of all it is worthy of mentioning that there was a rumor spreading in foreign lands that a mosque has been demolished or burnt down by a mob attack lead by Buddhist priests. Such rumors have surely been purposefully alighted by anti- Sinhala-Buddhist enemies within and the evil west. No such incident took place. Watching the incident one can clearly see the agitated crowd marching  towards a poorly constructed shed used as a mosque by Dambulla Muslim community.  Intention appeared to be causing damage... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

in Sri lanka , Dambulla city Muslims Mosque attacked by buddhist monks 3
The Buddhist monks represent neither Sri Lanka nor Buddhism. The behaviour is shameful. All religions teach tolerance. We are a peaceful nations who had co-existed happily with each other for a long time, and it should be celebrated and preserved. The authorities turn a blind eye to the threats by the monks to Christians and Muslims due to the high&65279; regard the Buddhist monks are held in the society. Sri Lanka is not only for Buddhists. Muslims and Christians should have a place to pray.... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 30/04/12)

Dambulla Masjid Attack (Part 5)-Sinhala Buddhist says Masjid was there for more than 50 years
i am from dabulla most of the sihala people live side by side with us this is a act of monk who love power publicity and wealth we muslim no need&65279; to clash with sinhala people.... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 30/04/12)

Dambulla Masjid Attack (Part 2)
... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 30/04/12)

Dambulla Masjid Attack (Part 1)
... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 30/04/12)

Stop funding Dr. JJ’s Medical Bills
Malin Abeyatunge
It was reported in the print media that at the request of Ranil Wickremasinghe President Rajapaksa has agreed to foot Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena’s (Dr.JJ) medical bills from the President’s Fund. President Fund comprises funds collected from the public to help the needy and not the President’s private property. There are more deserving cases who are very poor and  who are seeking help to carry out rare operations either in Sri Lanka or overseas. Why not President Fund helps such cases instead of funding another wealthy doctor who always talk against Sri Lanka?. Why the President Fund should... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

FOR TWO JAFFNA PEOPLE FOREIGN DREAM ENDS UP IN A KERALA HOSPITAL AND A POLICE JAIL
By Walter Jayawardhana
When Dhanapala Sinham and Sreedasan from Jaffna arrived in the beautiful Kerala city of Kollam , police think, they had some reason to be silent and not talk much: They were there illegally and suspected to be smuggled into the country by human trafficking racketeers. Since they could not answer questions in the city of Kavanad posed to them by some people both of them were severely assaulted. At the time of their arrest the wounds of the assault were so serious Singham had to be admitted to a hospital before anything else. Police said that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

"ICT for diplomacy in the 21st century information society" - Speech by Mr. Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Executive Director LKIIRSS. 26th April 2012.
X International Seminar on Foreign Relations ISRI 2012. Havana,Cuba.
Distinguished guests, students,ladies and gentleman. It is with great pride I present this paper to your prestigious institute ISRI. This is the first time arepresentative from the National think tank of Sri Lanka, Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations & Strategic Studies has presented a paper to your institute.I wish to thank ISRI for inviting me to this conference and also Cuban Ambassador in Sri Lanka and our Minister Hon.Prof.G.L. Peiris for their support to make this moment a reality. I am certain this relationship between the two think tanks... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

ජනඅරගල ව්‍යාපාරය පිළිබද සැබෑව හා මුලාව
ගුනේන්ද්‍ර ප්‍රියදර්ශන
ජන අරගල ව්‍යාපාරයේ ආරමිභය මෙන්ම උත්කර්ශවත්ව ඔවුන්ගේ අවසානයද සනිටුහන් කරමින් පෙරටුගාමී සමාජවාදී පක්ෂය ආරමිභ විය. එම සුවිශේෂ මොහොතේදී ඔවුන් පිළිබද සරළ යථාර්ථය සරළව නිරාවරණය කිරීමට පහත සටහන තබමි. මෙම මහා වාම වාදීන් ජවිපෙ දේශපාලනය විවේචනය කිරිමට හා ඔවුන්ගෙන් තමන් වෙනස් වන්නේ කෙසේද යන්න පැහැදිළි කිරීමට සදහන් කරන ලද්දේ ජවිපෙ සංධාන දේශපාලනය තෝරා ගැනීමේ වරදය. මෙහිදී ආසන්නතම සිදුවීම වූ සරත් පොන්සේකා ජනපති පුටුවට තරග කිරීම සදහා වන ජවිපෙ මැදිහත් වීමයි. වාමාංශික දේශපාලනයේ නියුතු පක්ෂයක් මෙසේ ධනේශ්වර පංතිය සමග සංධානගත වීම ඉතාමත් අනර්ථකාරී මෙන්ම මුග්ධ ක්‍රියාවන්ය. එහිදී පටු ජාතිවාදී හැගීම් ආකර්ශනය මත තම ඡන්ද පදනම තාවකාලිනව හෝ ඉහළ නැංවීම... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

Ideal Spirit of Building and Populating Mosques
By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Sri Lanka.
 (Given below is an excerpt the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered on 27th April 2012 at ‘Bait ul Amaan’, Manchester, U.K., gave a discourse on the ideal spirit of building and populating mosques. Ahmadiyya Supreme Head inaugurated Bait ul Amaan, a new mosque in the city of Manchester, UK and gave a discourse on the ideal spirit of building and populating mosques. He began by citing the following Quranic verses: ‘And remember the time when... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/12)

Dambulla incident - We Need Rule of Justice & Equality to prevail ... not the Laws of the Jungle .
niyas abbas
- පූජ්‍ය මැඩිල්ලේ පඤ්ඤාලෝක හිමි writes these beautiful truths ..... කෙසේ වෙතත් දඹුල්ලේදී මුසොල්මානුවන් වෙනුවෙන් සියලුම මුස්‌ලිම් දේශපාලඥයෝ එක හඬින් නැගී සිටියහ. එහිදී පක්‍ෂ විපක්‍ෂ සියලු දෙනාම එකා වන්ව නැගී සිටියේ සිංහල බෞද්ධයාගේ අයිතිය වෙනුවෙන් අභියෝග කරන්නටය. මොන දේශපාලන පක්‍ෂය නියෝජනය කළත් සියලුම මුස්‌ලිම් මැති ඇමැතිවරුන් එක හඬින් නැගී සිටියේය. ඔවුන්ගේ පැත්තෙන් ඒ සඳහා අපද ගරු කළ යුත්තේ එකදු සිංහලයෙක්‌ හෝ බෞද්ධ දේශපාලකයෙක්‌ මේ වෙනුවෙන් නැගී නොසිටීමයි. අවාසනාවක මහත මේ තරම් ආන්දෝලනාත්මක දෙයක්‌ සිදුව තිබෙද්දී පවා අද වන තුරුත් කිසිදු දේශපාලකයෙක්‌ අප වෙනුවෙන් ඉදිරිපත් නොවීය. It says ..... Every Muslim politician rose against the "injustice" with one... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

Sense over nonsense in Dambulla
Courtesy Lakbima Editorial
What's called for in the immediate term in the Dambulla mosque brouhaha is for the top level leadership of the government to issue a statement reassuring the Muslim community of the Dambulla sacred area environs that their constitutional right to practice the religion of their choice will not be traduced – and that efforts would be made to ensure that the controversial mosque would be retained in its original location, if it can be ascertained beyond reasonable doubt that this place of worship has been in existence in Dambulla for the last 50 years, or thereabout.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

What a joke of an Editorial?
Seyed Moulana
If the govt had taken "swift steps" why are stalwarts like Gov. Mowlana, Rauff Hakim and Hon. Fowzie et al conveying disappointment? Wrong signals have already been sent although the Observer speaks in the future tense! ISOLATED INCIDENTS CAN SEND WRONG SIGNALS-The  Observer Editorial   The tense situation that erupted in Dambulla over the construction of a mosque was most unfortunate. Such untoward incidents, resorted to by a handful of mischievous elements, could send the wrong signals to the international community. The situation was, however, defused due to the Government's swift action. Else, disgruntled elements could have... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

COUNCIL KEEPS ITS “PRAYER”IN BRITAIN BUT DROPS “GOD” FROM IT
By  Walter Jayawardhana
In Britain, an old bastion of Christian heritage there had been a widely accepted practice of starting public meetings by saying prayers until secularist campaigners protested  sometimes even by challenging the authorities in courts of law. Eventually some local government bodies dropped the practice altogether. But when three councilors in Gloucestershire,  who are agnostic and atheist, staged a protest against the historic practice of standing up for a brief prayer before their meetings get under way remained seated the chairman decided to do something to retain council unity. He  hit upon an “an ingenious solution”- the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

Impact of Buddhist Culture on Sri Lanka: Past and Present
By Ven. Dr. M. Dhammajothi Senior Lecturer, Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Colombo, Sri-Lanka Courtesy: Voice of Longquan
Background Information  Though Sri Lanka is now usually described as a multi-religious and multi-national country, for over two millenniums it has been predominantly a uni-religious, uni- national country. The national identity of the people has been designated as Sinhala, and the civilization as founded on Buddhist Culture.   Though there is reference to pre- historic times that the traditional scholars consider as reflecting the existence of a very developed civilization, the real historical times begins with the crowning of King... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

SRI LANKA REJECTS INDIAN OFFER TO UPGRADE SAPUGASKANDA OIL REFINERY
By Walter Jayawardhana     
Chinese news agency Xinhua reported Sri Lanka has refused to accept an Indian offer to upgrade a refinery that is built to refine only Iranian oil, a minister said Sunday. Petroleum Minister Susil Premjayantha said the offer to upgrade the Sapugaskanda oil refinery had come from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) but Colombo rejected it. He said since IOC already operates a majority of fuel stations in Sri Lanka and as a result increases the fuel prices at will, handing over the refinery to the same company could hurt the local fuel distribution sector, Xinhua reported.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

Third World Buddhist Forum closes in Hong Kong
Courtesy:  China Daily 
HONG KONG - The Third World Buddhist Forum wrapped up Friday in Hong Kong with messages of hope to create a harmonious world from leading Buddhist figures. Around 1,000 representatives from home and abroad attended the forum, including Buddhist leaders from different countries, well known Buddhist scholars, as well as individuals who are concerned with the development of Buddhism. People worship a skull sarira, a relic of Sakyamuni Buddha, displayed in Hong Kong Coliseum during the Third World Buddhist Forum, April 26, 2012. [Photo/Xinhu ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

PRESIDENT’S FUND TO TAKE CARE OF DR. JAYALATH JAYAWARDENA’S SURGERY IN LONDON
By Walter Jayawardhana
United National Party leader Ranil Wickramasinghe has been able to obtain financial help from President  Mahinda Rajapaksa to pay the medical bills for Dr.Jayalath Jayawardena who suddenly took ill at a London air port. The former Minister and senior opposition parliamentarian was found unconscious while travelling there and later admitted to East Surrey Hospital in London, where he was recommended to have an open heart surgery. He had sent all documents regarding the expenses to the UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayaka.  President Rajapaksa agreed to take care of the matter by the President’s Fund, The Sunday... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

HELLO THIS IS SUSHMA CALLING AM AARR WHAT IS THIS 13A?
By Stanley Perera-Kandy
Hello Am Aarr, this is Sush calling from New Delhi.  Yes Sush I am MR speaking from the top of the Temple Trees.  I am so thankful to you Am Arr for the wonderful time you gave me.  That’s OK Sush, that’s the way I am to all the ladies.  Ladies first is my motto.  In fact you are so cute and different from our local Kusumas.  I did my best Sush, I did my best. Oh yes Am Arr, I am so thrilled in the way you treated me.  I will never forget it.  These... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

German Dharmaduta Society elects new Office Bearers
Senaka Weeraratna ( Hony. Secretary)
The German Dharmaduta Society, which was founded by Asoka Weeraratna (Ven Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi Thero) in 1952, to propagate Buddhism and establish the Buddha Sasana in Germany and other Western countries, elected its new office bearers and committee members, unanimously for a period of three years at its Annual General Meeting held in the Auditorium of the OPA, Colombo on April 22, 2012.  The Society sponsored the first Buddhist Mission to Germany in 1957, and continues to send monks to reside and conduct Dharmaduta work at Das Buddhistische Haus (Founded in 1924 by Dr. Paul... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

CUBA MAKES ASTHMA DRUG FROM BANANA PEELS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Havana which has made many medical feats for a small country has manufactured a very effective drug for asthma Cuba’s Prensa Latina News Service reported. A pharmaceutical Lab has demonstrated “a highly effective” meeical product made from banana peel the Cuban news agency has reported. Jorge Luis Martinez and Yudit Rodriguez, executives from the Pharmaceutical Biological Laboratory -- or Labiofam -- presented the products to the Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry at the Institute of Medicinal Materials in Vietnam capital Hanoi. ‘The medical products "stirred up interest and admiration among Vietnamese scientists and researchers", the report said. After... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

COW KILLS TIGER IN TAMIL NADU
By Walter Jayawardhana
There had been many reported incidents where the majestic tiger had been killed by animals of lesser stature especially when it comes to the saving of off springs. In addition to the motherly instinct in the incident reported  last Saturday  the ferocious tiger was already injured in an earlier fight in the forest with procupines. A tiger, aged around 10, succumbed on Saturday near Valparai to the injuries it had sustained when it was attacked by a cow a few days ago, the Hindu reported. “The incident happened at farmer Gananasekaran's cattle shed. The officials said... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

Statement re 13th Amendment should come from GL,We have to tell the people what we’ll do... not India-– Basil
By Namini Wijedasa Courtesy Lakbimanews
    Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa who is once again playing a central role in directing India-Sri Lanka relations, last week refused to clarify whether President Rajapaksa had promised a visiting Indian delegation to implement the 13th Amendment in full.    Excerpts from the interview: How healthy are India-Sri Lanka relations? I think very healthy. India’s vote in Geneva on the US-led resolution is only one incident. As a whole, there has not been much change in the relationship. It is very cordial, friendly and understanding. This was confirmed by the almost... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

Officials meet UN advisor on `cluster bomb’ story Never used or acquired such material says army commander
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island
In the wake of the senior UN official in charge of mine clearing operations carried out by NGOs alleging that unexploded cluster munitions had been found in the Vanni east recently, the GoSL has challenged the agency to furnish evidence to support the latest allegation directed at Sri Lanka. Responding to a query by The Sunday Island, Army Chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya yesterday said that a delegation of officials in charge of the ongoing mine clearing efforts had met Allan Poston, the technical adviser for the UNDP to clarify the issue.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

CANADIAN CAPERS AND AUSSIE MANIPULATIONS
Courtesy Lakbimanews
As the days pass and it gets closer to the Commonwealth Summit or CHOGM as it is known in bureaucratic shorthand, due to be held in Sri Lanka next year it is inevitable that the “White Commonwealth” will employ every ruse possible to provide the excuse for its leaders to keep away from the meeting. The ABC countries - Australia, Britain and Canada - as they are known to observers of Commonwealth affairs are the last white relics of an empire that went down with the sun. There is another member of the “white Commonwealth”, New... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/12)

A Revamped Defence Posture vital for the survival of Sri Lanka in the turbulent years ahead
R Chandrasoma
The commonly received wisdom in our country is that our current difficulties are largely due to the want of a ‘fair deal ‘ for the minorities - a ‘political solution’ that will assuage the (supposed) hurts and discontents of the non-Sinhala folk living in Sri Lanka. While factually dubious, it is a supposition that has great support among those who find the current political dispensation headstrong in its nationalism and defiant in certain aspects of its foreign policy. It can be argued that all this is a species of political fiction cooked up by forces both external... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/04/12)

OPEN LETTER TO R.SAMPANTHAN-WHAT DID KRISHNA AND SUSHMA TELL YOU?
By Stanley Perera-kandy
My dear Sampanthan, When Indian Minister Krishna visited Sri Lanka what did he tell you Sampanthan? Last week when Indian opposition leader Sushma visited Sri Lanka with a parliamentary delegation, what did Sushma tell you Sampanthan? Didn’t Krishna and Sushma both tell you to go to PSC? When Both Krishna and Sushma asked you to go to PSC, aren’t you a bloody Tamil Nadoo clown to ask for International Community to get involved in non-existant Tamil grievances? Howmany times have I asked you to tell the world what your Tamil Grievances are in point form?  If... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/04/12)

AN APPLICATION UNDER THE SIXTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
SINHALA JATHIKA PERAMUNA
The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka was enacted in August 1983.  The Article 157A(2) states the following; 157A (2). No political party or other association or organization shall have as one of its aims or objectives the establishment of a separate state within the territories of Sri Lanka. Many Sinhala Nationalists have asked the question why nobody takes any legal action against the TNA for carrying out freely a separatist agenda even after the defeat of the separatist terrorism? We the, Sinhala Jathika Peramuna, the Political wing of the Sinhala Nation held the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/04/12)

Henry and Cyril Talalla - Remembered as Heroes for their exploits in World War 2
Sumanananda Premseri
Dear Venerables and Friends, In Malaysia, today marks the end of the month long Sinhala Avuruddha celebrations with the last event being the Sinhala Avuruddha Show at the Buddhist Maha Vihara Brickfields. The month long Avuruddha programs were organized by the Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society, the Siri Jayanthi Association, the Malaysian Sinhalese Association and the Sri Lanka High Commission in Malaysia, the Sri Lankan Expatriates Grouping and the Sri Lanka Workers Welfare Association. As we close this chapter and move towards celebrating Wesak, I thought it would be lovely on a post script to reflect on the contributions of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/04/12)

THE ROVING EYE- A history of the world, BRIC by BRIC
By Pepe Escobar
Goldman Sachs - via economist Jim O'Neill - invented the concept of a rising new bloc on the planet: BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). Some cynics couldn't help calling it the "Bloody Ridiculous Investment Concept." Not really. Goldman now expects the BRICS countries to account for almost 40% of global gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050, and to include four of the world's top five economies. Soon, in fact, that acronym may have to expand to include Turkey, Indonesia, South Korea and, yes, nuclear Iran: BRIIICTSS? Despite its well-known problems as a nation... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 28/04/12)

INSIGHT INTO THE 9/11 DEBATE 'Economists are scared'
By Lars Schall
Recently, I had published at Asia Times Online an exclusive investigation, Insider Trading 9/11 ... The Facts Laid Bare (March 21, 2012). In this article I presented evidence of informed trading activities prior to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 on areas of New York City and Washington that resulted in the death of 2,996 people, including the 19 hijackers of four commercial jets. (The four aircraft hijacked on September 11 were American Airlines Flight 11, American Airlines Flight 77 and UAL flights 175 and 93.) On the same subject matter, Asia Times Online now... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 28/04/12)

EURASIAN ECONOMIC BOOM AND GEOPOLITICS: China’s Land Bridge to Europe: The China-Turkey High Speed Railway
by F. William Engdahl
The prospect of an unparalleled Eurasian economic boom lasting into the next Century and beyond is at hand. The first steps binding the vast economic space are being constructed with a number of little-publicized rail links connecting China, Russia, Kazakhstan and parts of Western Europe. It is becoming clear to more people in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Eurasia including China and Russia that their natural tendency to build these markets faces only one major obstacle: NATO and the US Pentagon’s Full Spectrum Dominance obsession. Rail infrastructure is a major key to building vast new... -Full Story- (globalresearch.ca - 28/04/12)

Saudi Arabia recalls ambassador to Egypt, closes embassy
RT
Saudi Arabia has recalled its ambassador to Egypt "for consultation" and temporarily closed its embassy and consulate in Cairo. Saudi State media claims the move was prompted by "unjustified protests" in Egypt and attempts by demonstrators to storm the Saudi Embassy and consulate that “threatened the safety of its employees.” The protests were sparked after the prominent Egyptian human rights lawyer Ahmed el-Gezawi was detained in the Saudi city of Jeddah earlier this month.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 28/04/12)

Gaddafi put up 50M euro for Sarkozy’s presidential bid – report
RT
Deceased Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi had agreed to fund French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign – to the tune of 50 million euro, a new report says. ­The Paris-based investigative website Mediapart published “documentary evidence” that Gaddafi was ready to put forth tens of millions of dollars to see that Sarkozy won the French presidential race. Mediapart claimed Saturday that the 2006 document was provided by "former senior [Libyan] officials, who are now in hiding." They further claim the document came “from the archives of the secret service,” and was signed by Gaddafi’s former intelligence chief and later... -Full Story- (rt.com - 28/04/12)

The Role of Arts and Culture in Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
By Iromi Dharmawardhane-(Eurasia Review) (Born in Prague, growing up in Cairo, Washington, D.C., and Colombo, Iromi Dharmawardhane is a Sri Lankan researcher with a global orientation.)
War tears us apart. Needless to say, seeing and experiencing - or committing - violence and injustice every waking day, for long years of our life, will take an untold toll on our humanity. Thus, when war ends, the cessation of violence and fighting on the battlefields and regained physical security of person does not serve to extinguish the rage and pain searing through communities who have hitherto been devastated by experiences... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/04/12)

The Resolution Against Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council: Did the U.S. Go Too Far?
Don Wijewardana[1]
In March, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) passed a United States sponsored resolution pressing the Sri Lankan government to investigate alleged human rights violations during the final stages of the war with the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement immediately after, “United States and the international community had sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will only achieve lasting peace through real reconciliation and accountability.” Sri Lanka, which rescued 300,000 hostages held by the LTTE as a human shield, by defeating the terrorist group, has... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/04/12)

VILLAGE SKETCH—13, TESTING REAL LIFE ON A BIKE
Arcadius
A sense of modest pride overwhelms me when I recall how I learnt to ride a bicycle. I was just 9 years old then. I was a student in the fifth grade of the town English school. Though small both in years and size, I was rather big in my aspirations. I longed to drive a car—a very big car. No matter that I would not see the road through the windscreen if I were to occupy the seat beneath the steering wheel! Perhaps I could stand a bit to command a view of the road and drive... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/04/12)

America will soon humiliate us
L. Jayasooriya
The Daily Mirror headlines of Friday April 27, 2012 says “GL to present Lanka’s action plan to US” and follows it up by saying that the government has sought the views from alliance partners to prepare an action plan to be presented to the United States on the implementation of the recommendations made by the LLRC. This is a sequel to the adoption of the US sponsored resolution demanding the implementation of the recommendations of the LLRC. The report added that GL has decided to go to Washington next month to meet Hillary Clinton to present this... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/04/12)

CIMOGG EVALUATES SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT ON NOISE POLLUTION
A Sri Lankan
The recent unfortunate incidents in Dambulla have drawn public attention not only to the presence of unauthorized places of worship on historical sacred sites, but also to the use of loudspeakers installed at such places beginning at 4.30 a.m. calling on people to pray in an area that is inhabited overwhelmingly ( more than 95 % ) by people belonging to other faiths.   This has become a source of unnecessary disturbance and tension in what is basically a rural area i.e. Dambulla, known for its peace and tranquility. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has delivered... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

SERVER PERFORMANCE UPGRADE
Please note that the server hosting lankaweb.com website will be undergoing a major software upgrade, within the next 48 hours. Although a bulk of the upgrades to the server are being done with it online and functional, in order to safely finalize these changes our Administrators will need to temporarily take the server offline in the early morning hours. Barring any extenuating circumstances this outage should only last about 2 hours.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

IS KEN LIVINGSTONE WORTHY OF YOUR VOTE ?
Cathy & Tissa. Colombo Sri Lanka
As you are aware Londoners go to the polls next Thursday to elect a new mayor and all candidates have been busy campaigning and explaining their promises. But some campaign promises are more interesting than other s –in particular Ken Livingstone’s little publicised promise, made on the 7 April 2012 at a Tamils for Labour meeting in East Ham, now appearing on Youtube. The video is just over 5 minutes long and is well worth viewing – although you will have to watch it more than once to make sure that you can... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

UK Channel 4 back in the news !
P.A.Samaraweera, Australia.
Channel 4 had been in the news in Sri Lanka because of fake videos shown by them relating to the war. All their reports were one sided pointing the fingure at the govt with vengeance, hardly mentioning LTTE atrocities committed during 3 decades. It was obvious that all the material for these had come from LTTE sources. The invisible hand  of course was the Tamil diaspora who had become paymasters. In addition to this, according to recent media reports there appears to be more supporting pillars in Channel 4.  The reports indicate that one of the top Executives, in Channel 4... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Statement by H.E. Ravinatha Aryasinha, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU, at the European Parliament South Asia Delegation’s discussion on Sri Lanka – 24 April 2012
The embassy of the democratic socialist republic of sri lanka to belgium,  luxembourg  and the european union
Madam Chair and Members of the South Asia Delegation, Less than 3 years ago, as Sri Lanka emerged from its 30 year long struggle against LTTE terrorism, there were many ‘prophets of doom’, including in this Parliament, who mis-judged both Sri Lanka’s will and capacity. Pessimistic Projections  It was said; -  that the IDP welfare villages set up were a “humanitarian catastrophe” and that malnutrition, disease and death would be rampant  -  that the Government was not interested in de-mining... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Mosque Destruction in Dambulla ?
Uditha Abeywickrema
Dear Sir: Dambulla and its picturesque, historical environs are very sacred to Buddhists. Muslims ought to know this, and accordingly close down their mosque. Instead, they have become belligerent and threaten retaliation. But first, a simple question must be posed to Sri Lankan Muslims and to Muslims in the wider world for some perspective, fairness and balance. Would Saudi Arabia and other Gulf sheikdoms, Iran included, allow Buddhism, the worship of Buddhism, let alone the construction of Buddhist temples, on their soil, in their lands? The answer is a loud and categorical "NO"!  Only Islam is allowed in the whole of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Through ‘Foreign’ eyes
Dr.Tilak Fernando
The Motor Traffic Law in Sri Lanka and its effectiveness have been continuously focused and discussed by many in print media by way of ‘Letters to the Editor’ of newspapers, in electronic media and television too, highlighting the alarming rate of road accidents in this country. Why do road accidents escalate in a manner that is detrimental to human life? Some think it’s due to too many vehicles on the road; erratic driving techniques by ‘ignorant’ drivers who do not seem to know the ABC of the Highway Code, and particularly some private bus drivers who always... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

No Assurance from Rajapakse - Hindu April 25,2010
Ira de Silva London, Canada
The Editor The Hindu New Delhi, India Dear Sir: Reference this news item, could you clarify what right India has, as represented by the Indian delegation, to attempt to decide what Sri Lanka can do or not do regarding it's internal laws and policies? India seems to believe, as does Mr. Radhakrishan, that Sri Lanka is a part of India  and based on that  presumption continues to harass Sri Lanka to do what India wants. As for the constant harping on the 13th Amendment that was forced on Sri Lanka based on the Indo-Lanka Accord,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Karunanidhi wants Centre to back ‘Eelam' campaign
By Walter Jayawardhana
Going ahead with his campaign for carving out a separate ‘Tamil Eelam' in Sri Lanka, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday sought the revival of the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO), an outfit he was associated with in the 1980s, to fight for a separate State for Tamils on Gandhian lines. Declaring the creation of the separate state his life’s ambition despite the policy of the central government is totally against it the Chief Minister said he wants  the Central government of which he is a member  to toe the line. Addressing a public... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

3rd World Buddhist Forum opens in Hong Kong
Courtesy:  China.org.cn
The Third World Buddhist Forum, the largest international Buddhist conference ever held in Hong Kong, opened on April 26, 2012. At the beginning of the opening ceremony, led by President of the Hong Kong Buddhist Association Kok Kwong, President of the Buddhist Association of China Chuan Yin, the 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, all the participants, together with thousands of monks and Buddhist believers, bowed three times to the statue of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha and chanted the Heart Sutra, one of the most well - known Buddhist scripture. The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, one... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

The CSSL Organises a Joint Seminar with OPA
PRESS RELEASE-The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL - www.cssl.lk)
The Computer Society of Sri Lanka (CSSL - www.cssl.lk) is organising many events and activities to support professionals in Sri Lanka. One such event is up coming and it is a joint seminar organised with the Organisation of Professional Associations in Sri Lanka (OPA). The CSSL was established in 1976 in Sri Lanka for the purpose of promoting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and professionalism among those engaged in this field, and to maintain the highest professional standards among the ICT fraternity. OPA is the representative body of leading... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

IMF, the World Bank and the future of Third World nations
Shenali Waduge
60 years after the IMF and the World Bank took on the onerous task to promote growth and to rebuild nations why is it that half of the world of 7billion people still lives on less than a dollar a day, 3billion have no access to sanitation, 2billion have no access to electricity, 1.3b have no access to clean water, nearly 1billion cannot read or sign their names, over 270m are unemployed while 1% controls the entire wealth of the world? If the IMF and the World Bank is owned and controlled by the Rothschild family together... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

‘They are upset India voted against them in Geneva’ We said UNHRC asks you to implement what your baby LLRC said. They had no answer"
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN Courtesy The Island
NEW DELHI, April 25: Leader of the Opposition in Indian Parliament’s lower house Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday evening and briefed him about last week’s visit to Sri Lanka by an all-party team of 12 MPs. National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai were present during the meeting. Talking to reporters on Tuesday that during her meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, she discussed devolution of powers to provinces, as envisaged in the 13th Amendment to the island nation’s Constitution. Ms Swaraj,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Overwhelming army presence in North: Army Chief clarifies post-war role
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island

  Army Chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya yesterday said that the deployment of troops in the Northern and Eastern Provinces was very much less than during the conflict. "There is a substantial reduction of troops stationed in each district following peace time re-deployment," Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya said in an exclusive interview with The Island. The ongoing process, the former Security Forces Commander, Vanni, said was in line with the thinking of Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Responding to criticism of an overwhelming military presence in the Northern and Eastern districts three... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/04/12)

Buddha relic arrives in Hong Kong ( see also Video clip )
HONG KONG: A skull bone believed to be from the original remains of Buddha arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday to much fanfare. It is the first time the sacred Buddhist relic has been taken outside mainland China. The relic is believed to be the world's only remaining parietal bone of Buddha. It was flown in by chartered plane and was greeted at the Hong Kong International Airport by government officials and monks. The relic was reportedly buried for thousands of years and first unveiled in Nanjing two years ago. According to Buddhist belief, Buddha's skull bone grew naturally upward,... -Full Story- (channelnewsasia.com - 26/04/12)

Chinese activists rescue hundreds of dogs from cooking pot
By JohnThomas Didymus
+ Beijing - Hundreds of dogs being transported in a truck to Chinese restaurants that serve dog meat as culinary delicacy have been rescued. About 200 people mobilized to stop the truck from delivering the dogs. An animal rights activist intercepted the truck transporting them. China Post reports the activist used his Chinese micro-blog to alert other animal-rights activists. According to AFP, the activist swerved his car in front of the truck forcing it to stop.... -Full Story- (digitaljournal.com - 26/04/12)

Richard Wolff - Capitalism Hits the Fan
With breathtaking clarity, renowned University of Massachusetts Economics Professor Richard Wolff breaks down the root causes of today's economic crisis, showing how it was decades in the making and in fact reflects seismic failures within the structures of American-style capitalism itself. Wolff traces the source of the economic crisis to the 1970s, when wages began to stagnate and American workers were forced into a dysfunctional spiral of borrowing and debt that ultimately exploded in the mortgage meltdown. By placing the crisis within this larger historical and systemic frame, Wolff argues convincingly that the proposed government "bailouts," stimulus packages, and calls... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 26/04/12)

The Dutch abandon multiculturalism
By riteway
The Dutch government says it will abandon the long-standing model of multiculturalism which has encouraged Muslim immigrants to create a parallel society within the Netherlands A new integration bill which the Dutch interior minister presented to parliament on June 16 2011 reads “ The government shares the social dissatisfaction over the multicultural society model and plans to shift priority to the values of the Dutch people. In the new integration system the values of Dutch society play a central role. With this change the government steps away from the model of a multicultural society”... -Full Story- (my.telegraph.co.uk - 26/04/12)

The Rockefellers (Full)
... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 26/04/12)

Diaspora Link To Channel 4 Revealed
By Faraz Shauketaly
Sunday Leader has unearthed startling evidence showing that the LTTE-leaning Diaspora in Britain have made in-roads to the highest levels within the British Channel 4 TV network. Sri Lankan born Shirani Sabaratnam originally from Jaffna and Vaddukoddai is married to Channel 4 TV’s Director of Diversity, the well-known British journalist Stuart Cosgrove. Stuart Cosgrove’s responsibilities at Channel 4 is without doubt a major one: he oversees Channel 4’s strategy to have innovation and to have creative diversity. He also is in charge of managing strategy and development of new companies, within the general ambit of Channel 4’s... -Full Story- (thesundayleader.lk - 26/04/12)

Isn’t there someone to prod Karunanidhi out of his sleep and stop him from dreaming?
Asada M Erpini
Karunanidhi is in deep slumber – just as the latter part of his name implies - and if someone in Tamil Nadu or even in any other state of the Indian Union of States can bring him out to the real world, it would do a world of good to the old man. It is generally known that people lose their sense of judgement and rational thinking as they get old. Karunanidhi appears to be the epitome of this inability to see the world as it exists. Or else, how can he keep on talking of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

Why the Sudan Fate Awaits Sri Lanka Unless Swift Action is Taken Now
- Kumar Moses
We have pointed out previously why Sri Lanka faces the same fate of Sudan. Our proposed solution sent shockwaves down the spine of Tamil Elamists. http://www.sangam.org/2011/08/EthnicNature_Changed.php?uid=4441 That alone proves its effectiveness. Now the threat is even worse. Transnational Government of Tamil Elam was invited to South Sudan independence and they have drawn inspiration from it. Now they demand a similar referendum (as held only in the southern part of Sudan) in the northern and eastern part of Sri Lanka. UNHRC, India, Norway and USA have already imposed various devolution models that achieve just that in the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

Terrorists and Sinhala separatists: a list of questions to Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha
C. Wijeyawickrema
Introduction According to Eric Soleham, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was the only person who said the war against Prabakaran was winnable. Thus Gotabhaya has earned a right to say that an Eelam supporter is a terrorist.  One can extend this statement further and say that anybody who supports 13A is a separatist. All kinds of retired Sinhala officers, Sinhala dollar NGO agents, Friday Forums, Concerned Citizens and lot of selfish and stupid politicians in and outside the cabinet are behind the 13A death trap. Many of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s close advisors could be believers of the 13A gospel. It... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

On The Rights of Sri Lankan Muslims
By Lakpura
Sri Lankan Muslims form around 7% of the Sri Lanka's population. They are the second largest minority group, after the Tamils, and consist of two main groups - the Sri Lankan Moors who form the majority of Sri Lanka's Muslims, and the Sri Lankan Malays who form a tiny minority of Sri Lanka's Muslims. Recent events have left some commentators making sweeping claims that Muslims have no rights in Sri Lanka, that their rights are not protected by the Sri Lankan government , that they are persecuted in other parts of the world, and that "...even in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

U.N. SEPARATED COUNTRIES HAVE NO RELEVANCE TO SRI LANKA THE HINDU TELLS KARUNANIDHI
By Walter Jayawardhana
Attacking Muthuvel Karunanidhi the leader of the DMK for asking for the separation of Sri Lanka and create Eelam through UN intervention the Hindu newspaper in no uncertain terms said the cases of Montenegro, South Sudan, East Timor and Kosovo where the UN intervened have no relevance to Sri Lanka. “Tamil 'Eelam' is for Tamil Nadu politicians what the full moon is for hungry wolves. All their howling is indicative, not of any yearning for a distant, dreamy Eelam, but of the baser urges of the politics of the here-and-now, the newspaper said. The newspaper severely... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

Discussed 13th Amendment, says Sushma
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Leader of the all-party Indian delegation was quoted having told the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that she discussed devolution of powers to the Sri Lankan provinces with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  According to the Hindu newspaper which covered the meeting the devolution was on the lines of the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution.  The leader Ms.Swaraj also quoted having told the President that she had urged President Rajapaksa to hold talks with the Tamil National Alliance to resolve the grievances of the Tamils.  The following is the report the Hindu published: “Leader of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

DR CHRIS NONIS, SRI LANKA’S HIGH COMMISSIONER WINS “DIPLOMAT OF THE YEAR” FOR ASIA, AT LONDON DIPLOMATIC AWARDS 2012
MEDIA RELEASE  Sri Lanka High Commission  London, UK
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner for the UK, His Excellency Dr Chris Nonis, was awarded the “Diplomat of the Year” for Asia, at the Annual Diplomat Awards Ceremony at the Langham Hotel in London last night, in the presence of the Diplomatic Community. This is the first time a Sri Lankan High Commissioner has won this award, which is chosen from the 164 Embassies and Diplomatic Missions in London. Hugo De Blocq Van Kuffeler in his introduction to the Diplomat Awards ceremony stated that “Yet another year has passed us,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

Iran has not, will not build nuclear weapon – Israeli military chief
RT
Iran has not decided to build a nuclear bomb, says IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz. Nor does he think Tehran will go “the extra mile" to do so. The military chief’s words cut a sharp contrast with the bellicose rhetoric of PM Netanyahu. Israeli Defense Forces Lieutenant General Gantz told Ha'aretz daily that Iran was moving “step by step” to a point where the production of a nuclear weapon would be feasible. However, he says Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hasn't yet decided “to go the extra mile" to build a nuclear bomb.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 25/04/12)

SLMC jeopardising reconciliation, says Arun T’muttu SLMC defends action
By Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island
April 24, 2012, 9:49 pm SLFP Organiser for Batticaloa Arun Tambimuttu yesterday warned an SLMC push for a separate enclave for the Muslim community in the Eastern Province could cause political turmoil, which would quickly engulf the entire country. "We are heading for a major crisis. The SLMC move can derail national reconciliation efforts," Tambimuttu told The Island in a brief interview. Asked whether he would campaign against the SLMC initiative, Tambimuttu said all right thinking people should oppose the creation of exclusive areas for any particular community under any... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

The mythical ethnic problem – II
by Nalin de Silva Courtesy The Island
It is very difficult for a weekly column to write on a topic in instalments as it has to comment on current topics as well. Recently it has become a common phenomenon to observe people coming to the roads and blocking them, setting fire to tyres and making mayhem against some or other police action. Last week at Dematagoda, people from what is known as T 20 Watte, nothing to do with cricket, blocked the Baseline Road apparently over taking some people into custody by the police. The Police claim that those... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

Suspension of Jihad - Ahmadiyya Point of View.
By A. Abdul Aziz.
 An allegation often raised against Holy Founder of Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Islam - Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, may peace be upon him, was that he had suspended Jihad to please the British Government and prevent an uprising against them. This certainly was not the case, but to answer this allegation, we need to first understand what the real concept of Jihad is? In fact, one can find out Jihad in depth in the free Online Course at www.free-islamic-course.org. In fact a whole paper is spent on this topic. What is the true meaning of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

"Nuclear Technology for Agriculture – Way forward"
The Media Team  Ministry of Power & Energy
A seminar jointly organized by the Atomic Energy Authority and Department of Agriculture will be held at the Plant Genetic Resource Centre, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya on April 26th and 27th with the participation of professionals in the Agricultural sector.  With the guidance and advices from Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, Chairman Dr. Ranjith Wijewardhana and senior officials of Atomic Energy Authority  organized this two days  seminar program. Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena will be the chief guest .  Nuclear Techniques are used in many countries for Agricultural development such as optimizing... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

"න්‍යෂ්ටික තාක්ෂණය භාවිතයෙන් කෘෂිකාර්මික ක්ෂේත්‍රය සංවර්ධනයට පියවර"
මාධ්‍ය අංශය විදුලිබල හා බලශක්ති අමාත්‍යාංශය
විදුලිබල හා බලශක්ති අමාත්‍ය පාඨලී චම්පික රණවක මහතාගේ උපදෙස් මත, පරමාණුක ශක්ති අධිකාරිය කෘෂිකර්ම දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව සමඟ එක්ව, අප්‍රේල් මස 26 සහ 27 යන දෙදින තුළ පේරාදෙණියේ ජාන සම්පත් කේන්ද්‍රයේදී, කෘෂිකර්ම අමාත්‍ය මහින්ද යාපා අබේවර්ධන මහතාගේ ප්‍රධානත්වයෙන් සහ පරමාණුක ශක්ති අධිකාරියේ සභාපති ආචාර්ය රංජිත් විෙජ්වර්ධන මහතාගේ මෙහෙයවීම යටතේ "කෘෂිකර්මය සඳහා න්‍යෂ්ටික තාක්ෂණයේ ඉදිරි ගමන් මඟ" මැයෙන් සම්මන්ත්‍රණයක් පැවැත්වීමට කටයුතු සංවිධාන කර තිබේ.  ලෝකයේ බොහෝ රටවල මෙන්ම ශ්‍රී ලංකාව තුළත් න්‍යෂ්ටික තාක්ෂණය යොදාගෙන කෘෂිකාර්මික ක්ෂේත්‍රය වැඩිදියුණු කරගන්නේ කෙසේද යන්න පිළිබඳව මහජනතාවට පුළුල් දැනුමක් ලබාදීම, මෙහි මුඛ්‍ය පරමාර්ථය බව පරමාණුක ශක්ති අධිකාරිය ප්‍රකාශ කරයි.  ශාක වල... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/04/12)

A political solution: the problem(s) need to be listed first
Asada M Erpini
Media reports on 23 April cite Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna as saying that the people in the North (of Sri Lanka) do not a need a political solution that went beyond the 13th Amendment. A UNP Parliamentarian on 24 April refers to a government statement that goes beyond a political solution. “A political solution to the ethnic crisis should be found …”, says CPM Parliament T K Rangarajan on Sunday. He was a member of the Parliamentary delegation that visited Sri Lanka recently. The government of Sri Lanka, too, refers to the political solution, saying that it... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Dambulla is neither another Mecca nor the structure in dispute is another Kabba.
Herold Leelawardena
Dambulla is neither another Mecca nor the structure in dispute is another Kabba. Unless for some religious compulsion directed by Allah as read by Gabriel through Muhammad as written in the Koran or interpreted by Muslim scholars in Hadith as statements or actions of Muhammad, I see no crucial reason why Muslims cannot relocate this structure to a new suitable location; meaning somewhere away from the middle of the aged old Buddhist sacred area that is to be developed to former glory. So, a point about the place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka must be stressed before... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Re-visiting the Press Commission Report (1964)
By Senaka Weeraratna
" The Press is an instrument which is primarily meant to serve the real interests of a country. It can also be misused. If we were not satisfied that the newspapers of the Lake House and the Times groups were guilty of anti -national and anti - Buddhist conduct on a large scale, we would not have recommended a drastic change in the ownership of the newspapers belonging to these groups. From the evidence placed before us we are satisfied that the existing newspapers did not hesitate to fabricate, suppress, slant or distort news and views... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

MR’s 13A plus assurance: Govt. disputes Indian claim
By Shamindra Ferdinando- Courtesy The Island
The Sri Lankan Government yesterday strongly denied a statement attributed to Indian Opposition Leader, Sushma Swaraj that her delegation had received an assurance from President Mahinda Rajapaksa of his commitment to the 13th Amendment and his readiness to go even beyond it. GoSL sources said that President Rajapaksa had met the Indian Opposition Leader twice on Friday and Saturday, but such an assurance was never given or asked for. During Saturday’s breakfast meeting at Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa recalled how India had forced the 13th Amendment on the then Sri Lankan President JR... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Indians and the TNA
S L Gunasekara
April 23, 2012, 12:00 pm Members of Parliament of any country whatsoever are elected to look into and pass legislation to suit and benefit the people of their own country. Indian politicians, be they national politicians such as the delegation from India that visited Sri Lanka a few days back or regional politicians like M Karunanidhi who, to my mind, is by far the biggest clown of Tamil Nadu (whether literally or metaphorically). Karunanidhi has now recommended that the government of India should support a resolution in the United Nations to insist on a referendum... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

The Premakumar Gunaratnam Saga – a comedy of errors- the Government should reveal the truth to the people.
Upali S. Jayasekera Courtesy The Island
The Premakumar Gunaratnam saga that generated a lot of media publicity and divergent views appears to be more of a comedy of errors. One of the ‘Che Guevara’ brand revolutionaries, Premakumar Gunaratnam, described as an undercover operator, shying away from the public eye (may be the reason why the JVP spokesman recently said that they did not know a member by the name Premakumar Gunaratnam) ran away from the country after the 1989 insurrection holding Sri Lankan Passport under the name Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Dayal and surfaced as an Australian citizen under the name... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Enemies of reconciliation
The Island Editorial Courtesy The Island
April 23, 2012, 7:38 pm Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Leader M. Karunanidhi may not have realised the gravity of his call for carving out Eelam in Sri Lanka through a UN-sponsored referendum. His attempt to upstage his bete noire, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa has manifestly boomeranged if the negative response to his demand in India is any indication. However, Karunanidhi has come under criticism not because his detractors have any concern for this country or its territorial integrity but because his demand is fraught with the danger of inspiring... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

The Philosophy behind the Buddhist ethic of Ahimsa
by Prof. Mahinda Palihawadana-Courtesy Daily News
The concept of ' Ahimsa ' had its origins in the movement to oppose Animal Sacrifice initiated by the Buddha and Mahavira (also known as Nigganta Natha Putta ) the founder of Jainism, in the 6th Century B.C. We reproduce below an article by Professor Mahinda Palihawadana, President of the Sri Lanka Vegetarian Society and Founder Member of the Society for the Protection of Animal Rights (SPAR), on this subject: During the time of the Buddha, many kinds of sacrifices were practised by Brahmins who were the priests of the Vedic religion professed... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Hong Kong fully prepared for two Buddhist events
(Xinhua)
HONG KONG, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The third World Buddhist Forum and the Grand Blessing Ceremony for worshipping Buddha's parietal- bone relic will start Wednesday in Hong Kong. The host organizations have fully prepared for these two important Buddhist events. Jointly organized by the Buddhist Association of China, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association and the China Religious Culture Communication Association, the three-day forum will be the biggest ever international Buddhist conference held in Hong Kong. For months, the host organizations worked together through a series of working conferences to gather the wisdom of scholars and experts. With active... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Delegation from Sri Lankan Embassy in Paris meets Che Guevara’s daughter
Media Release -Embassy of Sri Lanka in France
On April 19, 2012, a Delegation of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Paris attended “Death and Rebirth”, a symphony played on the occasion of the 45th death anniversary of the Cuban revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara. The event took place in presence of Dr. Aleida Guevara, the eldest daughter of Che. Also present for the occasion were: H.E. Orlando Requeijo Gual -Ambassador of Cuba to France, Orlando Requeijo Prof. Albert Jacquard, Jean Cornier, author of several books on the Guerrillero Heroico, Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves and René Burri –whose photographs of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Buddhist chants help revive Cheltenham coma man
Gloucestershire Echo, April 17, 2012
Cheltenham, UK -- WHEN pensioner Frank Soo suffered horrific head injuries in a car accident in Cheltenham, doctors gave him little chance of survival The 73-year-old, who lives in Pittville, was left in a coma for five days, clinging to life by a thread. In a desperate bid to stimulate his senses, relatives played Buddhist chanting in his ward at Cheltenham General Hospital. Amazingly, he began to respond within minutes, opening his eyes for the first time. Now he is talking, moving and eating – albeit from his hospital bed – and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

When you can cook better for less gas why do you waste gas?
Dr Hector Perera
Dr Hector Perera Methane is the gas that is used for heating in homes and businesses, cooking, generating electricity also used as a fuel for running vehicles. Apart from these uses, it is used for the production of various industrial products in petrochemical plants.  Methane doesn’t catch fire spontaneously but the initial reaction with oxygen is endothermic that means it needs some heat to start the reaction. Once it started, it gives lot more energy for that reason the overall reaction is highly exothermic or gives out more heat than it needed to initiate the reaction.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/04/12)

Register All Sacred Sites and Bring Laws to Prevent Building Other Religious Places of Worship Therein
- Kumar Moses
The incident in Dambulla is sad and hurtful to all Sri Lankans. It should not have happened. A few years ago a Muslim shrine built on a previously Hindu shine was torn down in Ayodhya, India. Such practices must not be allowed in Sri Lanka. Most effective way to prevent recurrence of similar incidents is by banning anymore religious constructions without stringent approvals at the national and regional levels. Department of Archaeology must also be consulted. There are places of religious worship relatively recently built in the Kataragama holy area where the practitioners don’t worship God... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

Indian fact finding Mission has gone back after telling us how to run our country.
By Charles.S.Perera
The fact finding Mission of  Indian Lokh Sabha led by the leader of the Opposition Sushima Swaraj has gone back. They have gone having instructed us as to what we should do to separate our Communities, giving more privileges to one  Community not speaking of the other Communities whose interests with which  they were apparently not concerned . What they were seeking was the situation of  the  Tamil Community; rightly so as they were being observed by the Tamil Nadu political stalwarts. But In Sri Lanka one cannot speak only of the Tamil Community without speaking of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

Tamil Nadu Politician talks sense – for a change
Asada M Erpini
It is heartening to note that Thol Tirumavalavan, Leader of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has come out with few words of wisdom, obviously unintentionally. In his statement on the visit of the Indian Parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka that has been just concluded, he has said, “The team had no powers to decide on matters relating to external affairs”, as reported by NDTV on 23 April”. Although the MP may not have intended to voice it, what the message clearly shows is that India is poking its fingers in matters that do not concern it. Sri... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

An exemplary Politician.
By : Ayesh Madhawa De Silva
A great man of our time that I have seen is nobody but late minister Jayaraj Fernandopulle. He was assassinated by a suicide bomb blast along with 11 others when he was flagging off a marathon race as a part of the Sinhala and Tamil new year’s day celebration at Weliweriya,Gampaha District on 6th April, 2008. He entered politics as a youngster and rapidly climbed up the ladder. He was a powerful political figure. He was one of the finest speakers in the parliament and defended the government with all his might. However... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

Will the next President change India? A stable federation
by Rajinder Puri-(The Statesman/ANN)
April 22, 2012, 7:51 pm Home Minister Mr P Chidambaram has repeatedly said that the Maoists pose the biggest security threat to the Indian nation. He is right but not necessarily for the reasons that led him to say this. Except for the Maoists all other terrorist groups support separatist demands. It is only the Maoists who demand a change of the system. Never mind if the system they promote is horrendous. The fact that a systemic change is being espoused while an increasing number of citizens is coming to believe that the present... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

Why don't Ahmadis join non-Ahmadi prayer services?
By A. Abdul Aziz
Another objection that is raised concerns the prayers. Why don’t Ahmadi Muslims pray behind a non-Ahmadi Imam? They are purposely creating division in Islam and do not want to be with other Muslims? This is a very sad affair, but we need to look to the history and we see that in fact it was the other way around!  The Mullahs (Muslim clergies) in India stopped Ahmadi Muslims from joining their prayer services and even stopped them from entering the Mosque. They told mainstream Muslims that they must not go to an Ahmadi Mosque and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/04/12)

America: The Gasoline War
John Michael Greer
I apologize in advance to those of my readers who find military history uninteresting. The next part of the story I’m exploring just now, the story of the British Empire’s fall and its replacement by today’s American empire, can’t be understood without a sense of the military realities that drove that process, and the decline and fall of the American empire, the central theme of this series of posts, also has a crucial military dimension. That dimension starts out, oddly enough, not with defeat but with victory. It’s too rarely realized that an unbroken string... -Full Story- (thearchdruidreport.blogspot.jp - 23/04/12)

Appalling Double Standards of Australian Councils on TGTE and SLRF Meetings
Dilrook Kannangara
Transitional Government of Tamil Elam (TGTE) held a meeting at the Homebush Boys School in Homebush, New South Wales, Australia. Concerned Sri Lankans living in Australia sought the permission of the Strathfield Council to hold a protest near the venue. However, their request was turned down by the Council citing that it is a residential area. Sri Lankans also notified Australian authorities of the possibility of collecting funds for the TGTE and connected organisations at the event. However, no apparent action has been taken so far. However less than a month ago when the Sri Lankan Reconciliation... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

In response to under captioned article By Professor Chandre Dharmawardana.
Vajiragnana Warnakulasuriya Melbourne
Nuclear Plants in Sri Lanka and the Indian subcontinent I wish to draw your attention to a Symposium held in Canberra in November of 2011. The full discussion can be heard in the Video clip on this link. http://www.thoriumaustralia.com.au/ Yes, we are no match to protest for the installation of Nuclear Reactor in the proximity of the Sri Lankan region but can we think big to have our own Thorium reactor in a suitable site in Northern area. I believe India must be using Thorium as the fuel in the reactor. Thorium is available in abundance in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Common man taking the law into his hands
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
We have seen many incidences where the common citizen taking the law into their own hands  at times of crimes  in our country. It is a dangerous trend  which must be curtailed now itself. Or else it can lead to anarchy and pandemonium. When an accident happens the people around either assault the driver or set fire to the vehicle – and the vehicle often does not even belong to the driver. Often the SLTB buses are set on fire – which belongs to the people themselves;  and who pays for the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Protest rallies - what for?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
I almost fell off the chair laughing when I saw the advertisement on the TV of mosquitoes and cockroaches protesting and- bang! Being killed with one whiff of the anti insect spray! Isn’t it a true depicting of what is happening in our country? People keep protesting and protesting – and then get  taxed, surcharged, salary cut etc.etc. has there been any protest where the crowd achieved what they really wanted? Most of  the time they were promised “talks” or “discussions” and some of them never come about and some of them... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Cage Free Hens! If Europe can do it so can we!
Maneka Gandhi -Courtesy andamanchronicle.com 
In 2012 battery cages for chickens will be formally outlawed in the Europe Union, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Norway have already banned battery hen cages. This decision comes as a result of the sustained campaigns by millions of Europeans. Unfortunately in India, the animal welfare groups have not yet taken up the cause of animals raised for food. Fifteen years ago, I went to court to protest the working of Idgah, the main slaughterhouse of Delhi . The Supreme Court shut it down. Fifteen years later an even worse one has come up. But... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Disingenuous, selective and championing of polarization
Arun Tambimuttu responds to TNA Statement-Courtesy The Nation
This refers to and is a response to a statement released by the Tamil National Alliance on March 14, 2012, which refers to Sri Lanka, makes a critique of her history, the conflict, processes of reconciliation and ends with a call for action by the United Nations Human Rights Council. The document alleges that the Government of Sri Lanka has serious issues with regard to telling the truth and keeping its promises, outlines what the TNA believes are broken promises on political settlement, discusses the conduct of the war and allegations... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Coping with Geneva
By Foxwatch Courtesy The Island
Now that the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave has achieved its pinnacle of greatness – the ruthless oppression of a small country a fraction of its size in extent and population, to the accompaniment of staggering hypocrisy - we need to take stock, as calmly as possible, and plan for the future. Situation
Regrettably, we have to realise that we are under the gun as never before. Geneva Two was only the prelude. The Anglo-American persecutors and their mainly western acolytes, are out for our blood. Big Brother... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Destruction through Devolution – How Foreigners and Supportive Locals conspire to make Sri Lanka a fugitive among Nations.
R Chandrasoma
In politics as in other fields of human thought and action the true motives are often hidden under a veil of specious reasoning that is remarkably effective in persuading bystanders that an honest case is being presented. Without more ado, let us look at the ‘case’ being presented by an internationally-backed lobby - that the North-East of Sri Lanka is a region crying for justice in that the natives of the region are oppressed by majoritarian rule and denied free expression of the right to govern their homeland in ways which they deem fit. This is pompously... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Nuclear Plants in Sri Lanka and the Indiansubcontinent
by Professor Chandre Dharmawardana  Courtesy The Island
March 21, 2011, 10:21 pm In this photo taken Wednesday, March 16, 2011 and released by Tokyo Electric Power Co. via Kyodo News Friday, smoke billows from wrecked unit 3 at Japan's crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Okumamachi, Fukushima Prefecture. Emergency crews worked to reconnect electricity to cooling systems and spray more water on overheating nuclear fuel at the tsunami-ravaged facility Friday. (AP) Japan’s most-recent nuclear accident has become a wake up call to many countries whose thirst (and greed) for energy seem to know no bounds. Three-mile Island,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Karunanidhi the Eelam Dreamer-OPEN LETTER TO Dr. Kalaignar Karunanidhi
Asoka Weerasinghe (Mr)  Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
21 April 2012 OPEN LETTER TO Dr. Kalaignar Karunanidhi Head, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) 8, IV Street, Gopalapuram, Chennai-600 086, Tamil Nadu, India cc: Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of  India      J. Jayalalith, AIADM President and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Dear ‘Maravan’: I have read the news item in the HINDU by a special correspondent where it was head-lined as KARUNANIDHI FOR EELAM, ALA KOSOVO, SOUTH SUDAN. You are obviously a dreamer talking of your “unfulfilled dream of an Eelam” in Sri Lanka. ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Koodankulam is more dangerous than previously thought
Warna Hettiarachchi Toronto, Canada
Please ask those Indian miscreants the following: What IAEA standards are they adopting for Reactor safety? What Safety shut-down/Alarm and monitoring are they planning to deploy on moderator and control rods (for Neutron absorption/control)? Remember what happened when those safety measures were overlooked in Chernobyl in Russia and caused a Runaway Chain reaction that led to reactor MELTDOWN? What ambient radiation levels are they considering as “safe”? Reactors have residual alpha, Beta and Gamma radiation levels, as Uranium and Plutonium break down  via fission reactions as part of Thorium Decay series Any radioactive materials... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/04/12)

Saudi Arabia: Beheadings for ‘witchcraft’
anuradhini
A Sri Lankan woman is currently facing decapitation by sword on a witchcraft charge in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with Wahhabism, a strict form of Sunni Islam. The UN reports executions tripled in the kingdom in 2011. ­A Saudi man complained that in a shopping mall his 13-year-old daughter “suddenly started acting in an abnormal way, which happened after she came close to the Sri Lankan woman,” reports the daily Okaz. After the local man denounced the Sri Lankan for casting a spell on his daughter, police in the port city of Jeddah found it sufficient cause to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/04/12)

A Sri Lankan woman is currently facing decapitation by sword on a witchcraft charge
RT
A Sri Lankan woman is currently facing decapitation by sword on a witchcraft charge in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with Wahhabism, a strict form of Sunni Islam. The UN reports executions tripled in the kingdom in 2011. ­A Saudi man complained that in a shopping mall his 13-year-old daughter “suddenly started acting in an abnormal way, which happened after she came close to the Sri Lankan woman,” reports the daily Okaz. After the local man denounced the Sri Lankan for casting a spell on his daughter, police in the port city of Jeddah found it sufficient cause to arrest... -Full Story- (rt.com - 21/04/12)

Security Council changed prerogatives in Syrian crisis – Churkin to RT
RT
The latest resolution on Syria, unanimously passed in the Security Council, may finally put things “on the right track” in the troubled country, Russia’s envoy to the UN exclusively told RT. ­RT:The Security Council has just agreed to boost the number of observers. Do you think this time around the mission will be a success? Vitaly Churkin: We certainly hope so. In fact we are very pleased with the outcome of today’s vote, which happened less than two hours ago. It was Russia who took the initiative in introducing the draft yesterday morning. And it took us just 26... -Full Story- (rt.com - 21/04/12)

Caught on tape: Chilling new video of US border patrol beating immigrant to death
RT
A new video shows Anastacio Hernadez-Rojas lying on the ground in the fetal position, circled by at least a dozen federal agents as one repeatedly shocks him with an electric stun gun. The video was shot by a passer-by and was obtained by the lawyer for the Hernandez-Rojas family as they push on with their wrongful death suit against the US government. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) aired the video and an interview with the woman who shot it as part of a new documentary. In May 2010, Seattle resident Ashley Young was crossing a bridge from Mexico to... -Full Story- (rt.com - 21/04/12)

Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka: Karunanidhi’s daydreams
Asada M Erpini
Pirabaharan, who challenged the lawfully elected government of Sri Lanka and the often-derided armed forces of the small island nation, met his Waterloo in the Nandikadal lagoons in May 2009. But many who propagate his deranged vision of a mono-ethnic Eelam in Sri Lanka for the Tamils are alive and kicking. Among the foremost is a person named Karunanidhi, ironically not in Sri Lanka but in Tamil Nadu. While the delegation of Indian Parliamentarians, headed by Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, points out that the solution to the Tamil issues has to be arrived at within the framework... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

Separate Nation for Tamils in Sri Lanka - April 19,2012
 I. de Silva London, Canada
The Editor Hindustan Times New Delhi, India Dear Sir: Reference the news item regarding the statement by Karunanidhi that a "separate Tamil Eelam rings in the ears of Tamils living all over the world as a liberation song", considering that Tamil Nadu has sixty million Tamils, is the homeland of the Tamils, and that Karunanidhi is living there, the question to him and India is why he and India do not create a separate Tamil Eelam in India . .It is obvious that something is "ringing " in his ears and possibly that of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

VILLAGE SKETCH—12-KALU APPU ENDS HIS TERROR, VILLAGERS CELEBRATE
Arcadius
There was unusual festivity in the village.  As on any other festive occasion, the villagers partook of the traditional milk-rice and pastry.  The women played the rabana, the traditional goatskin drum, to rhyme with a good selection of raban sural (tunes).  The men played the card game buruwa (Blackjack) and talked endlessly.  They were all in great good humour. Was it the Sinhala Aluth Avurudda  (Sinhalese New Year)? No.  For it was not Bak (April) but Binara (September). But the occasion certainly called for rejoicing, because a “reign of terror” had ended in the usually tranquil Pathegama. Kalu... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

‘The wise give up the idea of victory and defeat’ Response to Friday Forum
By Gamini Gunawardane Courtesy The Island
April 19, 2012, 7:16 pm By Gamini Gunawardane As much as the Friday Forum had articulated their point of view in their article titled The wise give up the idea of victory and defeat" published in ‘The Island’ of 16th March I believe other mortals who are not in that forum too have room to express their views on some of the matters stated therein. After all, Friday Forum’s could not be the last word on this matter as much as mine could not be either. Hence this attempt. LLRC The... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

Karunanidhi can have Eelam in India: Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Courtesy Daily Mirror
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday said if DMK Leader and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s unfulfilled dream was a Tamil Eelam, he should work for it in India because the largest population of Tamils live in the Tamil Nadu state of India and not in Sri Lanka. “A much bigger population of Tamils live in Tamil Nadu in India than the Tamil population in Sri Lanka. If Karunanidhi wants a Tamil Eelam he can have it in Tamil Nadu. He should not come to make Eelams in Sri Lanka. This is a sovereign country. ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

MY 2ND VISIT TO JAFFNA AFTER THE WAR ENDED-THE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
 Stanley Perera-Kandy
Writer visited North for the second time since the war ended. After spending the first night at Mankulam Army camp, we proceeded to VellamulliVaikkal, Nandhikadal and Mullativu. The officers at the Army camp treated us warmly and supplied with food and lodging. We are thankful to the Army at Mankulam for their generosity. They were heavily involved with the Sinhalese and Hindu New Year celebration mixing up with the Tamil people in the area. That was the sign of reconciliation process with the Tamil people. It is a very slow process to win the hearts and minds... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/04/12)

Indian missile falls short for China
By Siddharth Srivastava
NEW DELHI - India's defense capabilities have acquired some strategic depth with the country successfully test-firing its first inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), the 5,000-kilometer-range Agni-V. The ICBM, named for the Hindu god Agni, the god of fire and the acceptor of sacrifices, is referred to by Indian officials and scientists as the "China killer", due to its ability to target cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and reach the northernmost tips of the country. "The successful Agni-V test launch represents another milestone in our quest to add to the credibility of our security and... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 20/04/12)

Turkey: The odd man in
By Peter Lee
With a high-profile visit to China, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan continued his campaign to increase the geopolitical clout of his country. Turkey has great hopes of emerging (or re-emerging, if one recalls the heyday of the Ottoman Empire) as more than the geographic and economic linchpin of Eurasia. Erdogan hopes to leverage that central position by establishing Turkey as a regional power, a country that can set the agenda for events across the continents. Judging from Erdogan's trip to China, Turkey still has a way to go. Hurriyet, Turkey's leading English-language daily, confused... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 20/04/12)

Police Powers and Criminal Politicians
By Jay Deshabandu
We hear or read  on many daily newspapers, time to time, that how police officers accept bribes while they get caught in the act.  Based on the frequency of bribe taking  and other related criminal activities by the police, some times, one could wonder,  if there are mor criminals in the police than any other places of work in the country. When a police officer chooses to break the law rather than to uphold it, it would be a more than criminal activity because it negatively affects the society at large. When a person is recurited to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

Indian Parliamentary delegation meets TNA MPS the stumbling block against Communal Unity in Sri Lanka.
By Charles.S.Perera
There are old vinyl gramophone records, which when damaged keeps the needle from jumping on to the next grove and therefore goes on playing what is on the grove on which the needle is stuck over and over again. The old Karunanidhi, and old Sampanthan , both in their dotage with one leg on the ground and the other in the grave are like damaged vinyl records. They repeat the same thing over and over again, their minds unable to jump on to another thought having damaged all positive or progressive thought processes, continuously repeat what is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

They Want Land And Police Powers!! So What Will They Want Next?
In Retrospect By Sarath Kumara
April 20th 2012 It needs to be said emphatically that already the fallout from the USA'a meddlsome stance at UNHCR Geneva is becoming apparent  as the Indian Delegation's presence in Sri Lanka  seems to be emboldening the Tamil National Alliance to get overly cocky and authoritative in how they are attempting to use the Indian visit to their advantage. In the eyes of many analysts who have used logical rationales to evaluate what the TNA represents they are none but a bunch of bounders who are in fact representatives of the so called LTTE rump indulging in  freedoms... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

අරගල කල්ලිය සහ තවත් කතා..........
gamage
01.    ජවිපෙ තුළ සිටි කුමන්ත‍්‍රණකරුවන් අවසන් වරට සහභාගී වූයේ සැප්තැම්බර් 10 වෙනිදා පැවැති මධයම කාරක සභාවටය. සැප්තැම්බර් 16 පැවැති මධ්‍යමකාරක සභාවට ඔවුන් සහභාගී වූයේ නැත. සැප්තැම්බර් 17, 18 දෙදින තුළ ඔවුන් බියගම ප‍්‍රදේශයේ අභ්‍යන්තර පක්ෂ සමුළුවක් කැඳවා තිබේ. එහිදී තාවකාලික මධ්‍යම කාරක සභාවක් පත්කිරීමේ යෝජනාවක් සම්මත වී තිබෙනවා. එහිදී එක් කණ්ඩායමක් පෙන්වාදී තිබෙන්නේ එම තාවකාලික මධ්‍යමකාරක සභාවට පත්වන අයගෙන් ජවිපෙ මධයමකාරක සභාවේ නියෝජනය කළ අය අනිවාර්යෙන්ම  ජවිපෙ ප‍්‍රධාන තීරණවලදී ගනු ලැබූ ස්ථාවරයන් අභ්‍යන්තර සමුළුව හමුවේ ඉදිරිපත් කළ යුතු බවයි. මෙම යෝජනාව කල් තබමින් මග හැර ඇති චමීර,  ඕපාත කණ්ඩායම එවැනි ඉදිරිපත් කිරීමකට ඉඩලබාදී නොමැත. එය එසේ කරන්නට... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

මාධ්‍ය නිවේදනය-ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාවේ ව්‍යවස්ථාව සංශෝධනය කළ යුත්තේ ශී‍්‍ර ලංකා පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මිස ඉන්දීය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ නොවේ
 ඕමල්පේ සෝභිත ස්ථවිර නායක ජාතික හෙළ උරුමය
ඉන්දීය පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ විපක්ෂ නායිකාව ඇතුළු පාර්ලිමේන්තු නියෝජිත පිරිසක් මෙරටට පැමිණ ඇත. අසල්වැසි රටක එවැනි නියෝජිත පිරිසක් ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාවට පැමිණ මෙහි ඇති සැබෑ තතු දැනගැනීමට පෙළඹීම පිළිබඳව අපි සතුටු වෙමු. නමුත් ඔවුන් මෙහි පැමිණ කටයුතු කළ යුත්තේ ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාව තමන්ට සමාන ස්වෛරී රාජ්‍යයක් බවත්, එහි තීරණ ගැනීම සිදුවන්නේ ජනතා පරමාධිපත්‍යයට අනුව බවත් හොඳින් වටහාගෙනය. ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාවේ ආණ්ඩුක‍්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාව හා බලය බෙදීම පිළිබඳව කටයුතු කළ යුත්තේ ශී‍්‍ර ලංකා පාර්ලිමේන්තුව මිස ඉන්දීය පාර්ලිමේන්තුව නොවන බවද අපි අවධාරණය කරමු. එමෙන්ම, ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාවේ විපක්ෂ නායකවරයාද, හිටපු ජනාධිපතිනියද ඉන්දියාවට ගොස් ශී‍්‍ර ලංකාවේ ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝධනය ගැන කරුණු දැක්වීම ශී‍්‍ර... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

Why do Ahmadis not perform Hajj?
A.   Abdul Aziz.
An objection that is raised is that why Ahmadi Muslims do not go for Hajj? Instead they go to their holy place in Qadian (the birth-place of their Founder Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in Punjab, India)? Hajj is a pillar of Islam which they disrespect and they show more love for their own places rather than where the Holy Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was born, therefore they are not Muslims through their actions! This is a nonsense objection, how can Ahmadi Muslims go for Hajj when it is the Muslims... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

Action needed not to kill the goose that lays the golden egg
Dr.Tilak Fernando
The latest records on tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka reveal that an increase of 15.7 percent in January alone has created a record for the first time in the history of the tourist industry, adding the total intake of tourists to over an 800,000 mark up, so far . We have been relying on the Western tourist arrivals for too long. In the past, tourists were only wealthy retired affluent folks who explored either Asia or Africa by taking a sea journey. With the passage of time wheels have turned in different directions with the advancement of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

To implement or not to implement …
Editorial -Courtesy The Island
April 18, 2012, 6:37 pm The UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka means different things to different people. Its opponents and proponents keep contradicting themselves. The government which made it out to be a frontal assault on Sri Lanka's sovereignty in the run-up to last month's Geneva vote is now claiming that it is non-binding. If so, why on earth did it make such a song and dance? The UNP sought to pooh-pooh the government's frantic efforts to defeat the resolution by claiming that the Rajapaksas were making a mountain out of a molehill to gain... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

A dangerous situation
M. A. Chandraratne  Courtesy The Island
April 18, 2012, 6:18 pm Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, recently stated that there were thousands of LTTE cadres still at large with caches of arms and explosives dumps hidden in the former war zone and that the threat of terrorism still persisted, to some extent. It was reported recently that about 150 LTTE cadres who had undergone training in India had returned to Sri Lanka and that only three of them had been arrested after they had killed a former LTTE cadre. After ‘The Island’ reported this news, the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/04/12)

Special court verdict on 2002 Gujarat pogrom Provides some ray of hope in the judiciary-Thousands of victims still await justice while perpetrators roam around free
By Latheef Farook
Last week’s special court verdict, ten years after the anti Muslim pogrom in Gujarat,    convicting 23 people in the burning to death of 23   Muslim women and children in the Ode town brought some relief to the beleaguered Muslims. However confidence in the judiciary will be restored only after Gujarat’s Chief Minister Narendra Modi, accused of being the main architect of this carnage, was brought to justice.    Gujarat massacre took place the day after fifty-nine Hindus belonging to Hindu extremist organization VHP were killed on 27 February 2002 when a coach in the Sabarmati Express... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

NEW FOUND WHITE MONKEY FROM SINHARAJA RAIN FOREST
By Walter Jayawardhana
A new variety of Sri Lankan monkeys have been discovered by a nature conservation group doing their observations in the Sinharaja forest. The attractive species have white fur on the body and black hair on the face. The group who have identified this new kind, members of Galle Wildlife Conservation Association said they saw the white monkeys in the Unesco World heritage site of Sinharaja Rain Forest. The researchers said it is now confirmed that the new species was not an albino of the common black monkey found in the forest. Chairman of Galle Wildlife Conservation... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

The failed Kangaroo plot
By Nalin de Silva Courtesy The Island
Although this article may not be directly connected with "The mythical ethnic problem" it has some relevance as many people are of the opinion that it is the Sri Lankan government, meaning the SLFP-led coalitions that internationalized the so-called ethnic problem. This idea on the internationalization is one of the biggest myths claiming that the dispersed Tamils living in the western countries have been influential in convincing those countries that the Sri Lankan governments have been discriminating against the Tamils in Sri Lanka. It is sometimes said that the Tamils living abroad... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

DEFEND LANKA GLOBAL PATRIOTIC FOUNDATION DEMAND AN APPOLOGY FROM STUPID EDITOR OF DAILY MIRROR
By Stanley Perera-Kandy
The writer does not intend to repeat what this stupid idiot and backhander Daily Mirror Editor wrote against the peace loving Sri Lankans.  By now all the readers of this web site are well aware of the controversial and biased against the patriotic Sri Lankans writing by this well known racist and anti Sinhala Buddhist News paper Daily Mirror.  During the past 27 years of the war against the Tamil Tiger Terrorists LTTE, Daily Mirror conducted a campaign supporting the Terrorists Tamil Tiger LTTE.  It was no secret that the act of this News paper was... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

KARUNANIDHI SAYS BY UN INTERVENTION A REFERUNDUM SHOULD BE HELD TO CREATE EELAM
By Walter Jayawardhana
Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the President of the of Drvaida Munetra Kazhagam (DMK) continued to embarrass the New Delhi Central government after rejecting to participate in the all party parliamentary delegation which is visiting Colombo now  also by declaring Tuesday in the party organ Murazoli that Sri Lanka should be divided and a new state called Eelam should be created under the intervention of the United Nations. DMK is a constituent party of the coalition called United Progressive Alliance (UPA) which is running the New Delhi government headed by Primem Minister Manmohan Singh. The Central government should press... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

This Aussie smells really fishy, mate!
By Andere  Courtesy The Island
April 17, 2012, 12:00 pm What’s in a name, asked the Bard. Like Pontius Pilate he did not wait for an answer. He had one of his own. A rose, by any other name, he said, would smell as sweet. Well, that is okay for roses. Shakespeare knew that. We know it too. But, would Kumar Gunaratnam, by any other name, smell as roses do? Oh he does smell, believe me. He smells terribly fishy. And if you ask me authorities in the country of his recent adoption have not come out of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/04/12)

When Pigs Fly–and Scold: Brits Lecturing Sri Lanka!
By Gary Brecher
You see some pretty sick stuff when you do my job, but I just read something sicker than any Congo cannibal buffet. It’s an article by a posh little limey named Jeremey Brown condemning the Sri Lankan government for being too messy in putting down the LTTE, and demanding that we stop buying the cheap textiles the poor Sinhalese make their living churning out. What’s sick about this is that the British establishment destroyed the Sinhalese people completely. Completely and purposely, sadistically. Stole their land, humiliated and massacred their government, made it Imperial policy to erase every... -Full Story- (exiledonline.com - 18/04/12)

Sri Lanka War Nerd Update: Prabhy Dies Yellow
By Gary Brecher
I have to say “Thank you, God of War,” because we just saw a decisive victory in a war, for once. I never thought I’d live to see the day. Most wars these days are half-assed policy tussles, “politics by other means” way, way too much. But the war between the Sinhalese and the Tamils, that was a war, dude. With one side wiped out, just like the good old days. The Sinhalese Army rolled up the Tamil Tigers, or LTTE for people who know what they’re talking about, pushing them back into their “heartland” (I love those... -Full Story- (exiledonline.com - 18/04/12)

DOES THE UNP LIVE UP TO ITS NAME?
By  Gomin Dayasri
 United National Party is neither United nor National; Party provides the only credible alternative to the UPFA/PA which held Presidency, undisturbed for 18 years- those born in 1994 when Kumarantunga assumed power are now adults exercising the franchise! Years on, public perception are- with a government fast losing its peak popularity- UNP is incapable of ousting the UPFA. Is it a belief more than a reality? Underrated UNP acquires a horrific image in the public eye- a Leader who regulates the party and faces defeat till eternity- a fact or myth?  UNP carries the most dedicated... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

The Stupid Editorial of the Daily Mirror
By Charles.S.Perera
The Editor of the Daily Mirror writes, “ Due to the war, Sri Lankans are hurt and wounded in several ways and some of them are still in camps.  There are others who are hurt and wounded because of injustice and economic factors.” A war could be seen from different angles. There could be a positive aspect of a war or a negative devastating  aspect of a war. It all depends how one looks at it.  Looking at the “war”  in Sri Lanka there were many physically hurt and wounded.  Those who are still in camps, referred... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Remembering War Heroes
by Senaka Weeraratna
May 19, 2009 is the Day that Sri Lanka achieved a historic victory over terrorism which had plagued this country for nearly 30 years. It is a Day of much significance as all sections of the community were affected in one way or another by the scourge of Terrorism. The ‘Daily Mirror’in an Editorial (April 10, 2012) has called on the country to stop celebrating this victory of May 2009 and putting up monuments for war heroes. It is a serious statement coming from a mainstream newspaper which in the public interest must be challenged and denounced.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Jaffna celebrated Sinhala & Tamil New Year
Asoka Weerasinghe (A Conservative)
To: John Baird, MP., PC., Minister of Foreign Affairs; Deepak Obhrai, MP,  Mihnister of State for Foreign Affairs; Jason Kenney, MP., PC.;  Vic Toews, MP., PC, Minister of Public Safety. Dear John, Deepak, Jason & Vic: I hope you will take some time to read this bit of news.  And that is the ground reality check for you all.   Things are going well with the planned rehabilitation and reconciliation in the North of Sri Lanka by the Rajapaksa Government after eliminating the Tamil Tigers on May 19, 2009, contrary to what has been told to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Letter to the Editor - Is this the only mode of celebration we can think of?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
The dawn of Sinhala and Tamil New-year  this year was marred by a horrible mode  of  celebration – the firecrackers. The New year if anything should have been a serene, peaceful  celebration with profitable ganu thenu. On the contrary  w hen the nakathe time arrived we heard firecrackers going on and on nonstop for over an  hour or so. Then it continued sporadically for about another hour. Whenever the firecrackers started the stray dogs started barking and continued for another 5 minutes! It was anything but serene New Year dawning! It is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Letter to the Editor-Is eating crocodiles a crime?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai  Dehiwela.
Reading  a popular  newspaper  today stopped me in the track. Aman was caught for eating crocodile! That raised many questions in my mind – is eating crocodiles a crime? Crickey, I did not know that! And the recent commotion of catching crocodiles , since the young girl has been killed  by one, has been taking center stage in news even on TV! So what harm if one less crocodile, whether one eats it or does whatever he wishes to  is secondary, my mind raced. But when I read the article, it dawned... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Letter to the Editor - Law is an Ass
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
Srilankan government comes out with laws which certainly turn out to be asses when they are “implemented” that too  half heartedly. No wonder since these laws are made by half nitwits without thinking of real practical implementation. The car  seat belt law is such a one. Only those who have vehicles with English numbers must buckle  the belts. Now what about those who have other numbers but do have set belts in their vehicles? What sin have the ones with English numbered cars done? What about those who have tinted glasses? Oh,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

An address by Dr. Ifthikar Ahmad Ayaz at Ahmadiyya Peace Symposium – Malta.
By A. Abdul Aziz,
  (Given below is the gist of the speech delivered by Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad Ayaz, O.B.E. at:  Peace Symposium organized by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Malta recently.)  Dr. Ifthikhar Ahmad Ayaz, OBE 1.(Officer of the Excellent Order of the British Empire) 2. Consul General of Tuvalu Island in the United Kingdom 3. Senator World Nations Congress 4. Ambassador of Peace appointed Universal Peace Foundation 5. Recipient of International Peace Prize 6. Member UN Human Rights Council Committee in the Rights of Minorities – Rights of Woman / Rights of Children 7. Member World Poverty Alleviation Forum... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

AIADMK, DMK should have joined MPs' team: CPI
By Walter Jayawardhana
 The Communist Party of India(Marxist) said instead of keeping away all shouldld ensure that the Parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka succeeds in its mission of finding a political solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.  CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said on Monday that instead of keeping away from the delegation, the DMK, an ally of the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, and the AIADMK should have been part of it. “Representatives of the CPI and the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi too should have been included in the team,”he added. Mr. Ramakrishnan said that though... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

MAKING IT THREE INCLUDING THE TAMIL PARTIES IN TAMIL NADU EVEN CONGRESS HEAD OF THE STATE DROPS OUT
By Walter Jayawardhana
Not only the two Members of parliament from AIADMK and DMK in Tamil Nadu even the Congress Party head of the state has dropped out of the Sri LANKA trip at the last moment , the Times of India reported. It was ultimately a much smaller team of parliamentarians, minus three MPs from Tamil Nadu, which left Delhi for Colombo on Monday for a first-hand assessment of the resettlement of war-displaced Tamils and devolution of political rights, It added. “Following in the footsteps of a pullout by representatives of the AIADMK and the DMK from the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Fitch Assigns Bank of Ceylon 'BB-' IDRs
Fitch Ratings-Mumbai/Singapore-17 April 2012:
Fitch Ratings has assigned Sri Lanka's Bank of Ceylon (BOC) Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) of 'BB-' with Stable Outlooks. Fitch has also assigned BOC a 'b+' Viability Rating (V/R). Simultaneously, BOC's National Long-Term rating and its outstanding subordinated debentures have been affirmed at 'AA+(lka)' with a Stable Outlook and 'AA(lka)', respectively. Fitch has also assigned BOC's proposed senior unsecured USD-denominated notes an expected rating of 'BB-(exp)', same as its Foreign Currency IDR. The size and tenor of the notes are yet to be determined. The final rating is contingent upon receipt... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Indian MPs led by Sushma Swaraj on Sri Lanka visit
By Walter Jayawardhana
A multi-party MPs delegation embarked on a six-day visit to Sri Lanka during which they will oversee developmental projects by India and handing over of houses in the areas worst affected by the decades-old civil war, reported the Times of India. Once in Sri Lanka theywil press for political reforms that wouold benefit Tamils,the newspaper said. “The delegation led by leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj left for Colombo this evening and will visit northern and eastern Sri Lanka, which bore the brunt of three decades of bloodshed, besides making a visit to central... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 17/04/12)

Ragging and the assurance of learning
by Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne
  I wish to refer to excellent article entitled “Deplorable Conditions in Sri Lankan Universities” written   by Darshani Wimalasuriya. Ms. Wimalasuriya, in her well structured and analytical essay provides extremely disturbing reports of recent incidents of ragging in Sri Lankan universities, and at a point says: “According to the 2011World University Ranking Sri Lankan universities have a lower position and some African countries with low literacy rate than Sri Lanka have far more better educational ranking than the Sri Lankan Universities”. I do not doubt the veracity of this statement. She also says that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister should come out of the make-believe world
Asada M Erpini.
A report by PTI on 16th April says, “Tamil Nadu Government on Monday denied reports that the state's fishermen were attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy on April 2”. The story is one of the best riddles that the writer has come across for quite some time. He was under the impression that the governing party in Tamil Nadu was AIADMK, with the party President occupying the post of Chief Minister of the State. When the PTI report mentions that Tamil Nadu Government denied the reported attacks, what is the stand of the Chief Minister? The... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

කෙමරූජ් භිෂණය 8
වෛද්‍ය රුවන් එම් ජයතුංග
අපි රහසින් තායි දේශසීමාවට පළා ගියෙමු. අපි පළායාමට තීරණය කළෙමු. කෙමරුජ්වරුන්ගේ තර්ජන, ගර්ජන, උත්සන්න මෙවින් පැවතිණි. තව සුළු කාලයක් තුළදී ඔවුන් අප මරා දමනු ඇත. අපගේ කණ්ඩායමට පුද්ගලයන් හය දෙනෙකු අයත් වූහ. ඔව්හු සියළුදෙනාම 1975 අපේ‍්‍රල් 17 වෙනි දිනට පෙර ඵලදායි ජීවිත ගතකළ මධ්‍යම පාන්තිකයන් වූහ. හොඳ අධ්‍යාපනයක් ලබා සිටි අප අතරින් තිදෙනෙකුට හොඳින් ප‍්‍රංශ භාෂාව කථාකළ හැකිවිය. කුඹුරු වැඩ කිරීමත්, කෙමරූජ් රැුස්වීම් වලදී ජයඝෝෂා පැවැත්වීමත්, අපි කළෙමු. එසේම ඔවුන්ගේ සැකයට තුඩුදෙන යමක් නොකිරීමට අපි පරිස්සම් වූයෙමු. අඩු ආහාර ප‍්‍රමාණය ලබාදීම නිසා අපගේ ශරීර ශක්තිය හීනවන්ට විය. පළායන්නට නම් අපගේ ශරීර ශක්තිමත් විය යුතුය. නැතහොත්... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

Dr.Jayalath Jayawardena discharged from a London Hospital
By Walter Jayawardhana
Colombo’s Island newspaper reported that Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena UNP parliamentarian and former Minister who suffered a heart attack while travelling in London is now discharged from a hospital. He was found unconscious at Gatwick International Airport and was rushed to East Surrey Hospital in London last Friday.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

A letter sent to Hon Don Randall MP...PLS CONSIDER TO TAKE ACTION RE THE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED as per regulations.
Mahinda Perera
To Don Randall,MP Hon Sir, Thank you for taking your time to respond to my email to you regarding the pressure exerted by The Australian High Commission in Sri lanka regarding an Australian citizen who had broken the immigration laws of both Sri Lanka and Australia by having 3 passports with 3 different names!!. I am glad he was deported to Australia from Sri Lanka and it is interesting to see what steps the Australian immigration authorities will now take regarding this man. On another connected matter, I am forwarding a copy of an ABORIGINAL EXEMPTION CERTIFICATE... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

THE HINDU SAYS COALITION PARTNER DMK’S DECISION TO PULL OUT OF LANKA TRIP IS A MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT
By Walter Jayawardhana
The decision of the Drvida Munnetra Kazhagam Party(DMK), a constituent of the United  Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi to keep out of a Parliamentary delegation going to Sri Lanka could be called a major embarrassment to Manmohan Singh led government  said the Hindu newspaper. “In what could be a major embarrassment to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a constituent of the UPA, on Sunday said it would keep out of a Parliamentary delegation going to Sri Lanka to understand the situation there”.the newspaper reported. As a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

Has begging got out of hand?
Dr. Tilak Fernando
The word ‘Begging’ is generally linked with pleading or ‘demanding’, particularly money. Generally beggars appear on the streets. Begging is also referred to as ‘Panhandling’. Apart from the common type of street begging in public, there are more advanced and sophisticated methods adopted today in a somewhat glorified manner. Internet begging, cyber-begging, or Internet panhandling is the ‘online version’ of traditional begging, seeking money to meet numerous needs. This type of supplication has a clear advantage over face-to-face street panhandling because of its ability to eliminate the shame or the apparent disgrace practised incognito. Cyber-begging became... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 16/04/12)

Sri Lanka in the shadow of two scheming giants
The following is an edited texst of the speech delivered by H. L. D. Mahindapala at the Royal Asiatic Society last week.
Let me locate our position in the geo-political map to understand where we are right now and to find out whether there is a way out. Today we are in a position where we have never been before. Never in the history of Sri Lanka has this nation been caught in the naked power struggles of big powers as in the 19th session of the UNHRC in Geneva. Never in its history had foreign powers ganged up,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

Spies Like Us! The Noel Mudalige disappearance debacle
Ajit Randeniya
The 1985 movie ‘Spies Like Us’ that starred Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd had an ‘interesting’ story line as far as spoof movies go. The story went like this: Pentagon Nuts determined to start a 3rd World War chose two totally incompetent applicants from a CIA recruitment program, to be parachuted in to Pakistan and eventually to be sent to Afghanistan on a purported mission to Hijack a soviet Missile launcher, launch the Soviet missile and test the new US orbital defence laser. The missile is fired and while heading for an American City, the laser system... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

Tamil Nadu leaders prefer remote sensing to direct observation when it comes to Sri Lanka Tamil issue
Asada M Erpini
Never a day seems to pass without the big guns in Tamil Nadu politics shedding buckets of tears or demanding action by the Central Government of India, citing the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils. Yet, when they are given the opportunity to see for themselves what goes on in the North and the East and in the plantation regions of the island nation, they come out with laughable excuses to avoid seeing the truth. The media on 15th April report Karunanidhi, the leader of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party saying that the proposed delegation to Sri... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

Amnesty Int'l a Tool of US Foreign Policy
Mahinda Gunasekera  
Amnesty has been cited by the author as an organization in receipt of funding from the US Government which uses it along with other INGO as a tool of foreign policy. The first director of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) which receives an annual appropriation by the US Congress as part of the US Information Agency's budget stated in 1986 that they would undertake the work previously handled covertly through grants made available by the CIA. AI is not only on the take from US Government Agencies.  AI also accepts funds contributed by groups such as... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

Don't seek exclusive rights to Sri Lanka, Rajiv Wijesinghe tells India,
By Walter Jayawardhana
India should not feel awkward about the Chinese presence in Sri Lanka since there is plenty of room for both declared Member of Parliament and Presidential advisor Rajiv Wijesinghe in an interview in New Delhi. In a stopover in the Indian capital while travelling to Nepal Wijesinghe said India cannot have exclusive rights in Sri Lanka since there is plenty of room for both countries.  China’s growing presence in Srilanka is a matter that should not worry India at all since Sri Lanka wants to be friendly with both countries said the Sri Lankan diplomat, who... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

TERRORISM CRUSHES TOURISM
PROF. ALI SUKHANVER
 Last month, I had been there inDhakafor more than a week and every moment was a moment of learning. When I was looking across the windows of my car at the sky-kissing buildings on the jam-packed roads ofDhaka, a saying of Bill Gates kept on resounding in my ears, "I always failed in exams but my class fellows always topped. Now the toppers of my class are employed in my company." No doubt that great hustle and bustle and the lively hue and cry was a proof that I was somewhere in a land which is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

NGOs: Missionaries of Empire
by Devon Douglas-Bowers
March 10, 2012 Non-governmental organizations are an increasingly important part of the 21st century international landscape performing a variety of humanitarian tasks pertaining inter alia to issues of poverty, the environment and civil liberties. However, there is a dark side to NGOs. They have been and are currently being used as tools of foreign policy, specifically with the United States. Instead of using purely military force, the US has now moved to using NGOs as tools in its foreign policy implementation, specifically the National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House, and Amnesty International.... -Full Story- (foreignpolicyjournal.com - 15/04/12)

KARUNANIDHI JOINS JAYALALITHA IN NOT SENDING A REPRESENTATIVE TO SRI LANKA
Walter Jayawardhana
Copying exactly what his Tamil Nadu rival Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram did DMK leader Muthuvel Karunanidhi also announced that he would withdraw the lone DMK representative to go in the all party parliamentary group headed by Sushma Swaraj. Accordingly a key UPA representative Rajya Sabha M.P.T.K.S.Elangovan will drop out of the delegation following the footsteps of  his rival Rajya Sabha MP W.Rabi Bernard. So, the delegation coming to Sri Lanka will lack representatives of both major parties in Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile Marumalarchi DMK Party leader Vaiko also has described the participation in the delegation as a useful... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

SHAH RUKH KHAN’S FAN CREATED SUSPICION ABOUT HIM.
By Walter Jayawardhana
Shah Rukh Khan has all types of admirers who love him.  One of them not only happens to be a terrorist and loves  to use Sharuk ‘s name as an alias and that would have made the Bollywood star attract the attention from airport officials in the US said Times of India. “Terrorist Riyaz Bhatkal, accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, loves using the star's name as his alias, apparently because he admires the actor.”SAID THE Times. “This is known to intelligence agencies. The Interpol red corner notice for the founder-member of Indian Mujahideen (IM),... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

INDIAN MUSLIMS URGE TO INCLUDE A MUSLIM MP TO SRILANKA TEAM
By Walter Jayawardhana
Indian Muslims have urged to add a Muslim representative to the Indian parliamentary team headed by Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj scheduled to visit Sri Lanka April 16. State president of the Indian Union Muslim League K.M. Kader Mohideen has voiced concern over the exclusion of Muslim MP in the delegation. The MP team is expected to visit the areas where rehabilitation measures for the war displaced Sri Lankan Tamils are being implemented and controversy was created when the lone member representing the ruling party was withdrawn by party leader and Chief Minister Jayalalitha. Mr. Mohideen who... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

Stephen Rapp’s dependence on Fonseka
Courtesy The Island
April 15, 2012, 12:50 am There are many things in the latest US State Department’s Office of Global Criminal Justice report to Congress (Stephen Rapp report) which the Sri Lankan public should take note of. Foremost among them is their heavy dependence on jailed former army commander and presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka in building a case against Sri Lanka. Many Sri Lankan’s would have thought that the famous ‘white flag’ controversy had finally been laid to rest after Sarath Fonseka was found to have been spreading rumours which he knew were false and given a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

INDIA TODAY SAYS JAYALALITHA UPSET NEWDELHI’S PLAN TO PACIFY THE RUFFLED FEATHERS OF SRILANKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
The India Today magazine said Jayalalitha’s withdrawal of her nominee from the all-party parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka has upset Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s calculations who is bending over backwards to pacify the ruffled feathers of Sri Lanka after the vote at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva. “Upsetting the calculations of the UPA government which is bending over backwards to pacify the ruffled feathers of Sri Lanka after the vote at the UN Human Rights Council meet, Jayalalithaa has withdrawn the AIADMK nominee from the all-party parliamentary delegation visiting that country to study the plight of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

INDIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION WILL INTERACT WITH ELECTED TAMIL REPRESETATIVES
By Walter Jayawardhana
In response to Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s allegation that the Indian parliamentary team would become a public relations event for the Rajapaksa’s other than serving any useful purposes India has announced that the Indian delegation would get the opportunity of interacting with all elected parliamentarians of the Tamils when they visit the island April 16. They will have an opportunity to speak to all groups of Tamils in Sri Lanka – those in the Northern Province, Eastern Province, in the hills, and in Colombo according to the schedule. “Led by the Leader of Opposition in the Parliament,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

ZERO An Investigation Into 9/11 (FULL documentary)
ZERO: An Investigation into 9/11, has one central thesis - that the official version of the events surrounding the attacks on 9/11 can not be true. This brand new feature documentary from Italian production company Telemaco explores the latest scientific evidence and reveals dramatic new witness testimony, which directly conflicts with the US Government's account.Featuring presentations from intellectual heavy weights; Gore Vidal, and Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo, the film challenges assumptions surrounding the attacks. In the words of the Italian daily newspaper, Il Corriere de da Sera,... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 15/04/12)

ZERO An Investigation Into 9/11 (FULL documentary) -Category:Education
ZERO: An Investigation into 9/11, has one central thesis - that the official version of the events surrounding the attacks on 9/11 can not be true.
Please visit http://zero911movie.com/site/ and purchase the whole movie to help support the people who worked hard to produce such an outstanding film. ZERO: An Investigation into 9/11, has one central thesis - that the official version of the events surrounding the attacks on 9/11 can not be true. This brand new feature documentary from Italian production company Telemaco explores the latest scientific evidence and reveals dramatic new witness testimony, which directly conflicts with... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 15/04/12)

CLINTON URGES SRI LANKA TO BUILD A “DEMOCRATIC NATION”
Herold Leelawardena
Dear Mrs Clinton, From the beginning of the so-called European renaissance, westerners have plundered and looted the world heritage in the name of spreading their then value - religion. Throughout 19th century and early 20th century your ancestors rammed their 'true' religion on us saying our religions were false. We were brain washed to accept whites were superior and your slavery is moral. We were compelled to accept your trading of opium among the subjugated and corrupting them is a good omen. The list is too long to go on of your past evil. You progeny are of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/04/12)

Irate readers censure 'Daily Mirror' editorial calling on the nation to forget the war on terrorism and our war heroes
Senaka Weeraratna
Daily Mirror in its Editorial on April 10, 2012 called on the public to forget the war in the following terms ' we as a people must stop celebrating the May 2009 victory where tens of thousands of people were killed or wounded. We also need to take a second look at the wisdom of putting up monuments to remember war heroes'. Here are some of the responses from the readers of this editorial. 'THUPPAHI' EDITOR EXPOSES HIS ANTI-NATIONAL BIAS The Daily Mirror Editorial - see below Editorial - Forget the war and bring in the essence... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/04/12)

Gunaratnam and the `clean hands’ doctrine
Editorial   Courtesy The Island
A cursory application of the `clean hands’ doctrine to the case of Premakumara Gunaratnam would suggest that the hands of this dual citizen of Sri Lanka and Australia were anything but clean. The government, through a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs over which Law Professor G.L. Pieris presides, has brought to the notice of the public that Gunaratnam had changed his name three times with the name Wanninayake Mudiyanselage Dakson appearing on his marriage certificate, Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Dayalal used on his passport and Noel Mudalige used in his Australian passport. This seems to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/04/12)

Has The Rajapaksha Administration After Liberating The Nation From Tamil Tiger Terrorism Assumed Carte Blanche Towards Autocracy And Dictatorship ?
Editorial
April 14th 2012 There seem to be merits based on some circumstatial evidence to the many questions being asked by the International community and some superpowers about Sri Lanka's prima facie image based on certain occurences of incidents some attribute to the Government. It is reported that many in the Island Nation are now beginning to wonder whether the present Administration is indeed capable of violating the rights of certain important individuals, targetting them for all the wrong reasons and carrying on a campaign of dirty politics with intimidations, abductions, torture and a total disregard for the dignity... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/04/12)

Deplorable Conditions of the Sri Lankan Universities
by Darshani Wimalasuriya
Today Sri Lankan Universities are facing a huge dilemma. The quality of university education is declining and according to the World ranking Sri Lankan universities are lower than the universities in Uganda – a country that has a lower literacy rate than Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan universities are filed with violence, extremist student politics, strikes , low productivity, and moral decay. Who is responsible for this fiasco? Recently three students from the Faculty of Arts, University of Peradeniya were arrested by the Police and produced before the Kandy additional Magistrate Mr. Ravindra Premaratne for sexually assaulting a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 14/04/12)

Libya freezes rewards for ex-rebels over mass fraud
RT
Libya's National Transitional Council has suspended a multi-million-dollar payout program to former anti-Gaddafi rebels after admitting it was steeped in fraud. Officials cited duplicate payouts, and claims from impostors and even the dead. ­Since last year's overthrow of longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, the National Transition Council, Libya's temporary replacement government, has promised to reward ordinary citizens who joined the rebellion. The program began three months ago, with former rebels being given a one-time payment of up to $3,200 – a sizable sum for Libya. NTC has already paid out $1.4 billion.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 14/04/12)

Obama’s dirty dozen: Secret Service men behaving badly in Colombia
Russia Today
Twelve Secret Service agents have been relieved from their duties after claims they spent the time set aside for planning President Obama’s visit drinking and visiting prostitutes. ­They were on location in Cartagena, Colombia, preparing for Obama's arrival and participation in the Summit of the Americas. But instead, they engaged in activities that caused a scandal that could possibly overshadow the summit itself. A source within the Secret Service has reportedly said at least one of the officers had hooked up with prostitutes. Many of the 12 men are also, according to the source, married – and a... -Full Story- (rt.com - 14/04/12)

This whole episode of kidnap and torture of Gunaratnam raises some awkward questions.
   George Rupesinghe Belmore
1. Gunaratnam has been going by several aliases. Doesn't this point to his dubious background and intentions?  2. How did he obtain Australian passport  number N1016123 under a  new identity of Noel Mudalige, which he used to enter Sri Lanka on  4 September 2011?    3. If his stated intention was to launch a political party in Sri  Lanka why did he breach the conditions of his visa for over five  months instead of seeking an extension of his stay?    4. Having made claims of kidnapping and torture by secret police,  why did he decide to turn up at the Police... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 13/04/12)

THE AWFUL DISCLOSURES OF MARY CANDY
Mahinda Weerasinghe 
The Revelations of Sister Mary Candy should not shock anyone! She claims to have witnessed an attempt by a priest and nun to euthanize a newborn baby, which she says she subsequently rescued and delivered to an orphanage. Just as Maria Monk, Mary Candy escaped from the clutches of the Catholic Church to inform the world as to the insidious sexual activities of the Catholic Church. The Awful Disclosures of Maria Monk, as Exhibited in a Narrative of Her Sufferings During a Residence of Five Years as a Novice and Two Years as a Black Nun, in the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 13/04/12)

CHAPTER—11 -VOTE FOR MENNA MAHATTAYA
Arcadius
Whether the proud possessor of a resourceful brain responsible for the origin of the idea that “politics is a dirty game” was thinking of those who directly took part in that magnanimous “sport” or of others who played the roles of henchmen and sycophants, is not clear. Considering how that “game” was played in our village on the occasion when the Soulbury Constitution had bestowed on the putative “free” citizens of Ceylon the responsibility of electing their representative to the supreme Legislature—the 95-member House of Representatives, it is reasonable to assume that the possessor of the aforesaid brain... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 13/04/12)

Sri Lanka: Blackmail During The Endgame In Eelam War IV – Analysis
Courtesy Eurasia Review-By Michael Roberts
April 10, 2012 I: Blackmailing Sri Lanka, 2009
The long and episodic war between the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) and the Tamil liberation forces commanded by the LTTE from the 1980s to 2009 involved numerous atrocities on both sides, notably those in the Eastern Province in 1990. It is puzzling why, today, certain Western states and the human rights lobby (HR) are concentrating solely on the crunch situation in 2009 at the end of Eelam War IV in pressing alleged war crimes charges against the Sri Lankan government; and why symbolic LTTE... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 13/04/12)

US embassy apologises for SRK frisking at New York
IANS | New Delhi
The US Friday apologised to Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan for "an inconvenience" experienced by him at the White Plains airport in New York while on a visit. Khan was in the US on the invitation of the Yale University, which honoured him. But before reaching Yale, Khan was detained for one-and-half hours at White Plains for secondary security checks by the US Customs and Border Patrol agency. The US embassy here issued a statement Friday evening apologising for the incident. "Please allow me on behalf of our diplomatic mission in India to apologize if Mr.... -Full Story- (dailypioneer.com - 13/04/12)

India protests SRK detention in US
HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times
India on Friday summoned the US deputy chief of mission a day after actor Shah Rukh Khan was detained at a New York airport immigration for two hours. The US embassy in New Delhi apologised, but India reacted with exasperation over repeated airport incidents that haven’t even spared a former president. Thursday was the third time the actor had trouble at a US airport. External affairs minister SM Krishna said “detention and apology” had become a habit with the US, which “cannot continue”.... -Full Story- (Hindustan Times - 13/04/12)

JAYALALITHA WITHDRAWS HER PARTY DELEGATE FROM TEAM OF MPS TO SRILANKA IN PROTEST
By Walter Jayawardhana
Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister and and General Secretary  of the AIADMK Jayalalitha Jeyaram said her party would boycott the 15 member parliamentary delegation scheduled to visit Sri Lanka on a fact finding mission scheduled April 16 arguing it may prove an eyewash . So, the the parliamentary delegation arriving in Sri Lanka to inspect developmental activities taken up in the island with Indian assistance for resettling and rehabilitating the Tamils displaced by the prolonged war with the LTTE will arrive minus a representative of Tamil Nadu’s ruling party. The Hindu quoting  a statement by Ms. Jayalalitha... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/04/12)

Prison or holiday resort?
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai  Dehiwela.
Prison is meant to be a punishment but in our country it seems to be holiday resort. First we had weddings taking place in prisons and then there were complaints that the food brought for some prisoner is too much and hid phones and drugs, and they had fashion shows for the prisoners  and now we have prisoners complaining they could not watch the cricket match. Even the ministers go out of the way to give stationery and gifts to the children of the prisoners. Next they might even come out with... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/04/12)

WORLD MUSLIM LEADER SALUTES FAITH AND BRAVERY OF MARTYRED AHMADI TEACHER OF RABWAH, PAKISTAN.
By A. Abdul aziz Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Sri Lanka.
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said that a conspiracy to defame the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at was behind martyrdom  During the Friday Sermon delivered from the Baitul Futuh Mosque in London on 6 th April 2012, the worldwide Head and Khalifa of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (Jama’at), Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad spoke in detail about the brutal torture inflicted by police in Pakistan on Mr Abdul Qudoos Ahmad, an Ahmadi Muslim school teacher, which led to his martyrdom. His Holiness made clear that this was no ordinary killing or martyrdom,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 12/04/12)

China, Myanmar sign MoU on setting up friendly religious relations
Xinhua
YANGON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- A ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding on establishing friendly relationship between the Beijing Lingguang Temple of China and the Shwedagon Pagoda of Myanmar was held here Wednesday. The signing took place on the platform of the Shwedagon Pagoda after the Chinese Buddhist delegation attended a ceremony marking the 2600th anniversary of the founding of the Pagoda. Before the ceremony, Master Ming Sheng, Vice-President of the Buddhist Association of China, told a press conference, attended by local media, that the large amount of money and jewelry donated by Myanmar Buddhist believers in... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 12/04/12)

Former ‘nun’ claims abuse rife
George Kommattathil, Kannur
A former nun in Kerala state has claimed that abortion and sexual harassment are rife within religious congregations in a memoir slated for release this week. “Abortions are commonplace in convents,” wrote the author in Swasthy: The Revelations of Sister Mary Chandy. Sister Chandy claims to have witnessed an attempt by a priest and nun to euthanize a newborn baby, which she says she subsequently rescued and delivered to an orphanage. The 67-year-old former nun said she left the Daughters of Presentation of Mary in the Temple (DPM) convent 12 years ago after the Church had branded... -Full Story- (ucanews.com - 12/04/12)

THE ROVING EYE - What's goin' on at the Turkish-Syrian border?
By Pepe Escobar
There is a video [1] that could be loosely translated as "Terrorist Turkish border opening fire on the Syrian side" that pretty accurately sums up what's going on at the ultra-volatile geopolitical hotspot of the moment. The voice over says, "This is the Syria-Turkey border, and this is an operation of the Free Syrian Army [FSA] ... The Gate [that would be the Syrian side of the border, housing the Gate checkpoint] is going to be seized." What this means is that Turkey is sheltering the FSA right on the border, only a few... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 12/04/12)

Libya: So it was all about oil after all!
RT
Last year NATO countries bombed Libya, demanding “democracy” in the country. But now it’s clear it was all about oil and it’s not like the Americans and Brits are going to be democratic about it, and share those spoils equally with France and Italy. So… oil giants Total from France and ENI from Italy are just going to have to wait in the sidelines while the hungry American and British big boys take their juicy oil slices first… ExxonMobil, Chevron, Texaco, BP, Shell… It’s no surprise then to read in The Wall Street Journal that the US Securities &... -Full Story- (rt.com - 12/04/12)

Ban Ki-moon says situation looks calmer in Syria, Annan says encouraged
Xinhua
GENEVA/UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The situation in Syria "looks calmer" as of Thursday afternoon, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday, the first day of UN-mediated ceasefire in Syria. "The world, however, is watching with skeptical eyes, since many promises previously made by the Government of Syria have not been kept," the UN chief said. He urged the Syrian government to fully implement its commitment under the six point blue-print. He also called on the Syria opposition to stop violence in all its forms. "This is time for the fundamental change of course. Too many lives have been... -Full Story- (Xinhua - 12/04/12)

I spoke to some people in Colombo
By Charles.S.Perera
A man stopped me to ask me whether I would like to buy a handphone.  I told him I was sorry, I already have one. I then asked him whether he is happy to see Colombo so beautiful and clean. He said yes, yes, Colombo is beautiful and clean but our stomachs are empty.  I said it is sad , but haven’t we with that suffering built something that our children would be happy and proud in the future.  Yes he said, but where is the money to educate our children.  I told him we had worst... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

CHANDRIKA KUMARATUNGA JUSTIFIES INDIA FOR VOTING AGAINST SRI LANKA AT THE UNHRC MEETING IN GENEVA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Sri Lanka’s former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has justified India for voting against Sri Lanka at the United Nation’s Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva recently. In an interview with a Press Trust of India correspondent in New Delhi she said there must have been “justifiable reasons” for India’s voting at the council meeting. The former President .who has fell out with the current incumbent of the office in Colombo said India’s move in Geneva was not a “let down” and she felt “justifiable reasons” helped India take the decision. The 66 year old Ms. Kumaratunga,  who... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Premkumar Gunaratnam/Mudalige Incident And Australia
Ira de Silva London, Canada
The reported abduction of Gunaratnam indicates that Australia in particular and other western countries such as Canada, Britain, U.S and the countries of the European Union are well aware of the activities of their new citizens, the fact that they are living under false names/identities and that they are still working against Sri Lanka and using these supposed abductions and disappearances in their campaign to discredit Sri Lanka internationally. It is indeed strange that the Australian High Commissioner, who was well aware of his many identities, kept silent in the face of media reports of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Australian man missing in Sri Lanka was kidnapped by secret police-wife
Malin Abeyatunge Oakleigh Vic 3166
The Australian Herald Sun  (9 April 2012)  and the rest of the print and electronic media reported that an Australian citizen by the name of  Premkumar Gunaratnam has gone missing in Sri Lanka and his wife feared that he would have been abducted by the Government Secret Police. Now, this a completely misleading story and the editor would have given a second thought to verify of the veracity of the statement made by his wife (She has not seen him since 2006). Without going into further investigation a DEFAT spokeswoman jumped the gun... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

IS SRI LANKA RUN BY INDIA? SAD TO SAY “YES”
By Stanley Perera
Since pro Terrorist Tamils funded Hillary Clinton’s Presidential election campaign, Hillary Clinton is determined to  REGIME CHANGE in Sri Lanka.  Unfortunately the MR government does not realise the dangers of American connivance with India. As a result of American intervention in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka, India voted against the American sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka.  Prior to the UNHRC resolution Hillary invited GL Peris and TNA.  Within minutes of passing the resolution Hillary ordered GoSL to present to her the detailed programme in implementation of the LLRC recommendations.  Hillary did not stop there.  She... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

The mythical ethnic problem – I
By Nalin de Silva Courtesy The Island
According to the "accepted" version of the ethnic problem the Tamils are being discriminated against by the Sinhalas or the Sinhala extremists, and injustices have been caused to the Tamils after the independence was declared in 1948. This version states the following among others. The Tamil leaders had been very patient with the Sinhala governments and after discussions had failed, as a last resort had wanted in the seventies to establish an Eelam in the Northern and the Eastern provinces, which are the homeland of the Tamils who constitute a separate nation.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Sri Lanka will not be separated like Sudan
Shenali Waduge
If Sudan ended up a show of supremacy between US and China over Africa culminating in the separation of a nation into 2, we can expect a similar scenario concerning Sri Lanka in Asia. Many of the conflicts taking place around us today have been choreographed to establish modern colonialism against the very countries that have been fleeced in the past – Sudan’s case is no different and Sri Lanka now needs to be alert.   As of 2005, Sudan’s population (concentrated mostly throughout the central belt) stood at 39million with over 40% under 15 years. South... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

WHAT DOES PEACE AND UNITY IN SRI LANKA (CEYLON) MEAN TO ME?RESEARCH ANALYST’S OPEN LETTER SENT TO THE FORUM BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Gaya N Siva CSW  Community Services Worker
In 2011 I was invited by several leading professors in conflict studies to be part of a forum as an analyst for several research projects and was later nominated and selected as a moderator for the Open Strategic forum focused on “UN hindering Sri Lanka’s peace, stability, reconciliation and Related Current African Experience” which I accepted with much appreciation as I would get an insight into understanding the current and past situation from various view points. This was organized by the Canadian South Asians for Peace and unity Forum which is made up of South... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

ANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTORS IN CHENNAI WELCOME SRI LANKAN PROTESTS ON THE ISSUE
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Kudnkulam nuclear plant diplomatic tussle between Sri Lanka and India has given a shot in the arm to many anti-nuclear agitators in Chennai who have been protesting against the upcoming plant in the  area reported the Hindu. “For the anti-nuclear protesters in Kudankulam, who remained firm that the project should be scrapped, Sri Lanka's stand has come as a shot in the arm,said the latest issue of the Hindu. “People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) convenor S P Udayakumar said there was nothing unusual in Colombo's reaction. "They have legitimate concerns. There have been similar... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

GUNARATNAM PRESS CONFERENCE GENERATED EXTREMELY BAD PUBLICIY FOR SRI LANKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
Premakumar Gunaratnam a leader of the JVP splinter group, Frontline Socialist Party who was banished from Sri Lanka to his second home Sydney received  the widest possible publicity in Australia when he held a press conference there In the press conference he has  accused the Colombo government of widespread human rights violations and declared he  would have been dead if not for the intervention of the Australian High Commissioner in Colombo and pressure brought on the government by the media. The following is a report published in the Age group in Australia generating extremely bad publicity... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

HONOURING THE JUDICIARY
PROFESSOR ALI SUKHANVER
There will be time; there will be time; time to repent, time to regret, time to feel sorry and time to lament; but that will be too late. The people playing in hands of the conspirators would one day feel sorry for no one else but for their own-self, one day when they would realize that they had been brutally exploited against their own people, against their own religion and against their own land. That is the actual story of tomorrow for those who are now joining hands with the western conspirators and helping them out... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Leaked Video Shows US Contractors Randomly Killing Civilians
Employees of the US military contracting group Academi (formerly Xe, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide) are seen in new leaked video shooting their machine guns at random while driving through the streets of Baghdad, crashing into other cars and even running over a pedestrian without hesitation. Academi received a $250 million contract by the Obama administration to provide military services in Afghanistan.... -Full Story- (informationclearinghouse.info - 11/04/12)

Block All Avenues of Violent Regime Change
- Kumar Moses
Peaceful regime change is a right of the people. But violent undemocratic regime change is a threat to that right. Having failed to secure a regime change in the island through peaceful means, western destabilization agents (including Australian) will surely try out militant means. If their regime change tactics work, this country will lose all hope of prosperity following 30 years of war and will end up like Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Nicaragua, Columbia, Iran or Indonesia in 1998. That affects everybody adversely except for warlords and hence it must be averted using whatever means that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Gunaratnam abduction, a farce -Object-to target SL in international fora
Sri Lanka News
Frontline Socialist Party leader Premakumar Gunaratnam who is alleged to have been abducted by the state reappeared yesterday morning and in fact was deported from Sri Lanka because his stay in the country was in breach of Sri Lanka’s immigration laws and therefore illegal. Ms Dimuthu Attygalle who similarly is said to have been abducted had also reappeared.The objective of this is clearly to target Sri Lnaka in international fora on the flimsiest of evidence. The ministry of External Affairs emphasized to the diplomatic community the following aspects of the situation : (a) It appears that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

An enigmatic drama with a happy ending
 Courtesy The Island-Editorial
Leader of the JVP rebel faction Kumar Gunaratnam, who mysteriously disappeared on Saturday, reappeared as an Australian citizen named Noel Mudalige yesterday! Gunaratnam's statement to the police, recorded in the presence of Australian High Commissioner in Colombo Robyn Mudie and another diplomat is as intriguing as his disappearance and reappearance. He has said that he was treated well in captivity. This is the first time a white van victim has returned alive to say something good about his abductors! The JVP rebels say their central committee member Dimuthu Attygalle was also taken away in a white... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Gunaratnam abduction, a farce -Object-to target SL in international fora
එහෙම වෙද්දී මෙහෙම වෙන්නේ ඇයි?
... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Karunanidhi slams Lanka for raking up Kudankulam nuclear power plant issue
By Walter Jayawardhana
DMK President and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi  slammed Sri Lanka for raking up the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project issue, saying it had been there for many years and India’s Southern neighbour’s protests now cannot be accepted. The Kudankulam project was not something new and had been started many years ago and work on it is currently in progress, he said, adding it cannot be "accepted if they rake up the issue now." "Indian government will do what is required," he told reporters at his residence before leaving for the assembly to sign the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

A Lecture on Geneva by a Participant- Mr. H. L. D. Mahindapala (World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka)on Tuesday 10th April 2012 at 5.00 p.m. at The Mahaweli Centre Auditorium
Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka
  Public Lecture
  on
  Sri Lanka after Geneva in the Shadow of Seeming Giants by
 Mr. H. L. D. Mahindapala
(World Alliance for Peace in Sri Lanka)
will be held
 on
 Tuesday 10th April 2012 at 5.00 p.m.
 at
 The Mahaweli Centre Auditorium
96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7
  ALL ARE WELCOME
... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 11/04/12)

Indian National Paper says Gunaratnam Premakumar was allegedly involved in killing of 14 IPKF soldiers;
By R. K. Radhakrishnan-   Courtesy The Hindu
When Premkumar Gunaratnam alias Noel Mudalige, a Tamilian responsible for killing many Indian soldiers over two decades ago, was forcibly put on a plane at the Colombo airport at 7.40 a.m. on Tuesday, it raised quite a few questions. A reconstruction of the events is roughly as follows: Premkumar arrived here on September 4, 2011 on an Australian passport with the mission of splitting the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna); Premkumar, who had collaborated with the Premadasa regime to kill members of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, apparently outlived his utility after he... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/04/12)

Sampanthan and TNA goons should thank their stars they are with tolerant Sinhala otherwise they would have been skinned alive.
By Charles.S.Perera
The TNA and its MPs have no right to be the Members of the Parliament of Sri Lanka or represent the Tamil people.  The President of Sri Lanka should use his executive power to arrest all TNA MPs for high treason and lock them up separately in prison. We should not care   the pseudo “human rights folly “  of  America andthe West which uses human rights  only as a fig leaf to cover the nudity of the absence of justice and fair-play in their own foreign policy.  America moved the resolution against Sri Lanka at the 19th... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 10/04/12)

Sri Lanka : The Living Laboratory on How to and How Not to Fight Terrorism
By Ayesh De Silva
Governments from all over the world have started to study the case study of Sri Lanka on how to defeat terrorism. Sri Lanka is the best example in the world on how to dismantle a terrorist group militarily. The fact that the present government succeeded and others failed is clearly visible. That is because none of the previous governments had the political will and military strategies to defeat the LTTE. The other governments did not have a national plan or well-coordinated strategies. The present Sri Lankan government with the vision and the mission of His... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

A Letter to Nelson Madela, his Elders, Mary Robinson and Navi Pillai on Human Rights.
By Garvin Karunaratne
Mr Nelson Mandela and his Group of World Elders has thought it fit to advise Sri Lanka on how to handle the UNHRC resolution.  In “Avoid another resolution urges Elders” (Daily Mirror 28/3/2012), they “urge Sri Lanka to try and avoid  another showdown in the UNHRC by adhering to the recent resolution”. A former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson has told the BBC that “the Elders are very pleased  that the UNHRC adopted the resolution urging Sri Lanka to ensure a proper reconciliation process” She adds that “the scale of violations alleged... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

UNHRC and What’s instore for Sri Lanka
By Latheef Farook
A worrisome question on the minds of Sri Lankans is ‘Is the United States sponsored UNHRC resolution ‘calling’ Sri Lanka to implement the LLRC recommendations a prelude to US-Indian military designs on the island? Toss the US strategy for world domination as demonstrated in its PNAC (Plan for New American Century) along with its obsession with China into the equation and the prospects of such a likelihood become more plausible and frightening.     Already the US State Department’s Office  of  Global Criminal Justice, headed by the US Ambassador at large for War Crimes Stephen J Rapp, has... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

CONGRESS OPPOSITION CRITICISES BJP MADHYA PRADESH GOVT. FOR HELPING HINDU PILGRIMS TO VISIT SRI LANKA
By Walter Jayawardhana
The Bharatiya Janatha Party led state government of Madhya Pradesh is favouring  a Hindutva agenda in granting subsidies to the state pilgrims to visit Sitamatha temple in Sri Lanka , the Opposition leader of the state has alleged. Leader of the Oppostion of the Congress Party Ajay Singh last Friday alleged that the state government is implementing hidden Hindutva agenda in the name of subsidy on Hindu pilgrim centers. Adddressing media persons here in Bhopal City on Friday, he alleged that it appeared that there was a ‘Hindutva agenda’ behind the decision of the BJP government... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

Tamil Diaspora is using the West and the UN successfully – they will never allow Sri Lanka to stabilize and prosper
Media Release - Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra
After the end of the war in May 2009, the Tamil Diaspora knew they cannot win the war to create an independent Tamil nation in Sri Lanka by way of gun; they changed the method of fighting the war. They launched a new  war – war by brain. To this end, they have successfully engaged leading  Western academics, human rights pundits, journalists, members of the Western parliaments, lawyers, doctors and other professionals etc to fight their war against Sri Lanka. The TNA is part of this adversarial group. The Tamil Diaspora... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

A flying Buddhist monk in Myanmar
By Michael Cohen
We don't get a lot of UFO stories from Myanmar and have no idea how common UFO sightings are there. This particular sighting however is believed by both witnesses and viewers to not involve a UFO but a flying Buddhist Monk. The reader, from Myanmar, who sent us the link to this video (below) told us that: 'This footage is taken by a unknown teenage girl in Myanmar (Burma).Posted on youtube by Nyi Nyi. There are kids voice in the footage saying flying 'Ya Han Dah' It is believed to be a flying Buddhist monk.Said to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

World Muslim Leader explains the brutal torture and martyrdom of an Ahmadi Teacher in Rabwah, Pakistan.
By A. Abdul Aziz, Press Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Sri Lanka.
(Given below is an excerpt the Friday Sermon of Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered on 6th April 2012 at ‘Baithul Futhuh’, London, U.K., gave an account of the brutal torture that led to the martyrdom of Abdul Qudoos shaheed of Rabwah, Pakistan. His Holiness began by reciting the following Quranic verses:  ‘Think not of those, who have been slain in the cause of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living, in the presence of their Lord, and are... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 09/04/12)

There is no freedom of expression in the West: Somebody Must Say It
Ajit Randeniya
The so-called ‘freedom of expression’ is nominally, one of the essential components of the caboodle of bogus value system of the American versions of democracy, human rights, law and order and other frauds inflicted on the developing world by America and the NGO movement. Attempts are made usually to set the high water mark in relation to these self-professed noble human virtues by what is happening in the ‘West’: Such attempts are absurd, firstly in geographical terms (because it includes easternmost parts of the current version of the world map), and secondly because the ‘so-called ‘values’ are... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/04/12)

THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’: U.S. NEWSPAPERS GO FOR BUCKS
By Shelton A. Gunaratne
When Bob Dylan wrote the song “The times they are a-changin’ in late 1963, I don’t think he had the slightest notion of the technological innovations that have transformed the global society way beyond what Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian media pundit, described in 1964 through his catch phrase “medium is the message/massage.” The British sociologist Jeremy Tunstall asserted in 1977 that media are American because while much of the mass media originated in Europe and elsewhere, the United States dominated global media. But in 2007, Tunstall saw vast changes in the global media system that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/04/12)

A UNHRC 2013 Resolution May Force a Referendum in North-East as the Indian Imposed 13 Amendment
- Kumar Moses
The Indo Lanka Peace Accord of July 1987 required Sri Lanka to hold a referendum only in the northern province and the eastern province by 31 December 1988. It was to decide whether these two provinces should permanently merge. However, according to the Constitution and the Referendum Act of 1982, only the President can call a referendum. Using this provision, Sri Lanka managed to evade the referendum that was forced upon the nation. The danger of a referendum is imminent A vital legal question is, has Sri Lanka abrogated the 1987 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord. Although... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/04/12)

SRI LANKA IS CONCERNED ABOUT SOUTH INDIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
By Walter Jayawardhana
Chinese new agency Xinhua reported that Colombo will raise its concern over the nuclear power plants along the coastline of South India before the International Atomic Energy Agency. The news agency said quoting Sri Lanka’s Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka the issue will be raised at the International Atomic Energy confabulation scheduled in September . The Sri Lankan official is concerned over the impact a nuclear disaster in one of the plants located in southern India could have on Sri Lanka, he said. Minister Ranawaka talking to reporters, said that his ministry had already raised... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 08/04/12)

Is there life after US-Indian Resolution?
H. L. D. Mahindapala
From time to time Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu (“Paki” hereinafter) and Sanjana Hattotuwa, his side-kick for 11 years, put on comic shows as good as Laurel & Hardy’s, minus, of course, the pantomime. The latest show was aired on their TV channel where both focused on the US Resolution (Surprise! Surprise!) that was passed by the UNHRC. The triumphalism of this duo was visible and audible, particularly with Hattotuwa tossing soft balls to “Paki” for him to score runs on each question with ease. One of the main responses from “Paki” was to downgrade the others opposed... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Tamil Nadu training 150 Tamil Tigers-OPEN LETTER to Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu, India, K.Ramanujam
Asoka Weerasinghe  Kings Grove Crescent . Gloucester . Ontario . K1J 6G1 . Canada
7 April 2012 OPEN LETTER  to Director General of Police of Tamil Nadu, India, K.Ramanujam Chennai, Tamil Nadu, South India.  Dear Director General of Police, K. Ramanujam: This is what I read in New Kerala News of April 2, and I am somewhat in a quandary whether to believe you or not, as if Tamil Nadu’s history repeats itself, then you are caught in a vice of being a text book Liar. “LTTE is not being trained in Tamil Nadu, Chennai, April 2:  The Tamil... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Bias of mainstream English language press on religious issues in Sri Lanka
By  Senaka Weeraratna
On April 5, 2012 the ‘Island’ editorial echoing the views of a well-known University teacher and a Buddhist, Dr. Attanayake M. Herath called for the banishing of male chauvinism from the Sri Dalada Maligawa and its precincts and stated that since a woman bore Prince Siddhartha who as the Buddha gave utmost respect to women there was no reason why women should be debarred from taking care of the Buddha’s tooth relic. The issue here is not Dr. Attanayake’s views but why the ‘Island’ and other mainstream English newspapers have not shown similar enthusiasm for reform... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

ආශ්චර්යමත් ශ්රීර ලංකාවේ උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ අනාගතය
ගුනේන්ද්‍ර ප්‍රියදර්ශන - දොඩංගොඩ කොළඹ විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ විද්‍යා උපාධිධාරී
අද මෙරට උපාධිධාරීන් සියල්ලන්ම මහත් ප්‍රමෝදයට පත්ව ඇතැයිද ඔවුන් සියල්ලන්ට උපාධියේ ගෞරවයට සරිලන රැකියා ලැබී ඇතැයිද ශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් උපාධිධාරීන්ගේ සංගමය පසුගිය දිනක රජයේ මාධ්‍ය හමුවේ කළ ප්‍රකාශය අනුව මෙරට ජනතාව සළකනු ඇත. නමුත් මෙම නින්දිත ප්‍රකාශන හමුවේ දිගහැරෙමින් පවතිනුයේ මෙම සංගමයේ සහ එයට සහය ලබාදෙන ආණ්ඩුවේ නිර්ලජ්ජිත භාවයම නොවේද. මොවුන්ගේ මෙම ප්‍රකාශයට ආසන්නතම හේතුව වනුයේ දැනට ක්‍රියාත්මක උපාධිධාරී අභ්‍යාසලාභීන් බදවා ගැනීමේ වැඩපිළිවෙල වේ. නමුත් එම වැඩපිළිවෙල ඔවුන් ප්‍රකාශ කරන්නාවූ තරම් සුජාතද යන්න විමසා බැලීම කාලෝචිතය. මෙම තනතුර සදහා වන අයදුම් පත්‍ර භාර ගන්නා අවසන් දිනය වනුයේ 2012.03.30 වන දිනයි... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Govt. rejects JVP allegation that rebel leaders are in custody-
 By Shamindra -The Island
The rebel JVP faction yesterday accused the government of taking its elusive leader Premakumara Gunaratnam into custody along with another senior cadre, Dimuthu Attygalle, in the run up to the launch of a new political outfit on April 9. Udul Premaratne of the dissident group told The Sunday Island that both Gunaratnam and Attygalle were missing and were believed to be arrested by security authorities. A senior defence official denied the allegation that the two JBVP rebels were in custody. In fact, there hadn’t been any indication of Gunaratnam returning to the country, though his... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Die Welt, German national newspaper carries article on Das Buddhistische Haus -Berlin on the traces of the Buddha
 Author: Nicole Dolif| 19.05.2008
Die Welt (The World) is a German national daily newspaper published by the Axel Springer AG company. It is one of Germany's leading newspapers. On the eve of the visit of Dalai Lama to Berlin on May 19, 2008 ‘Die Welt’ published an article on Das Buddhistische Haus (Berlin Vihara). An edited version of the English translation and the web link to the original article in German are appended below. Berlin on the traces of the Buddha
To mark the visit of Dalai Lama to the capital Berlin: Die Welt looked at a center of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Article "Revisiting the science behind 9/11"
Tilak Dissanayake
Dear Editor, I find the articles published in LankWeb interesting to read, and most of them involve the expression of political views, which are the expression of a persons opinion.  LankaWeb rarely gets into speculating on conspiracy theories and pseudoscience and I must commend you for consistently not being a forum for the various nutters who advance such hypotheses. However, I read with apprehension the subject article, and your normally excellent editorial instincts appear to have been absent in publishing this article. Victor Fic is among the uninformed who have various pseudoscientific speculations about the 9/11 events.  If... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 07/04/12)

Tamil Nadu fantasy productions from cricket and “attacks on fishermen”
Asada M Erpini
A report in the news media on 2nd April referred to a call by some legal eagles in Tamil Nadu for severing cricketing links between India and Sri Lanka. Emboldened by the stance taken by the central government at the behest of the Tamil Nadu politicians vis a vis the UNHCR resolution against Sri Lanka that was adopted at the UNHCR sessions in Geneva on 22nd March, others who want to steal the limelight taking such a course of action is not surprising.  Tamil Nadu has a population of 72 million, a mere 6% in a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/04/12)

VILLAGE SKETCH—10,MYNA LOSES HIS KONDE (KNOT OF HAIR)
Arcadius
As a community of very devout Theravada Buddhists, the simple folks of Pathegama professed to follow the pure Hinayana (Lower Wheel) form of the doctrine that the Gautama Buddha meticulously elucidated in his sacred suttas (the Pali discourses he delivered after his Enlightenment) that together with vinaya (disciplinary code for monks) and abidhamma (the later commentaries on what the Buddha taught) constitute the Tripitaka (Three Baskets). However, the truth was that most villagers would have been hard put to accurately explain the Four Noble Truths as the gist of Buddhism—that samsara (wheel of existence) is coterminous with... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 06/04/12)

INTERVIEW Revisiting the science behind 9/11
Victor Fic,
Even as the blood-stained dust of the World Trade Center was still smoking, the events were triggering one of history's most enduring "whodunit" mysteries. In this interview with Asia Times Online contributor Victor Fic, Australian scientist Frank Legge indicts the United States. A second, future interview will present other perspectives. After graduating with a PhD in chemistry in 1983, Legge worked as a research officer for the Australian Department of Agriculture for a number of years. Since the September 11, 2001, attacks he has written articles such as "9/11 - Acceleration Study Proves Explosive Demolition" and... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 06/04/12)

THE ROVING EYE We want war, and we want it now
By Pepe Escobar
It was deep into the night, somewhere over Siberia, in a Moscow to Beijing flight (BRIC to BRIC?) when the thought, like a lightning bolt, began to take hold. What the hell is wrong with those Arabs? Maybe it was the narcotic effect of that perennially dreadful Terminal F at Sheremetyevo airport - straight out of a Brejnev gulag. Maybe it was the anticipation of finding more about the Russia-China joint naval exercise scheduled for late April. Or it was simply another case of "you can take the boy out of the Middle East, but you... -Full Story- (atimes.com - 06/04/12)

Power of Thought - A Quantum Perspective
- By Kent Healy
scientific approach to explaining the power of thought. We have all heard it before, "Your thoughts create your reality." Well, new quantum physics studies support this idea. Learn about recent research about how the mind can influence the behavior of subatomic particles and physical matter... -Full Story- (youtube.com - 06/04/12)

Ultimate 'zombie' mind control: myths and facts about weapons of the future
RT
A speech by the Russian Defense Minister promising to modernize his army caused a firestorm in the Western media – which accused Russia of developing mind control weapons that turn people into zombies. The truth is more complex, but no less scary. ­“The development of weaponry based on new physics principles – direct-energy weapons, geophysical weapons, wave-energy weapons, genetic weapons, psychotronic weapons, and so on – is part of the state arms procurement program until 2020,” Minister Anatoliy Serdyukov reported to President-in-waiting Vladimir Putin during their latest meeting.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 06/04/12)

Confession: Infiltrator who spied on Muslims reveals FBI techniques
RT
While the FBI insists they are acting to defend the US from potential terrorist attacks, a former informant says it treats an entire religious group as suspicious. He told RT about some of the bureau's ethically murky practices. RT:Back in 2006 you became Farouk al-Aziz, a French-Syrian in search of his Islamic roots. Tell us how did that happen? CM: I was successful as an informant from 2003 to early 2006 working on money-for-hire operations, bank robberies, infiltrating white supremacist groups. And one day as I was speaking to my handler, her name was Tracy Hanlon. I said I... -Full Story- (rt.com - 06/04/12)

I called my Friend in Jaffna
By Charles S.Perera
I called my friend in Jaffna. He is disappointed with the government of which he had much hope to draw the Tamils out of Communal concentration to a social and political integration with the Sinhala. He is sure if the government could have an active Office in Jaffna where the people are informed of the governments on going welfare activities, and contact the Tamil people directly, more and more people will turn away from the TNA and turn towards the Government. Apparently, the Government is not making a genuine effort to propagate information to the Tamil... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

The UN is making lasting peace in Sri Lanka less likely
By Ian Paisley Jnr -Courtesy The Commentator
on 3 April 2012 at 5pm The people of Sri Lanka have suffered infamous violence throughout the country's civil war - but a patient approach is required in the pursuit of justice and peace, says Ian Paisley MP Can a peace process ever be rushed?
The Sri Lankan parliament has begun debating the resolution from the UN Human Rights Council urging Sri Lanka to conduct an investigation into alleged war crimes committed during its battle against Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009. On hearing of the UN passing the resolution the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Sri Lanka records best-ever economic growth
Channelnewsasia
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's economy grew by 8.3 percent last year, the quickest expansion since independence from Britain in 1948, the census and statistics department said Thursday. The rate compared with an expansion of 8.0 percent in 2010, the first full year after government forces defeated Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 and declared an end to nearly 40 years of fighting. "The 8.3 percent growth (in 2011) is the highest GDP growth ever achieved since independence," the department said, adding that it was also the first time since independence that 8.0 percent growth was recorded in two consecutive years.... -Full Story- (channelnewsasia.com - 05/04/12)

Anti-immigration drive: Now, Sri Lankans and Indians can't work in UK after studies
Times ofIndia
LONDON: A facility that allowed Indian students to work here for two years after their courses are over will be closed from Friday as part of the Cameron government's drive to cut migration, which may put-off those aspiring to study in the UK. Under the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route, Indian and other non-EU students were able to take up work for two years here after the completion of their university courses. This route will be closed from Friday, the Home Office has announced.... -Full Story- (Times of India - 05/04/12)

Please give us some good news
Letter to the Editor  -By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai
Today I counted the news items in one of the daily newspaper.  For 10 bad news ( theft, murder, cheating etc.) two good news. And those two news are tucked away on the 4th page whereas the first a page glorifies  of some murder and mayhem. Actually we have 20 million people living in this country and does it matter whether a paramour of some cursed woman was attacked  by the husband? Is that national news? What about  millions of women who are chaste and  have happy families? Why should  the misdemeanor... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Are we SLEEPWALKING?
Kamal Tennakoon
A man of letters and called erudite, eminent person in law but very unconvincing in his speech, travels around seeking support for Sri Lanka without results talks or rather gloats about the ineffectiveness of the UNHCR resolution in public platforms and Parliament. Unfortunately in the present day international political arena his type of speech looks very jocular, rather poor in assertion or convincing. Look at the other leaders, they have a personality and are assertive. One could hardly see their lips moving in comparison to our eminent person who has to use his hands, head, neck... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Opium to the youth
By Dr. Mrs. Mareena Thaha Reffai Dehiwela.
Do we realize what we are bringing up our youth on nowadays? Either it is cricket or music -more of the latter. We are glorifying musical competitions  and not doing anything to  give them any incentive  to achieve anything  better in life. All we see day in day out in all the cities and even some villages is the competition for Superstars. Thousands flock to these shows and millions waste time watching some youth singing –well or not is not the question-  in order to find the superstar. Even the selection  of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Commemorating the 'Lion of Boralugoda'
Dr.Tilak Fernando
On January 11, 1901 Dona Liyanora Gunasekara gave birth to her fourth child and the father, well-known Boralugoda Appuhamy, Don Jacolis Rupasinghe Gunawardena in Avisswella, named their son Don Philip Rupasinghe Gunawardena. He later became an outstanding loyalist and a true patriotic son of Sri Lanka with an innovative vision, analytical mind and was a down to earth representative of the people, detesting injustice and struggled always to establish the truth, with impartiality and fairness. After an illustrious political career he died on March 26, 1972. On his 40th death anniversary this column focuses on 'The Lion... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Lord Naseby lashes out at UK distortions: No harassment of returning Tamils
Sandasen MARASINGHE-The Daily News
Lord Naseby, PC, Baron of Sandy and chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka said that the allegation made by several Labour Party MPs that Tamils who come back to Sri Lanka from UK are being harassed, persecuted and not allowed their rights, was totally misleading. He made this observation at a meeting with journalists at the Colombo Hilton Hotel. He said British High Commission sources in Sri Lanka told him around 400 Tamils came to Sri Lanka from UK during the recent... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 05/04/12)

Tamil Nadu Judiciary's Call To Cancel India Vs Sri Lanka Cricket Games Put Into Perspective
Howzatt ! By Doosra Sammy
April 4th 2012  The item "Cancel matches between India and Sri Lanka" by the High Court of Tamil Nadu, India sounds not only laughable but something which portrays those responsible for the call as apathetic and far removed from the concepts and principles of sports and sportsmanship which cannot be mixed with the misconceptions of deluded politicians and legislators alike!  In response Sri Lanka and the authorities concerned should point out to these apathetic individuals who officially belong to an Indian Judiciary in Madras that theirs is a very poor interpretration of what the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 04/04/12)

On the implementation of the LLRC report
By Nalin de Silva  Courtesy The Island  April 3, 2012, 6:48 pm
The UNHRC wants Sri Lanka to implement the LLRC report and to monitor the implementation. The UNP shouts from roof tops that if the government had implemented the LLRC report then nothing would have happened in Geneva as far as Sri Lanka is concerned. It is true that the LLRC was appointed by the government without a mandate to go into the so-called ethnic problem but one could argue that no recommendation on the failure of the Ranil Prabhakaran Pact aka Ceasefire Agreement, could have been... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 04/04/12)

Russians will never become dogs of the West
Sergei Lunyov-Politonline-Courtesy Pravda
We, the Russians, are afraid of our own past. We are still worried about the things that the Poles may say about Katyn, what the Americans may say about Stalin, the Estonians - about the "Bronze Soldier", the Japanese - about the Kurile Islands, and so on. We are not comfortable to say the words "The Russian Empire" and the "Soviet Union." We want to strike something out, to forget and silence something, not to feel awkward for our own history, our leaders and the wars that we won. We, the Russians, always listen to what... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 04/04/12)

‘Not a country’: ICC blocks Palestine war crimes probe
RT
The ICC has refused Palestine’s bid for an investigation into the Israeli military offensive on the Gaza strip on the basis that Palestine is not a recognized state. Human rights groups have strongly criticized the move, while Israel has praised it. A prosecutor from the International Criminal Court said the investigation would get the go ahead only if the UN or its Security Council recognizes Palestine as a state. “I need Palestine recognized as a state because I am not the prosecutor of the world; I am the prosecutor of the countries who accept my jurisdiction. I need a... -Full Story- (rt.com - 04/04/12)

Friends of Syria undermine peace process - Lavrov
RT
The actions of Friends of Syria group of states jeopardize realization of the UN peace plan for Syria, undermining international efforts to end violence in the country, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said. ­“Everybody backed [Kofi] Annan’s [peace] plan,” he noted. “Then all of a sudden another meeting of the Friends of Syria group makes decisions, urging [the Syrian] opposition to refuse negotiations and arm, promising new sanctions [against Syria].” Lavrov stressed this undermines actions to stop violence in the country that the Friends of Syria want to deal with the Syrian opposition only, making the deadlock irresolvable.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 04/04/12)

In arms way: India's 'hollow' army to buy in bulk
Russia Today
As a recently-leaked letter scandal reveals the Indian army, one of the biggest in the world, is virtually “naked”, foreign weapons producers cast longing looks at the country’s never-shrinking military budget: over $100 billion to be spent by 2020. ­India's entire tank fleet is out of ammunition, air defenses are "97 per cent obsolete" and the elite forces are "woefully short" of "essential weapons," reads a leaked letter Army Chief Vijay Kumar Singh sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March. "The state of the major (fighting) arms i.e. mechanized forces, artillery, air defense, infantry and special forces,... -Full Story- (rt.com - 03/04/12)

Sri Lanka and India
Ajai Sahni Editor, SAIR; Executive Director, Institute for Conflict Management & SATP
If such an outcome were to be secured in Iraq or Afghanistan or, now, even in Pakistan, it would be embraced by the West as an unadulterated and righteous triumph. In Sri Lanka, however, it appears to have provoked, across much of Europe and among the most prominent international agencies – including the United Nations (UN) – a seething and barely concealed outrage... There is a sense, not of a dreaded terrorist organisation having been defeated and destroyed, but of collaborators, comrades, fellows at arms, lost to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

Why Lankan army’s epic hostage rescue ignored?
Swarna Ratnayake Nadaraja Courtesy The Island
Why Lankan army’s epic hostage rescue ignored? April 2, 2012, 12:00 pm Why is no-one talking about the Epic rescue of nearly three hundred thousand Tamil civilians held hostage by the LTTE? This was achieved at a tremendous cost to the army in lives, limbs and eyesight. When the heavily – mined eastern embankments were opened up for the hostages to escape, they came streaming into the army lines and entry points for safety and succour. These numbers are not imaginary estimates like the 40,000 civilian deaths being bandied about. These people... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

Key U.S. Outcomes at the UN Human Rights Council 19th Session- Your Comments
Key U.S. Outcomes at the UN Human Rights Council 19th Session
The 19th Session of the Human Rights Council underscored the importance of robust engagement at the Council, where the United States continues to work with a diverse range of countries from all regions of the world to address urgent human rights concerns. U.S. leadership kept the Council at the forefront of the international effort to promote and protect human rights in the Middle East as the Arab Spring continues to transform the region. U.S. engagement has resulted in significant improvements to the Human Rights Council (HRC) over... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

Why the Wars Will Not End How the New American Empire Really Works
by PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
Great empires, such as the Roman and British, were extractive. The empires succeeded, because the value of the resources and wealth extracted from conquered lands exceeded the value of conquest and governance. The reason Rome did not extend its empire east into Germany was not the military prowess of Germanic tribes but Rome’s calculation that the cost of conquest exceeded the value of extractable resources. The Roman empire failed, because Romans exhausted manpower and resources in civil wars fighting amongst themselves for power. The British empire failed, because the British exhausted themselves fighting Germany in two... -Full Story- (counterpunch.org - 03/04/12)

ආරාධනය!
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි
රාහුල් සමිදු, දුන් ඔවදන් හා               මුසුව පොදු ජන අතර, නිරතුරුවම       සැරිසැරුව සැළලිහිණියෙණි, පෙර දිනයක මෙහි විසුව, ඔබ අප ලොවේ දිදුලන මැණිකකි       මතුව   සබද සංදෙස කව           සැළලිහිණිය  බැදුන     රහල් සමිදු වැද අවසර ගෙන            පෙමිණ ඔබ සැරි සැරුව    මේ දිවයින මන         බදින            කෙළෙසද සසද කිව මැන ඔබ  යුග     වරුණ පෙරදා මෙන්ම සුකුමාලය             දියවන්නා පෙරටත් වඩා හැඩවී දැන් මෙහි         ඉන්නා ඈ හා මුසුව... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

යුද ආතතියේ මනෝ සාමාජයික බලපෑම බලපෑම -උතුර සහ දකුණ
වෛද්‍ය රුවන් එම් ජයතුංගගේ Combat Trauma in Sri Lanka  ලිපිය  සහ  මහාචාර්ය දයා සෝමසුන්දරම්ගේ Vanni Narratives ඇසුරෙනි පරිවර්තනය ඒ එස් වික්‍රමසිංහ / නදී  කදුරුවාන 
උතුරේ යුද ගැටුම් නිසා මානසික කම්පනයන්ට ලක්වූ සොල්දාදුවන් පිලිබදව මා විසින් තොරතුරු වාර්තා ලියා තිබේ. එසේම විශේෂඥ මනෝ වෛද්‍ය නීල් ප්‍රනාන්දු මහතා සහ මා විසින් ඒ සම්බන්ධයෙන් දීර්ඝ පරියේෂණ කොට ඇත. යුද ගැටුම් නිසා උතුරේ මානසික කම්පනයන්ට ලක්වූ මිනිසුන් ගැන නොලියන්නේ මන්දැයි ඇතැමෙකු අපගෙන් අසති. එයට හේතු කීපයක් තිබේ. අපගේ නියැදියන්ගෙන් බහුතරය අයත් වුයේ දකුණටය. අපට උතුරේ ජනතාවගේ මානසික ප්‍රතිකාර කටයුතු වලට සහභාගි වීමට අවස්ථාවක් මේ දක්වා ලැබී නැත.  වෛද්‍යවරුන් වන අප මිනිසුන් අත් විඳින මානසික පීඩනයන් දකින්නේ දේශපාලනමය... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

Cancel matches between India and Sri Lanka: PIL in Madras HC
Courtesy INDIA DAILY NEWS   Monday, Apr 2, 2012, Madurai
The Madras High Court on Monday ordered notice to the Centre and the BCCI on a PIL seeking direction to cancel all future matches between India and Sri Lanka, until disputes between Tamils and Sinhalese are settled and peace prevails in the Bay of Bengal. A division bench comprising justices R Banumathi and B Rajandran also asked them to file their reply to the PIL on April 16. In his PIL, advocate S Calvin Christopher also sought a direction to BCCI not to sign any contract for international matches between India... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/04/12)

Key U.S. Outcomes at the UN Human Rights Council 19th Session
Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
The 19th Session of the Human Rights Council underscored the importance of robust engagement at the Council, where the United States continues to work with a diverse range of countries from all regions of the world to address urgent human rights concerns. U.S. leadership kept the Council at the forefront of the international effort to promote and protect human rights in the Middle East as the Arab Spring continues to transform the region. U.S. engagement has resulted in significant improvements to the Human Rights Council (HRC) over the past two and a... -Full Story- (state.gov - 03/04/12)

Navineetham Pillai UN H C for Human Rights and Tamara Kunanayakam Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN Office at Geneva
By Charles.S.Perera
They are two different women  with two different mindsets.  They are both from Tamil Communities . One from the Tamil Comminity in South Africa and the other from the Tamil Community in Sri Lanka. The former Navaneetham Pillai is a prejudiced individual who seems to be there in her place to take revenge from those who stole her childhood, having been the child of a poor Tamil family from the  poorest  quarter of  South Africa under an Apartheid Regime. The latter Tamara Kanakanayakam on the other hand  is quite the opposite brought up in a well to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

Message from Geneva-Know your sincere friends
By Latheef Farook
In times of crisis in Sri Lanka, Muslims countries have always come to the island’s rescue   with no strings attached. This friendly gesture was demonstrated once again by Muslim countries   when they voted against the US sponsored United Nations Human Rights Council resolution against Sri Lanka. While the European countries as a whole sided with the US, almost every Muslim country either supported Sri Lankan or abstained. For example Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bangladesh Maldives, Mauritania and Indonesia   voted against the resolution defying the US. Four more Muslim countries, Malaysia Jordan, Kyrgyzstan and predominantly Muslim Senegal abstained thus depriving... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

Geneva Resolution – The Government must also accept some blame
Media Release -Sri Lanka Support Group, Canberra
The recently passed Geneva Resolution is the only such Resolution that has ever been passed against Sri Lanka. It is immaterial whether we lost by a few votes or more, the end result is that the consequences of the Resolution are serious. This is the beginning of a new, long, protracted campaign to be initiated against Sri Lanka by the international community. Sadly, India is also part of it. And this is a very serious situation. The end result one day could be the initiation of a referendum in the North East... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

The US involvement in pushing for War Crimes Investigation against Sri Lanka-MEMORANDUM
Anjalika Silva – A Sri Lankan American registered Democrat voter from Maryland USA
To:                          The Honorable Hillary Clinton  Madam Secretary, as a US Citizen of Sri Lankan origin who supported you and contributed to your campaign in 2008, with a steady voting record as a Democrat, I am disappointed and shocked at the risks you are taking to push Sri Lanka into a corner for achieving what the US has not been able to do for many years.  My disappointment borders on anger at what the Sri Lanka issue is doing to divide the people in my country... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

A book by former US diplomat is of the view that India should concentrate on the division of Sri Lanka
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
A book written by former US diplomat advocates that India should concentrate on the division of Sri Lanka . The book   also says India once failed to project itself as a regional power when it did not send its troops to Sri Lanka to capture Prabhakaran or kill him when the Liberation Tamil of Eelam (LTTE) assasinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi by a woman suicide bomber. The book written by William H.Avery, who once worked in the US Embassy in Colombo and the American Consulate in Chennai  said in the book “China’s... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

Is Tamils Rights or Tamil Aspirations denied in Sri Lanka
Shenali Waduge 
Over the years matters have become complicated simply because we have allowed two words to become intermingled confusing facts. While every citizen can demand his/her “right” from the State, no citizen can expect his/her “aspiration” to be given by the State. What we currently face is a plethora of “aspirations” which are unlikely to be ever fulfilled making it wiser to separate the rights from the aspirations and thereafter to inform the State what rights have been denied or even neglected. This is the only way forward and entails proper reconciliation that is practical & realistic.  No... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

Indian Denials Of Tamil Tiger Terrorist Training In Tamil Nadu As Posted In the Hindu May Not Be Entirely Credible.
Insight By Sunil Kumar
April 3rd 2012 When there are allegations about Tamil Tiger training camps in Tamil Nadu that Indian High Commission in Colombo has emphatically denied they need to come up with more substantial  evidence to the contrary  sustaining the denials at a time when Indian transparencies have been exposed by their stance at the UNHRC at Geneva which has probably inspired the possibilities of an attempted resurgence of the LTTE. This was a theme discussed by many experts who did not entirely discredit this possibility knowing the extent to which Tamil Diaspora and Tamil Tiger sympathetic groups conduct... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

Fernando duo's speeches organized by Lionel Bopage & his cohorts of PHRRE
Asoka
Friends, This event staged at Room4, of the Rotunda at Monash University, Clayton, on Sunday 25 March 2012 was given wide publicity, as usual, and as expected, by Australia wide SBS Sinhala Program and 3ZZZ Sinhala program in Melbourne.  Everyone knew that it will be well publicized among the Tiger circles and largely attended by their sympathizers.  As such, at first, I didn't want to go, but later I changed my mind as I realized that at least a few white Aussies may attend, because it was held at Monash and they could think that it was an... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/04/12)

British War Crimes in Sri Lanka
The Great Rebellion of 1817-1818, also known as the 1818 Uva-Wellassa Uprising, (after the two places it had started), or simply the Uva Rebellion was the third Kandyan War with the British, in what is now Sri Lanka. It took place in what in know Uva, which was a then a province of the Kingdom of Kandy, against the British colonial government under Governor Robert Brownrigg, which had been controlling the formerly independent Udarata, (Up-Country in Sinhalese). Records state that the Uva Rebellion was the first struggle for gaining Independence from the British.[1]... -Full Story- (en.wikipedia.org - 02/04/12)

Why the IGP is Slow in Taming Private Bus Drivers on the Issue of Road Accidents
by Dr. Chandana Jayalath
 According to how we hear and listen, nearly 60,000 road accidents are reported annually in Sri Lanka, of which at least 2,200 are fatal. Each 10 minutes a road accident is reported and at least a one person dies in each 4 hours. On latest the 1 April, 11 innocent people were dead. The National Council for Road Safety statistics reveals that road accidents is the number one killer among people in the 15 to 29 age group in Sri Lanka. The three decades from 1977 to 2007 recorded 1,120,848 accidents, 40,000 deaths, 370,000 injuries... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/04/12)

Geneva Outcome 2012: questions to the step-father of 13A+ in Sri Lanka
C. Wijeyawickrema         
                Politicians, who did not know history or geography of Sri Lanka, did blunders in the past. For example, both SWRD and Dudley S signed agreements with Chelvanayagam who wanted a country in a Tamil homeland giving him land powers. Giving land powers in such context is like erecting ladders to jumping monkeys. These agreements were based on selfish politics and not based on what was reasonable and justifiable. Present day Marxist remnants proudly cite Colvin R. de. Silva’s 1950s formula, “one language two countries, two languages one country,” forgetting what Colvin said and did in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/04/12)

AFTERMATH OF UNHRC RESOLUTION
JANAKI CHANDRARATNA PERTH, AUSTRALIA
 The aftermath of the UNHRC resolution appears to be focussed on the review and analysis of the event. It is natural for a country to back track and scrutinize its strategies for future engagements. Yes, unfortunately we lost the contest 15 to 23 with 8 abstentions on 22 March 2012. It was a contest that could have been easily won as the allegations were baseless, politically motivated and not limited to Sri Lanka. In fact many horrific violations of human rights had been perpetrated by the resolution sponsor as well as several UNHRC members in... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/04/12)

නිදන් හොරු
චන්ද්‍රසේන පණ්ඩිතගේ විසිනි.
සෑම රටකම සොරකම දඩුවම් ලැබිය හැකි වරදකි. රටේ ඉහලම ව්‍යවස්ථාදායකයෙන් ඒ සදහා ලබාදිය යුතු දඩුවම්ද මනාව සකසා නියම කොට තිබේ. නමුත්  නීතිය නම්වූ සංකල්පයට ඉදිරියට පැන සොරකම් කරන්නන්ට  දඩුවම් කිරීමට බැරි නිසා රාජ්‍ය නායකයින් මනාව සොරකම් කරයි. සොරකම් කරන මුදල් වඩාත් ආරක්ෂා කිරීම සදහා තැන්පත් කරයි. ධනය වඩාත් ආරක්ෂා කර ගැනීම සදහා තැන්පත් කිරීම; අප ධනය නිදන් ගත කරනවා යයි පවසමු. මෙසේ ධනය නිදන් ගත කිරීම, පෙර රජ දවස හා ඊට පෙර කල සිටම පැවත එන සිරිතකි.  පෙර රජ දරුවන් මෙන්ම වත්මන් රජ දරුවන්ද ධනය නිදන් ගත කිරීම අපූරුවට සිදු කරයි. වත් මන් රජ දරුවන්ට අමතරව,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/04/12)

Sri Lanka Export Marketing Web Channel Launched - SriLankExporters.com
Press Release -Sri Lanka Exporters.com
Sri Lanka’s first ever full-scale export marketing web channel www.srilankaexporters.com was launched parallel to the opening of Sri Lanka Expo 2012, which started on 28th March at BMICH. It will serve as one of the leading marketing channels for all Sri Lankan manufactures and exporters of products and services. This service will provide marketing assistance in USA, Canada, UK & Europe, Dubai & Middle East, China and India with it’s own representative offices. Buyers all over the world will benefit in finding products and services provided by reliable, credible and verified Sri Lankan exporters.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/04/12)

Confirmed: CIA secret prison in Poland
RT
Another CIA-run interrogation 'black site' has been exposed after the confessions of top-ranking Polish officials blew the lid on the dirtiest secret in Eastern Europe. ­The former head of Poland’s intelligence service secret Zbigniew Siemiatkowski has been charged with taking part in establishing a secret prison for the CIA in a remote part of the country. Allegedly, foreign prisoners in the detention center were tortured in connection with America's global war on terror. Siemiatkowski refused to comment on the matter, citing the country's secrecy laws. However, he did not deny the report.... -Full Story- (rt.com - 01/04/12)

The buck of corruption floats up
Editorial-The Nation
‘The Rising Crime Rate’ is a standard essay topic in schools and has been so for decades. It says something about the persistence of the phenomenon and also a manifest inability and lack of will on the part of relevant authorities to combat the menace. It points to complicity or deliberate, systematic and skilled partaking. The National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) is reported to be investigating four ministers, two deputy ministers and several provincial politicians and members of local government authorities alleged to have been implicated in bribery and corruption. ‘Four’, commonsense says, is a small number and sadly... -Full Story- (nation.lk - 01/04/12)

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